Name: Cassandra Tang's review of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Item: Anxious People
Rating: 4.5
Author: Cassandra Tang

Fredrik Backman

Taken hostage by a failed bank robber while attending an open house, eight anxiety-prone strangers--including a redemption-seeking bank director, two couples who would fix their marriages, and a plucky octogenarian--discover their unexpected common traits.

A Novel

Anxious People

"Viewing an apartment normally doesn't turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths. First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she's obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live--and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there's Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don't know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can't agree on anything. And there's Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn't really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn't outside parking the car. As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people." -- Barnes & Noble website.

Cassandra Tang

Boats that stay in the harbour are safe, sweetheart, but that’s not what boats were built for.

People don’t want to buy a picture, they want to buy a frame.

Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that’s probably because it’s full of shit.

It was called a crisis in the financial markets, a bank crash, even though the only ones who crash are people.

Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of; the moment we relax, they drift off and fall in love and get broken, all in the wink of an eye.

Bilge Ince

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.

Lindy

They say that a person's personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn't true, at least not entirely, because if our past was all that defined us, we'd never be able to put up with ourselves. 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.

That's the power of literature, you know, it can act like little love letters between people who can only explain their feelings by pointing at other people's.

Estelle was thinking about another author now, one who almost a hundred years ago wrote that your children aren't your children, they're the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.

"You're going to be fine. You don't have to love being a mother, not all the time.'

Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit.

Cara 🤍

That’s the power of literature, you know, it can act like little love letters between people who can only explain their feelings by pointing at other people’s. 

Her body was never really the same after that, she curled up and never quite unfurled again. 

‘He was my echo. Everything I do is quieter now’ 

Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that’s probably because it’s full of shit. 

Laura Dobie

…he added: 'But it'll be quite nice to get a bit of peace and quiet. You can put that on the headstone.' Estelle laughed hard at that. When he left her she wept so hard that she couldn't breathe. Her body was never really the same after that, she curled up and never quite unfurled again. 

‘He was my echo. Everything I do is quieter now,' she said to the other women in the closet.

It struck Jim that today's youngsters had far too much choice, that was the whole problem - if all those modern dating apps had existed when Jim's wife first met him, she would never have ended up becoming his wife. If you're constantly presented with alternatives, you can never make up your mind, Jim thought.

This nicely sums up why I don’t check Instagram or post on it all that often now.

The truth, of course, is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves.

Tari Rosario

When you’re a child you long to be an adult and decide everything for yourself, but when you’re an adult you realize that’s the worst part of it.

Emiley Jones

Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of; the moment we relax, they drift off and fall in love and get broken, all in the wink of an eye. 

Gemma McCarthy

the hardest thing about death is the grammar, the tense

and she said: “You can't live long with the ones who are only beautiful, Jules. But the funny ones, oh, they last a lifetime!”

“he was my echo .everything i do is quieter now”

When Knut touched Estelle, right up to the end, it made her feel like climbing trees and jumping from jetties.

Otherwise, after a certain age, no phone call ever seemed to be about life, only the other. Estelle could understand that point of view these days.

Bindy Wicks

Beautiful and wholesome, with plenty of unexpected twists. 

This was my first book by Backman, and unfortunately, I ended up disappointed. It started off fun, but turned into a never-ending, repetitive, and unnecessarily long story, only to close with an abrupt ending that conveniently ties everyone together.

If I had to sum it up in a single sentence, I’d say: “This is a story about a bunch of people in a small Swedish town who are either criminals or suicidal.”

Some people accept that they will never be free of their anxiety, they just learn to carry it. She tried to be one of them. She told herself that was why you should always be nice to other people, even idiots, because you never know how heavy their burden is.

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.

This was my first book by Backman, and unfortunately, I ended up disappointed. It started off fun, but turned into a never-ending, repetitive, and unnecessarily long story, only to close with an abrupt ending that conveniently ties everyone together.

If I had to sum it up in a single sentence, I’d say: “This is a story about a bunch of people in a small Swedish town who are either criminals or suicidal.”

Some people accept that they will never be free of their anxiety, they just learn to carry it. She tried to be one of them. She told herself that was why you should always be nice to other people, even idiots, because you never know how heavy their burden is.

I started laughing out loud before I turned the first page and I became a fan of the author and his style of writing before I could turn to page 3. There is no doubt that Fredrik Backman is a gifted author. To dig so deep into so many characters without letting the reader really know about it, to touch upon so many different genres in one single book without making it feel jarring for the reader is a special talent. 

This book is funny, filled with humour, while also being a hostage drama with some kind of weird suspense, while also being dark at places, while also being dramatic and emotional, while also being kind of romantic, all at the same time. 

The characters are idiots but they are so well fleshed out that you feel you are one of those idiots. The writing is so good that each chapter ends with some kind of twist or revelation. 

I don't like to re-read the same book twice but I am pretty sure I'm going to re-read this one again in few years time and I'm definitely going to read more of Fredrik Backman. What an extraordinary storyteller!

Adwait Kulkarni

I started laughing out loud before I turned the first page and I became a fan of the author and his style of writing before I could turn to page 3. There is no doubt that Fredrik Backman is a gifted author. To dig so deep into so many characters without letting the reader really know about it, to touch upon so many different genres in one single book without making it feel jarring for the reader is a special talent. 
This book is funny, filled with humour, while also being a hostage drama with some kind of weird suspense, while also being dark at places, while also being dramatic and emotional, while also being kind of romantic, all at the same time. 
The characters are idiots but they are so well fleshed out that you feel you are one of those idiots. The writing is so good that each chapter ends with some kind of twist or revelation. 
I don't like to re-read the same book twice but I am pretty sure I'm going to re-read this one again in few years time and I'm definitely going to read more of Fredrik Backman. What an extraordinary storyteller!

౨ৎ | “we don’t have a plan, we just do our best to get through the day, because there’ll be another one coming along tomorrow.”

this is my first fredrik backman book and all i can say is why the fuck did i wait so long to pick one up? 

his writing captivated me so much i felt like i was in the book. all his characters felt so real, and so intricate. i loved everything about them. 

and the plot, while it started out slow and i was a tad confused, the more i read the more i fell in love with the story. i was so immersed. 

i just honestly i feel like nothing i say could be able to describe how much i enjoyed this. 

i didn’t expect to cry either but the ending? good lord i sobbed like a fucking baby. 

౨ৎ | “we don’t have a plan, we just do our best to get through the day, because there’ll be another one coming along tomorrow.”

— ★ 5/5

this is my first fredrik backman book and all i can say is why the fuck did i wait so long to pick one up? 

his writing captivated me so much i felt like i was in the book. all his characters felt so real, and so intricate. i loved everything about them. 

and the plot, while it started out slow and i was a tad confused, the more i read the more i fell in love with the story. i was so immersed. 

i just honestly i feel like nothing i say could be able to describe how much i enjoyed this. 

i didn’t expect to cry either but the ending? good lord i sobbed like a fucking baby. 

I cried for 60% of this book, happy tears, sad tears, it’s like getting drunk with a friend and hearing that they actually do love you. Will read again and again and again. 

Hannah Bateman

this was such good time reading, i recommend the audio book because she give an accent to each character and it made it more fun to listen. my favorite chapter is 58. 

debbie <3

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and “writer of astonishing depth” (The Washington Times) comes a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined. Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths. First is Zara, a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else until tragedy changed her life. Now, she’s obsessed with visiting open houses to see how ordinary people live—and, perhaps, to set an old wrong to right. Then there’s Roger and Anna-Lena, an Ikea-addicted retired couple who are on a never-ending hunt for fixer-uppers to hide the fact that they don’t know how to fix their own failing marriage. Julia and Ro are a young lesbian couple and soon-to-be parents who are nervous about their chances for a successful life together since they can’t agree on anything. And there’s Estelle, an eighty-year-old woman who has lived long enough to be unimpressed by a masked bank robber waving a gun in her face. And despite the story she tells them all, Estelle hasn’t really come to the apartment to view it for her daughter, and her husband really isn’t outside parking the car. As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people. Rich with Fredrik Backman’s “pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People’s whimsical plot serves up unforgettable insights into the human condition and a gentle reminder to be compassionate to all the anxious people we encounter every day.

