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julia_89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Minor: Addiction, Suicide, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
micaelamariem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’ve always been a fan of the sentimental so this book struck a chord with me. It evokes all the feelings, from laughter to tears. While the book is about a bank robbery gone wrong, it’s really about the people involved in this hostage scene and about people in general. Looking into each person’s mind and heart, Backman makes a point on how messy life is and how idiotic we all can be, and calls us as readers to have empathy for our fellow humans.
I also enjoyed the drama of it all, though. For two thirds of the book I really wasn’t sure who the bank robber was and if they’d catch them or what was going to happen. I liked the plot twists told through a nonlinear timeline that kept me reading beyond the sentimental parts and the idiotic humorous parts.
Overall, a fantastic beautiful read and a reminder that we’re all going through something, but it gets a little better if we have each other’s backs.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Infidelity, Classism, Blood, and Pregnancy
caroline_norrish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Gun violence, Grief, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Addiction
drpeeper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Grief, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Minor: Blood, Addiction, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Infidelity, and Alcohol
ridesthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcohol, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Addiction
jordynjohnson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts
mount_tbr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.75
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Addiction
sring42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicide
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Grief, Death, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
mxcopmy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
**MINI-SPOILERS AHEAD**
"It's always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is." was the first quote within this book that came in like a shot. Short and powerful with enough punch to carry its meaning.
Anxious people seems like an ordinary story, but quickly turns into a mystery play where a bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. It took a huge amount of getting used to this book because everything seemed very complicated. You were given a lot of information where you didn't really know what to do with and especially seemed very confusing. I had to slog through the first few chapters, whether or not even until halfway through the book. This mainly is because I didn't really know where the author was going. As the story ended it took on an incredibly beautiful and fun meaning, namely that everyone has their own story and personality where we can never say for sure what decisions someone makes are so "random" or "thoughtless". Also that we are all in some way affected and connected to each other. So beautiful!!! I have indicated an awful lot of things in this book.
It is very unfortunate, though, that we never knew who the "bank robber" is. I really thought that as the story progressed that this was precisely the climax that was being worked towards, but still all the messages Fredrik Backman throws at you linger.
So to conclude this review nicely with some wisdom: "We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we're more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows."
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Addiction
san_dra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Addiction