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4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
Perhaps I’m a curmudgeon, but I really couldn’t stand this book. Every other sentence is a remarkably trite metaphor, which really wears on you since this was over 400 pages…
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My uncle told me to read this.
One day he came over to our house and told us about this beautiful, wonderful, amazing book. He told my dad to read it, my mom to read it and me to read it too.
He said that one day we would get matching tattoos that say "I love you and I believe in you"
This book has made me feel emotions that I don't even know the names of.
I see my self in Louisa, Ali, and Ted. This book has made it into my everyday life in ways no other book has done before. I find myself saying "I love you and I believe in you" instead of just "I love you". I find myself drawing skulls with my frog doodles. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. (And I've always said I don't like contemporary)
One day he came over to our house and told us about this beautiful, wonderful, amazing book. He told my dad to read it, my mom to read it and me to read it too.
He said that one day we would get matching tattoos that say "I love you and I believe in you"
This book has made me feel emotions that I don't even know the names of.
I see my self in Louisa, Ali, and Ted. This book has made it into my everyday life in ways no other book has done before. I find myself saying "I love you and I believe in you" instead of just "I love you". I find myself drawing skulls with my frog doodles. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. (And I've always said I don't like contemporary)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
emotional
reflective
sad
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
So painful, but so beautiful. Kinda like...being human. Made me really grateful for my own best humans, who make every bad day more bearable and every good one even better. A million good nows to last forever.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-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:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Marin Ireland and Fredrik Backman are a match made in heaven. But almost 3 hours in, I'm not sure where the story is going or even whose story it is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Terminal illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Police brutality, Abandonment
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Sexual assault, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Brilliant. Bittersweet. Hopeful. And so so so full of heart and humour.
I truly love Backman’s way of writing; his omniscient narration that isn’t afraid to tell you exactly where you’re going from the start of the book; his characters so full of hopes, dreams, and flaws who can’t help but feel so so very alive; the humour and dry observations peppered throughout every page, humour that is so often paired effortlessly with the greatest moments of tragedy; the grief that he preemptively warns you will be coming with every turn of the page, and then the warmth as he guides you to feel/live through it, breaking your heart step by step by step.
His books always feel to me like the most hopeful explorations of specific aspects of grief, regret, love, self perception and sorrow. And through this exploration, he always somehow manages to magnify small everyday moments of community and connection into monumental moments, magnifying them and drawing out their essence until these moments feel larger than life.
Overall: My Friends was a beautiful blend of heartfelt moments, genuine connections and bittersweet sorrow, at its heart exploring the way true friends (or even just people in your life) can hold you through your worst times, change your life, or even change the way you see yourself.
I truly love Backman’s way of writing; his omniscient narration that isn’t afraid to tell you exactly where you’re going from the start of the book; his characters so full of hopes, dreams, and flaws who can’t help but feel so so very alive; the humour and dry observations peppered throughout every page, humour that is so often paired effortlessly with the greatest moments of tragedy; the grief that he preemptively warns you will be coming with every turn of the page, and then the warmth as he guides you to feel/live through it, breaking your heart step by step by step.
His books always feel to me like the most hopeful explorations of specific aspects of grief, regret, love, self perception and sorrow. And through this exploration, he always somehow manages to magnify small everyday moments of community and connection into monumental moments, magnifying them and drawing out their essence until these moments feel larger than life.
Overall: My Friends was a beautiful blend of heartfelt moments, genuine connections and bittersweet sorrow, at its heart exploring the way true friends (or even just people in your life) can hold you through your worst times, change your life, or even change the way you see yourself.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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