Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

145 reviews

margaretrose's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Achingly wonderful. I cried.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

Moderate: Addiction

manu_k's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

So hilariously insightful, I didn't know what to do with myself after I finished it. Without a doubt, the best book I've read so far this year. Do be warned, it tends to get heavy in the middle, which is the reason it took me 3 months to complete (plus exams, but who cares about those, right?). 

It keeps its pacing all throughout the book, and even when we get to the heavy parts, Backman keeps it light with a well-timed sarcastic comment or incongruous joke. The story flows well, and the smooth change in point of views compliments the non-linear storytelling. The writing is beautiful and the way the story comes together at the end is inspired.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Alcoholism

Minor: Violence, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Blood, Pregnancy, Grief, Confinement, and Cancer

tairameadowcroft's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Suicide, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Death of parent

kriti's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Religious bigotry, Animal death, Dementia, Lesbophobia, and Homophobia

gmwells's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-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

TL;DR: THIS IS A TRULY AMAZING BOOK AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT AT LEAST ONCE! This is one of those books that I wish I could read for the first time again. 

I bought this book on a whim because I happened to see it for sale online when I was searching for course books on Convergent Journalism. It had been in my TBR list for a short time as I saw many readers on BookTok (or whatever you want to call it) recommending it. 

When I started reading it, it was honestly because I couldn’t continue to read one of the five other books that I had started — I had to start a new book instead. I had no idea what this book was about, simply that it had something to do with “anxious people” as the title suggested.

After I began reading it, I will admit that I had a slow start. I made it through maybe five rather short chapters before needing to take a break. I had no idea where the story was going to take me, and I suppose my brain didn’t quite like that idea. 

As I continued reading (over a period of a few months packed with other things like birthday parties and black belt ceremonies), I had a greater appreciation for the book. I started finishing more and more chapters each time I picked it back up until I read the entire final half of the book in two days. 

I cried three times while reading this book: once a little less than halfway thought, once about 50 pages from the end, and once while reading the entirety of the last 15 or so chapters. 

Something that every author should strive for is having characters with relatable personalities. More importantly, every author should give their readers the ability to see the world through a new lens. Backman does both and more in this book. 

He tells a story of love (of all kinds), of loss, and of the ripple effect that people have on one another’s lives. The characters’ paths are carefully woven together, and new secrets continue to be revealed in practically every chapter. 

One thing that I will say about a certain relationship near the end is that they (not revealing who; no spoilers) were a bit forced. They had a mild amount of chemistry between them, but it seemed to carry the same message of amatonormativity that I have seen many books drenched in. Thankfully, because Backman also focuses on other kinds of love more strongly throughout the whole book, he did not have this message of amatonormativity as heavily thrust on the reader as many other books do; however, it was there nonetheless. 

This book has attachment, relatability, and simplicity, and that’s all you really need to write a great book. Besides the slow start and the one small bit that I mentioned in the above paragraph, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I loved that I was kept on my toes right until the end, and that by that point I had unknowingly fallen in love with the characters so much that I couldn’t help but cry during the final pages. Backman’s writing style is one that I will forever appreciate and enjoy, and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cancer, Drug use, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity

chrysanthxmum's review

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and Suicide

neera_duke's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

3.75

Marin Ireland did a fantastic job narrating this novel! She managed to give every character a unique voice without spoiling any details. 

Very different from Backman's Beartown but the heavy topics were treated just as reverently. I was suprised by how often I found myself cracking up but overall I felt that the novel was wrapped up a little too neatly. I wasn't comfortable with the scene where

Jack and Jim go back to see the bankrobber

and didn't appreciate shoe-horning

a relationship between Jack and the therapist

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this. Like. God damn what a fun read. I loved the audiobook, and I can't wait to read it again. I'm a bit afraid to watch the Netflix version because this would take a really special director to pull off. Definitely will be looking more into this author. Wow I wish I could write like this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Suicide, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Classism, Death, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, and Gun violence

annaledbetter's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

fingscientist's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy

Minor: Gun violence, Drug abuse, and Drug use