Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

204 reviews

hjb_128's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Death of parent, Death, and Dementia

Minor: Alcoholism

emptzuu's review against another edition

After watching the movie 'A Man Called Otto' and not enjoying it, I had a feeling this book might not be my cup of tea. Initially unaware of its heavy focus on humor, I was taken aback by the exaggerated quirks of the characters, a style necessary for the comedic tone. This approach didn't resonate with me. Instead of finding the characters endearing or relatable, I felt they veered too far into caricature territory, detracting from any potential realism or honest drama, especially considering the serious themes of suicide and hostage situations.

While I understand the intention to depict relatable human folly, I believe the execution missed the mark, making the characters feel exaggerated to the point of being unrelatable. Comedy, in my opinion, is at its best when it mirrors real life with subtle exaggerations, a balance that was lacking here.

Given my personal experiences with anxiety and depression, I found the book's treatment of these issues to be superficial. As someone on a healing journey, I seek depth and authenticity in narratives exploring mental health. Ultimately, the book left me feeling like it was trying too hard to be funny, resembling the effort of a "Swedish millennial dad" attempting to write a book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Suicide

shay3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Pregnancy

drpeeper's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

Minor: Blood, Addiction, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Infidelity, and Alcohol

jordynjohnson's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts

kathrynshields's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-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

5.0

This is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read. It makes you laugh and cry and feel honored to share in the human experience with everyone around you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt

joensign's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Kidnapping, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death and Mental illness

Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy

miss_mary_mac's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Slow moving book, but worth hanging in. I didn’t know if I liked it until I finished and saw the stories all click together. It’s the book version of an ensemble cast movie. Cheesy, contrived at times, heartfelt, serious, silly, and hopeful, all rolled into one

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide

Minor: Death

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I don't care for books where the author keeps telling me how to perceive things and his way is the way. All these people are unbearable and I don't give a frick about their struggles. What you gonna do about that, Backman?

Giving it 2.5 bc for 65% of the book, I wasn't too aggravated by the writing style and it was even compulsively readable with all the hostage situation and who is the bank robber mystery going on–even if I was finding the characters grating and not relatable at all, which isn't usually a complaint I have towards characters but relatability, empathy seemed to be a pertinent factor for this book. But then, it kept beating the point over and over and over and over the head I got so incensed! I finished the book out of spite bc I'd already spent so many days on it, might as well see how this man wrapped this story up. It's so bad though. Fourth rate Dickens stuff. Oh, and the humor is intolerably bad, too.

Sincerely, an anxious person.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Minor: Homophobia

aleroness's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Such a beautiful read centred on such a deep, complex, and sad subject.

Phenomenal examination of human behaviour and how everyone plays a role in everyone else's lives. So many fully fleshed out characters!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Mental illness