Terrific review Lashaan! I have to say that what you wrote about wondering about people’s lives when they walk past you it’s something I have often wondered about myself as well. You can even make some kind of game about it (I think I saw that in a movie sometime). As for this book, despite it’s complexity it sounds like a great story, and it’s great to hear that the final act is that made it best. Too often a final act ruins something so it’s good to hear that isn’t the case here😊
Thanks, Michel! Yep, it really hits your conscious hard when you start wondering about the lives of all those people around you and how we’re just stuck in our own routine, careless, too often, about what’s really happening. 😮
Yep, I really love it when an ending makes things work for the better. I have no idea if, in the future, upon rereading, I would feel the same, but that’s something that future-Lashaan can worry about hahah 😀
Even after rough and confusing, looks like author did amazing in second half. I also like quirky characters and I’m already curious how this ends. Excellent review, Lashaan!
Oh man, I imagined in too much detail those hands softly grasping a beating heart… Something along the lines of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, perhaps? 😉
Fab review, Lashaan, I love how this book convinced you in the end despite such a rocky start! We all need some positive quirkiness in our lives (though I personally prefer my heart to be left alone, no grasping hands, thank you very much! :D)
Hahahahaah it sounded much better in my head before you put all those less pretty images in my head! 😛
Thanks, Ola! 🙂 I was really convinced that I was going to have an unpopular opinion for an author that everyone seems to love but I’m glad that this one worked in the end. I’ll have to try his past work to really know how I feel about his ideas.
I experienced a rough start too but was completely captivated in the second half. You could tell that the themes were important to Backman with how tenderly and carefully they were presented. I love how I need to read Backman slowly and carefully to comprehend his subtlety and understatement. He doesn’t waste many words! Great review Lashaan!
I’m really glad that it was towards the end that the pieces fit perfectly and that he smoothed out the edges before it was too late. The quirkiness of these characters almost made me want to hide! 😀 I’ll have to try his other beloved stories to really see how his understanding of human nature is stunning! Thanks for reading, Carol. 😀
Not going to ever happen for me. Real life is filled with enough people who I can’t stand, so them making their way into my entertainment? Oh no!
And I still think this guy is richard bachman, every time I see the name Backman. I was wondering why King was writing as Bachman again. Then I see the “Fredrik” and I realize my mistake.
Hahahahahahah you’d have wanted to burn these pages if you had met some of these characters. No jokes. One of them made me want to punch a wall by how obnoxious and pretentious she was…
Welp. Definitely not that Bachman! 😛 Although the kind of horror explored here is much more… real… 😉
Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate it so much. 😀 You’ll have to think hard before diving into his books if you ask me. I think they are all meant to destroy you emotionally in one way or another. 😀
Great review! And I must say, I had the same experience. The first parts were really a bit off. I am glad I pushed myself to read it until the last page for the best parts were in the latter parts 🙂
Thanks! I’m glad to hear that I wasn’t the only one who had this kind of reading experience. I was on the verge of writing a pretty unpopular review before that final act melted me hahah 😀
What an intriguing review for an equally intriguing and unusual concept!
The theme of complete strangers thrown together by quirky circumstances is one I often enjoy, and despite the little problems you mentioned this might prove to be an intriguing read, and one way off my usual beaten tracks. Which is good, because a little change is always healthy… 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thanks for reading, Maddalena! 😀 If it has piqued your curiosity, then it’s totally worth exploring. I’ve only heard amazing things about all of his books too and I’m glad that this one won’t steer me away from his other beloved hits too now! 😀
My thoughts exactly Lashaan! I too struggled in the beginning! It felt all over the places with so many characters so I was wondering: where does the author want to go???? But then, everything made sense and the characters were amazingly detailed. He truly writes about human souls and hearts.
Right? I’m glad that he dared do what he did in this story and knew that the ending would make the reader content and enlightened. Thanks for reading, Sophie! 😀
After reading and crying my heart out to Beartown, Backman has easily become an author I trust to take even the most bizarre concepts and make them golden. Backman’s understanding of humanity and how he pulls you in with his characters is just on a whole new level of epic. Anxious People is one of my most anticipated releases and I’m really curious to see how this book coms together. Brilliant review.
You’re in for a treat for sure then! It was tough to really connect with these characters and what they were doing at first, but he really nailed it with the ending by giving us something to think about as we empathize with them. 😀 Thanks for reading, Lois!
Like Ola, I pictured those hands softly grasping the heart, but being close to Halloween I saw them then begin to tighten, strangling the life from the still beating heart… Talk about anxious people?!? Great review, though. Not sure if this is one I’d try, but it sounds intriguing, at least parts of it. Glad to hear you enjoyed it when all was said and done.
Hahahaah I was clearly in a whole other mindset, one that thought Halloween was still far, far away! 😉 It’s a truly quirky one that could deter many, but if you dare push through, it’s quite rewarding. I’ll have to try his other books, which are probably less humour-oriented, to really see how good the other is at exploring human nature. 😮 Thanks for reading, Todd! Always a pleasure to hear your thoughts on my posts. 🙂
“the author found a way to reach deep within my heart, to grasp it softly with both hands, and to smoothly comfort me with the complexity of human nature and our ability to show kindness to strangers.” And, from my own experience and what I’ve heard from others–you’ve described the last 25% or so (if not more) of every Backman book.
And it always works. Even when you know it’s coming.
Well then. Now I know hahaha He really has a way to turn it around perfectly and make you realize how genuine and beautiful humans can be. But if the ending of this says anything of his writing, it definitely promises that, if he went for a full-on less-quirky story, he’d probably destroy me emotionally!
Wonderful review, Lashaan. I am glad, it ended up being a good read for you. Other bloggers have apparently had the same experience, finding it difficult to get into, but eventually winning them over. Personally, I am still warming up to more Backman. For some reason, I find it hard to believe that any of his other novels can live up to A Man Called Ove. Stupid really, but there you go! 😁
Thank you so much! Hey, at least it’s good to know that AMCO really blew you away. I have no idea if Beartown can top it though. I know a lot of people rave about that one too. I hope you dive into a new Backman soon to find out for yourself though! 😀
Amazing review, Lashaan! This author really knows how to write about human connection and emotions and I’m glad to see that this book didn’t disappoint. Thank you also for highlighting some of the negatives, I feel like his work is always so hyped that people often overlook some of the weaknesses.
Thank you so much, Darina! 😀 If this is his weakest one so far, then I’m sure his other titles will destroy me emotionally! I was soooo ready to write a truly unpopular review for this one until the ending made me reconsider, then again, the issues I had remains flaws, and others might not be as forgiving as I was to it too. 😮
Then this MIGHT be something that might intrigue you. I’ve always heard great things about Fredrik Backman too. Just be aware of the insane personalities that these characters have and how… implausible the plot might be if you think hard and long about it in today’s era… 😀
Aaah it sounds like such a fun book! I’m really curious to read it through, though I guess I will probably be as annoyed as you (if not more) by the annoying character… