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 … 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.
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Terrific character development.
What might happen to strangers who are locked into an apartment by a bank robber in a hostage situation? I loved this book so much! Mr. Backman is a master of human emotions and motivation ,no matter what situations his characters find themselves in. Laughter, tears, and a sense of deep satisfaction are what I have received from this wonderful book.
Fredrik Backman’s books are always filled with amazing, quirky characters who could be anyone we know, people we love. Anxious People did not disappoint. It took me a little longer to get into this one than his other work. It might have been the frenetic anxiety he so brilliantly portrays in his characters, coming during this time of COVID19, and/or my own, very human reaction to that brilliantly portrayed anxiety. It made me uncomfortable, and that is a good thing.
Backman’s greatest gift is the ability to create families out of strangers. Families that truly, believably love one another, sometimes in just a day. No one is ever what they seem on the surface, which is the truest truth about humanity. He shows us the nicer, gentler side of life within even the most dire circumstances, and in this way sets out the kind of hope we all need. Everyday.
Another excellent offering from one of my favorite authors.
I’m a fan of Fredrik Backman’s previous works, but this is by far my favorite: A love letter to humanity in all its flawed “idiocy” (his word, not mine!). I’m drawn to stories about strangers who have life-changing impacts on one another, and ANXIOUS PEOPLE delivers in spades with its ensemble cast caught up in an accidental, unintended hostage situation involving a botched non-robbery of a cashless bank with a pistol that may or may not be real.
I listened to the audiobook, and this narrator was so fantastic she had me laughing out loud at the loving frustrations driving the father/son police team, the impatience of the bank teller, and the know-it-all snark of the real estate agent especially. But this book would be an excellent choice in any format, because it’s just that excellent. Moving, entertaining, thought-provoking, happy and sad and warm with just the right amount of goosebumps. Don’t skip it.
There is no other author that I love quite as much as Fredrik Backman and I knew going into Anxious People that it would most likely make me both laugh my butt off and cry like a baby. I did both of those things and I don’t regret a single second of it. This book has a few different viewpoints, and I loved the style in which he wrote this book. I listened to the audio and I have to say it is phenomenal. It is incredibly well done, and I think it was part of the reason this book made me laugh so hard. Marin Ireland was a master with all of the voices, and I love how she changed her voice perfectly for the different characters. Needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend the audio, but also recommend the book overall if you are a fan of Backman.
Once I started this book I just could not stop so I listened to it all in a night. It was such a tear-jerker, but it was also very heartfelt and really makes you think about how what you do and say affects other people. Every time I read a book by Backman it makes me reflect on my own life, and Anxious People was no exception. He has such a way with words, and there are so many nuggets of truth in this fiction novel. I loved so many of the characters, as is true with all his books that I read, and I have a feeling I won’t be forgetting this one anytime soon. Such a wonderful new novel by one of my favorite authors of all time!
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for both my advance listening copy and advance review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I loved this book! It made me laugh out loud, cry, and think. The author is insightful and skilled at slowly revealing the personalities of his characters. I will definitely reread this book, and may buy a hard copy for my library.
I just love Author Fredrik Backman’s books because he is such a good story teller and his books are so well written. However, I had a really hard time getting into this book and it was a real effort to finish it. I was very disappointed in this book especially after I saw to many rave reviews.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this book that so many people loved.in exchange for an honest review. I do look forward to Author Backman’s next book.
This book is beyond interesting. The weaving of plot versus characters versus the various and multiple points of view is smooth and seamless. When I see so many positive reviews, I tend to be a little fearful that the hype is too much. Without giving spoilers, the minor things I predicted felt like small victories since everything else turned out differently than I expected.
I listened to the audio and have to say that’s the way to go. The narrator is fabulous and carries the story in a captivating way.
This was a book club read for my book club group. I am always open to trying new things but this was such a weird, disjointed book I just couldn’t get into it. AND, it is way overpriced on kindle at 14.99. Here’s the premise as far as I could tell: A bank robber holds 8 people at an open house hostage and then flees the scene after the hostages are released. The story is about the police officers and the interviews of the hostages afterwards. This was my first look at a Fredrik Backman read. I am not into this style of writing. It was kitschy, it rambled, it went off on tangents, it tried to make hostage interviews into a source of humor. Apparently, this is his signature style. It was not for me. I am honestly left stumped as to how it has 3000+ rave reviews. This was positively awful.
Within a few minutes of starting this book, I was laughing out loud and a few chapters later, I had tears streaming down my face!! That’s how Fredrik Backman’s writing style always affects me and that’s what keeps bringing me back! Be prepared for all the feels with this book!
I have read all of what Backman has published so far, so there was no question in my mind that I was going to read this book too. After knowing that, I think what intrigued me the most was the title of the book!! I can relate to anxious people as I’m sure many of us can, especially this year.
