Review by grumpyreading - My Friends

grumpyreading 's review for:

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring 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: Complicated

🌊 My Friends by Fredrik Backman 🌊

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Few notice the three tiny figures on the pier in one of the world’s most famous paintings—but Louisa does. An artist herself, she's determined to uncover their story.

Decades earlier, four troubled teens—Joar, Ted, Ali, and a gifted but troubled young painter—find solace on that same pier. Their summer of friendship and dreams inspires a masterpiece.

Now, with the painting in her care, Louisa sets out on a journey to trace its origins. Along the way, she uncovers not only the story behind the art but also her own creative voice in this moving tale of friendship, loss, and the healing power of art.

Wow. No review could ever come close to capturing what this book was. This was one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read. I got about 50 pages in to the copy I had taken out from the library before I had to buy a copy so I could highlight parts of every single page. This book, in true Fredrik Backman style, was absolutely incredible. It was emotional, the characters felt so familiar and real, and the plot kept me invested throughout the entire book. This is definitely one of his best pieces of writing yet, and I was emotional the entire time. Before I finished, I had bought 2 additional copies for people I know, and think everyone needs to experience this story.

Read this if you like:

to cry
emotional stories
unexpected friendships
existentialism

Vibes: 🎨🖼️🌊🛤️📝😩

Song that matches the vibe: Modigliani by Lucy Dacus

Full review including content warnings on my StoryGraph.

Content Warnings