Beautiful writing and interwoven storylines

Kirsten Haney

“This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots. So it needs saying from the outset that it’s always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is. Especially if you have other people you’re trying to be a reasonably good human being for.”

This quote I think perfectly sums up this book. What a beautiful, heartwarming story. I really couldn’t put it down, I was so hooked. Every single character was so dear to me, I loved them all. The way the story weaves between all of them and gets you to care about each of them and their story is so amazing. The author really handled such a large cast of characters expertly, and I felt the changes of perspective worked really well and nothing felt clunky or annoying. I really liked how everything tied together, I felt a real thrill every time something was revealed and I went “OH!”. So entertaining and very funny, I laughed out loud so many times, sometimes because the joke was funny and sometimes because it was so stupid I had to laugh. A lot of the jokes were really corny, and some lines were trying too hard to be quirky or philosophical I feel, but at the very crux of it it’s just a story about community and the human experience and I love and appreciate it for what it is. The author portrays relationships and love in such a beautifully mundane way, I thought it was perfect.

bel 

“This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots. So it needs saying from the outset that it’s always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is. Especially if you have other people you’re trying to be a reasonably good human being for.”

This quote I think perfectly sums up this book. What a beautiful, heartwarming story. I really couldn’t put it down, I was so hooked. Every single character was so dear to me, I loved them all. The way the story weaves between all of them and gets you to care about each of them and their story is so amazing. The author really handled such a large cast of characters expertly, and I felt the changes of perspective worked really well and nothing felt clunky or annoying. I really liked how everything tied together, I felt a real thrill every time something was revealed and I went “OH!”. So entertaining and very funny, I laughed out loud so many times, sometimes because the joke was funny and sometimes because it was so stupid I had to laugh. A lot of the jokes were really corny, and some lines were trying too hard to be quirky or philosophical I feel, but at the very crux of it it’s just a story about community and the human experience and I love and appreciate it for what it is. The author portrays relationships and love in such a beautifully mundane way, I thought it was perfect.

An absurd story about a bank robbery/ hostage situation with heartwarming tales about the people involved. 

Quirky, funny and altogether a super enjoyable read; mentally playing guess the criminal only for the twist 

victoria lim

What I really loved about this book was that the story is simple but at the same time random and complicated, where the characters are so different from each other but somehow I could relate to each of them. 

Deserves the five stars because it left me feeling.

Ani Velasquez

Cried with the last chapter. 🥲

What I really loved about this book was that the story is simple but at the same time random and complicated, where the characters are so different from each other but somehow I could relate to each of them. 

Deserves the five stars because it left me feeling.

Felt like a bunch of stories all in one and they all connected. Didn't see that ending though. This book was very well written and thought out. Touches a lot of real world stuff people go through. Definitely adding more Backman novels to my tbr.  

Lauren R

a book that reminds us that a lot of life is doing something for the first time. and that includes being a human and learning how to live. mistakes are bound to happen when you do not know what to do, right? just now, i accidentally discovered that you can type here like 

. life is a never-ending tale of first times, mistakes, the living and the dead, laughter, love, and everything else in between. and when you feel defeated by life, remind yourself that 

開花

a book that reminds us that a lot of life is doing something for the first time. and that includes being a human and learning how to live. mistakes are bound to happen when you do not know what to do, right? just now, i accidentally discovered that you can type here like this or like this. life is a never-ending tale of first times, mistakes, the living and the dead, laughter, love, and everything else in between. and when you feel defeated by life, remind yourself that you are doing the best you can because it is our first time living, is it not? 

I laughed, I cried, and I felt seen. Frederick Backman gets what it means to be human—just doing the best that we can. I love his books.

Cheri McElroy

Gelaine Trinidad

Anxious People is my first Fredrik Backman book, and I'm already itching to read another book by him (A Man Called Ove sounds particularly enticing). His writing is enriched with life lessons. It can be cheesy, silly, and romantic at times. This book is a mix of mystery, comedy, and drama. Characters were nameless in the first half of the book (i.e. the bank robber, the policeman). As the mystery starts to unravel, so do the characters. This locked-room mystery is fun because readers learn about the characters' backstories while also figuring out what happened with the missing bank robber. Backman distracts us with smoke and mirrors, so when something happens, it's not quite what you expected.

There are many complicated emotions and tones in this book. At one point, a character talks about the economic system, banks, the financial crisis in 2008, the housing bubble, and capitalism. Then, the story will discuss grief, the anxiety that comes with growing up, raising children, and becoming a parent. I think this book is honest about mental health, particularly depression and everyday anxieties.

This book is lighthearted even if it talks about heavy topics. It's about ordinary people who are doing their best everyday and who continue to try again next time even if it feels like the end of the world. Backman's book is a reminder that we all feel and act like idiots at times, and we should give ourselves second chances. We’re all going through some version of anxiety: "we’re looking for something to cling on to, something to fight for, something to look forward to... [w]e all have this in common yet most of us remain strangers."

I recommend this to anyone that's looking for a feel good, hopeful, and inspiring read. It has a wintry atmosphere, so it's the perfect book to read for the upcoming holidays.

Angelyn Francis

Favourite book in a while. Fredrik Backman's writing has a delightfully unserious tone. The twist caught me and amazed me that I didn't pick up on it (there's an obvious tell, but I won't spoil the twist). I'm impressed at the humor especially being a translated text and will make my way around to reading more of his work.

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller A People Book of the Week, Book of the Month Club selection, and Best of Fall in Good Housekeeping, PopSugar, The Washington Post, New York Post, Shondaland, CNN, and more! “[A] quirky, big-hearted novel…Wry, wise, and often laugh-out-loud funny, it’s a wholly original story that delivers pure pleasure.” —People From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove comes a charming, poignant novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined. Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix their own marriage. There’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world. Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next. Rich with Fredrik Backman’s “pitch-perfect dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness), Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious times.

Kaitlin Simpson

a book that encapsulates what it means to be human. i love how uniquely crafted each character is, yet they all share the common thread of human experience. i think the best thing about this book is how it reminds us that we are all human, living life for the first time.

A quirky, endearing, and heart melting story about how humans are really quite wonderful after all - that life can be hard but it’s a good life to live.

Daphne Li-Chen

A touching, humorous and heart-warming character study, which explores people’s hopes, desires and failings.

Tsamarah

Exceptional. Loved every second of it. 
My comfort book and possibly my favorite book of all time. I would definitely read this again.

SUCH a wholesome book. its funny, emotional, and you form such a strong connection to all the characters. the best part about this book is how the author dives deep into so many characters and provides their backstory, but it doesn't feel too complicated or long-winded. the book deals with some pretty heavy concepts but at the same time, its so simple. makes me really grateful for life :) ALSO ITS DAMN FUNNY i love the humour

sneha

Bria

Ditipriya Acharya

One thing that I’ve noticed about Backman’s writing is that he has a way of revealing information at just the right moment so that it has the maximum impact. This book, like the only other book by him that I’ve read (I need to rectify that) A Man Called Ove, has the ability to make you smile and make you sentimental with surprising speed. Also, it’s difficult to create memorable characters when there are so many of them and he manages to do just that.

Bindy Wicks &
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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Bindy Wicks &Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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Bindy Wicks &
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman