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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
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.
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.
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!!
Phenomenal examination of human behaviour and how everyone plays a role in everyone else's lives. So many fully fleshed out characters!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Mental illness
filippaf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness
fatimaelf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Though I really enjoyed this book, for some reason I got through it much slower than I anticipated. Maybe because each chapter felt like its own isolated thing, even though it eventually pieced together into the larger whole. Almost every character, I think, starts out annoying but as you get to know them they become endearing and even likable, which is a testament to Backman’s writing. It seems like half of all chapters ended in some sort of cliffhanger, or with some sort of reveal, which, rather than making me read more, made me want to sit with what I’d read. It was a fantastically empathetic book; and at times very funny. I will say I predicted the plot twist fairly quickly, but the twist still did what it set out to do, which was challenge stereotypes. The mystery of how the robber got out of the apartment kept me on my toes to the end, though. The book wasn’t what I’d expected to read based on the description but I had a great time anyway. Good book, good lessons, good insight into depression and choice and society. Would recommend and will probably read again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Mental illness
acorn192k's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Suicide
Minor: Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Grief, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Cancer, and Mental illness
beatle426's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
natejc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Anxious People is a story about a bank robbery. No, it’s a hostage drama. No, it’s about a bridge. No, wait, a rabbit? No… No. It’s a story about idiots.
In truth, Anxious People is about desperation, grief, mental health, greed, the housing market, purpose, loneliness, parenting, marriage, hope, connection, love, Stockholm… It’s a fascinating exploration into being human.
It’s also part mystery that will keep you hooked until the very end! When I tell you I could not put this book down, I mean it. HOOKED. It had me in an absolute fucking chokehold all the way through. I gasped, I screamed, at one point I closed the book and beat it against my couch because I was so mad that I missed something so obvious… lol It also has so much heart, and such endearing (and frustrating and hilarious and idiotic) characters. I wiped away lone tears, I laughed out loud, snorted, and fully broke down sobbing…. several times… just within the last 25 pages. 🥲
No one can craft a story like Fredrik Backman. No one captures the messy magic of humans like him. No one else can weave so many seemly disconnected stories together into an absolute masterpiece, and tie them all together flawlessly.
I didn’t think it was possible, but Anxious People has unseated My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry as my favorite book. Backman remains my favorite author for a reason. The man is undefeated.
A quote on the back from USA Today sums up Anxious People perfectly: “Hits the sweet spot between profoundly insightful and preposterously funny… I hugged this book tightly with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Classism, and Pregnancy
Minor: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Alcohol, Dementia, Death of parent, and Sexism
katiehearn08's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt