A review by grimalkintoes
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-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

4.0

"Sometimes it hurts, it really hurts, for no other reason than the fact that our skin doesn't feel like it's ours. Sometimes we panic, because the bills need paying and we have to be grown-up and we don't know how, because it's so horribly, desperately easy to fail at being grown-up."

Fredrik Backman hurt my feelings with Anxious People. Though delightfully charming and heartwarming, this novel will break you. I admit that I was in a particularly vulnerable position in my life when picking this book up — buying a home, moving across the state, and encountering so many new ways to screw up at being an adult — but my goodness.

If you're looking for a wake up call and are in need of self/societal reflection, pick this one up immediately. Or if you're just looking for an excuse to cry every night.