A review by mxcopmy
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

funny inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The official first book club pick! 🤩 what a ride!
**MINI-SPOILERS AHEAD**

"It's always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is." was the first quote within this book that came in like a shot. Short and powerful with enough punch to carry its meaning. 

Anxious people seems like an ordinary story, but quickly turns into a mystery play where a bank robbery turns into a hostage situation at an apartment viewing. It took a huge amount of getting used to this book because everything seemed very complicated. You were given a lot of information where you didn't really know what to do with and especially seemed very confusing. I had to slog through the first few chapters, whether or not even until halfway through the book. This mainly is because I didn't really know where the author was going. As the story ended it took on an incredibly beautiful and fun meaning, namely that everyone has their own story and personality where we can never say for sure what decisions someone makes are so "random" or "thoughtless". Also that we are all in some way affected and connected to each other. So beautiful!!! I have indicated an awful lot of things in this book.
It is very unfortunate, though, that we never knew who the "bank robber" is. I really thought that as the story progressed that this was precisely the climax that was being worked towards, but still all the messages Fredrik Backman throws at you linger.

So to conclude this review nicely with some wisdom: "We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we're more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows."
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