The story is a bit crazy. It’s about a failed bank robbery that turns into an apartment hostage situation!! Sound a little over the top? It is, in the best possible way. There are many different anxious characters in this book to get to know. I usually wouldn’t like so many characters in one story, but Backman has a way of writing true-to-life characters that makes it easy for the reader to follow and relate to. By the end of the book, you will be rooting for all of them!!
I love how a bunch of very different people were thrown into a bad situation and the way they coped with it was to get to know and understand each other’s anxieties, in turn becoming friends. Because it’s a story about friendships, we all see a little bit of ourselves in the characters. If you are a big fan of quotes, you will have plenty to bullet journal with this one!!
One of my favorite quotes in the book was “The ones that make you laugh last a lifetime.” It’s referring to people and it really spoke to me. After all, laughter is the best medicine and if we have that in our lives, our lives are full. There are quotes of life lessons scattered throughout the book making it even more special.
For Backman fans, this is a no-brainer, read it!! If you are new to Backman, be prepared to read a book like none other you have ever read before. It will be one that sticks with you for a lifetime! It has made my top 10 for 2020 list! You’ll either love it or hate it!! I’m betting on you loving it!!
Thank you to @NetGalley, @atriabooks and @backmansk for providing me an Advanced Reader Copy of Anxious People in exchange for my unbiased review.
He writes such a beautiful novel, and this one is his best yet.
I have read Ove & …She’s Sorry. I would most definitely love to read his latest!!!
Just plan wonderful.
“It hurts just so much at times, being human.”
Anxious People is a bank robbery, of sorts, gone awry. But it’s really about the people involved in the hostage situation, of sorts. Neither the robbery nor the hostage situation is what one might think before they’ve started this amazing read. And you’re going to stumble across, as Backman puts it, a bunch of idiots. But it’s going to make you cycle through all the emotions along the journey.
“Then we try to find a way to convince ourselves that that will just have to…be enough. So we can live with our failures without drowning.”
This book is witty, it’s smart and beautiful, and I found myself highlighting so many things as I went along. I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling what is sure to be one of your most favorite books this year. But I laughed out loud at some moments, and then my eyes filled up during others. You must read this book, it’s fantastic. Thank you, Atria Books, for sending this gem along.
This is a story about a bank robbery gone bad as the robber ends up mistaking lily robbing a cashless bank – which then ends up in an apartment viewing hostage situation among eight people. Throughout the story, Backman is able to deep dive into each of the characters deeply, that you will be able to get to know each of the characters well.
Anxious People is really a story about love, kindness, humanity, and the difficulties of living day to day, trying to survive to be a good and responsible person. Backman reminds us that we are always just one step away from making an idiotic decision. Overall the story is also about mistakes and second chances.
This contemporary adult literary fiction, dark comedy with some mystery element read is unlike any other books I have read recently. Written in a unique construct, I found the book fascinating and creative. The plot twist and the masterful weaving of the characters and how they connect in the story, made this a five star read for me.
Not only is this a book about an attempted bank robbery and hostage scenario, it is also a book about relationships. Actually, more simply, it’s a book about relationships, love, and family. Along with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and hopelessness. But it’s also a very funny, poignant, and hopeful story. Who knew?
Backman has a wonderful way with words and he’s extremely insightful. I found myself bookmarking and highlighting passage after passage of insightful thoughts about marriage, love, and parenthood. This was quite the departure from the Beartown stories, but I’m convinced he could write anything and I would love it.
I was so glad to have a chance to go back to see what each character actually said in order to put it all together for a very satisfying ending.
I’ve been a Backman fan ever since my aunt recommended his first book A Man Called Ove. I admire his unique style. Who knew a novel about hockey (Beartown) could be so mesmerizing?
Did I like Anxious People? Yes. Do I give it five stars? Yes. Do I have a couple of problems with it? Yes.
There were moments in the book where I was frustrated with the pace and wanted to say, “For God’s sake get on with it.” And as he brought the story to its conclusion, he spent much too much time explaining the intricacies of life and relationships which he had already shown us so clearly in the story.
BLURB:
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.
http://www.darlenejonesauthor.com
I would give this book 20 stars if I could. It had me laughing crying and simultaneously laughing out loud. Fredrik has a true gift. The stories and lives that were intertwined in this book worked liked magic. One of my favorite books of 2020, hands down. I feel like I have been punched in the gut in the best possibly way. This story is ALL OF US. It is nothing short of amazing.
I don’t know why I waited so long to read one of Fredrik Backman’s books. Anxious People had me laughing even though at times I wanted to strangle the hostages Jack was interviewing. It was interesting how Backman was able to connect all the hostages together while telling us a little of their back story. The ending was perfect. I loved this book and I am definitely going to read his backlist.