Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Louisa has always dreamed about seeing this one world famous painting with a group of friends at the end of a pier. Most people don’t see them but Louisa does. When she has a chance she almost gets arrested.
Twenty five years ago the group of friends always met on the pier to spend their summer, to share laughter and grief, to escape their homes, to be together, to be friends. One of them became a famous artist starting by painting this scene.
Now he is dying and he decides to govt this painting and kind of one of his friends - Ted - to Louisa. Both go on a cross country journey to the birthplace of the painting. Both overcome personal struggles, grow closer and start trusting each other, they also have their fears and grief. At the same time Ted tells Louisa the story of his friend group.
I liked this book because it is about friendship and growth. It illustrates what friendship can do for us and how the emotional support of a friend group can help with different struggles. At the same it touches many, many troubling and triggering topics like suicide, rape, abuse and violence without a warning or emotional support. I felt like the writing style was very factual or slow and careful.
So all in all, it is a very heavy book.
Twenty five years ago the group of friends always met on the pier to spend their summer, to share laughter and grief, to escape their homes, to be together, to be friends. One of them became a famous artist starting by painting this scene.
Now he is dying and he decides to govt this painting and kind of one of his friends - Ted - to Louisa. Both go on a cross country journey to the birthplace of the painting. Both overcome personal struggles, grow closer and start trusting each other, they also have their fears and grief. At the same time Ted tells Louisa the story of his friend group.
I liked this book because it is about friendship and growth. It illustrates what friendship can do for us and how the emotional support of a friend group can help with different struggles. At the same it touches many, many troubling and triggering topics like suicide, rape, abuse and violence without a warning or emotional support. I felt like the writing style was very factual or slow and careful.
So all in all, it is a very heavy book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's a book that was translated into English, so there are quite a few run-on sentences or punctuation in odd places that makes me think that there might have been some translation errors. It wasn't enough to take away from the immersion, but it did subtract from the star rating a little. Also, I'm sorry, but I kind of found Louisa's characterization to be the tiniest bit obnoxious. I know, I know, she's supposed to be that way because of her upbringing and whatnot, but I honestly sympathized with Tim at certain points. I'd be annoyed over such incessant questioning and a complete lack of any social filter from my traveling companion too.
That being said, I still very much enjoyed reading through My Friends. Not sure that this book affected me as much as it did other people, but it's still a heartfelt and emotional story about the power of art and the prevailing nature of friendship, and the language was poetic enough to tug at my heartstrings every so often.
That being said, I still very much enjoyed reading through My Friends. Not sure that this book affected me as much as it did other people, but it's still a heartfelt and emotional story about the power of art and the prevailing nature of friendship, and the language was poetic enough to tug at my heartstrings every so often.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love this author, and I love this book! The characters are flawed and amazing. I cried throughout the book. (I am a crier.) So many brilliant quotes throughout this book that I wanted to remember.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence
Minor: Suicide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Suicide
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This BOOK!!!! Not surprising for a Fredrik Backman book, but this broke me and put me back together over and over again. It did take me a while to get into, probably about 20%, to the point where I didn't think it'd be 5 stars for me. But once the momentum hit with the main character pairing, he had me and never let go. I love every one of these characters (except most of the parents, obviously). What more could I want than a book about the magic of friends, love, and art?
Also I am shocked I am saying all of this about a book that talks about farts SO frequently. You've been warned. But it's worth it!!
TW: I do want to say I think this is one of his heavier books, though it of course still has a lot of humor and joy. All of his books deal with some heavy themes, but this one gets really into abuse. (more specifically: domestic abuse, child abuse, suicide, suicidal ideation, cancer, death, foster home)
Also I am shocked I am saying all of this about a book that talks about farts SO frequently. You've been warned. But it's worth it!!
TW: I do want to say I think this is one of his heavier books, though it of course still has a lot of humor and joy. All of his books deal with some heavy themes, but this one gets really into abuse. (more specifically: domestic abuse, child abuse, suicide, suicidal ideation, cancer, death, foster home)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holy smokes Backman!!! You have left me speechless 😶 I read this as part of a large group and I have never been so quiet in a buddy read before. There are no words. My Friends will change lives. They have changed mine 💔🥺
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide