A review by taliatalksbooks
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman was enjoyable from cover to cover. I LOVED this book, just as much as I loved A Man Called Ove. Though an entirely different situation, this book still dives deeply into human emotions, and what it is that makes us human. I love the comedic nature of Backman’s writing, and though these are really heavy and difficult topics to discuss, there is still room for his comedy throughout. I found all of the characters to be moveable, and I think that this book had a lot of little surprises. It was aware that some of its points were convenient, but it used them to tell what I would consider to be the perfect story of the human condition: relating to one another in unlikely, unavoidable, and unimaginable circumstances. This book was fast paced and sharp. It kept me glued to the page with every sentence, despite not being a genre I read often. I’ve quickly fallen in love with Backman’s ability to warp reality, and though his characters may be fictional, their emotions, reactions, and overall being is anything but. If you’ve not read Backman, I think this would be a good first book (if you don’t want to read A Man Called Ove—really either would be a wonderful choice). It captures Backman’s typical tone, and would act as the perfect snapshot. As a fair warning, this book does deal with heavy topics, and while not necessarily in the forefront, the resulting action of those choices is what causes the ripple effect that unfolds the story. I highly recommend giving this Backman book a read, it’s well worth the hype. 
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