A review by maxgardner
My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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? No

3.5

I didn't enjoy this one as much as Anxious People, but it still has so many of the signature elements of a Fredrik Backman novel—quirky characters that are annoying initially but lovable once you get to know them, wordy prose that flows well, lines that hit on something universal and profound. I didn't love reading from the perspective of a child, though, as it creates an odd mix of tones, where we sometimes feel like we're observing something from a much more mature perspective but then revert back to a limited perspective and vocabulary at other moments. I also don't love when an author writes such specific cultural references into a book; in this case, Backman couldn't have known what would happen with JK Rowling and, in turn, Harry Potter, but even without the tarnished legacy, it's still a bit cringeworthy when Elsa constantly talks about how great Harry Potter is and compares everything against it as if its the epitome of great literature. Admittedly, this goes back to my point about reading from a kid's perspective; I can understand how a child might think this way (I'm sure I did at one point, too), but it doesn't make it less annoying. The book also feels quite long, unnecessarily so at times, and because of that, didn't flow quite as well for me; I did not find myself constantly reaching to pick this up and continue the story, which I did feel with Anxious People. Overall, not bad, not great, definitely enjoyable enough to warrant a read, and I'll still be reading his others.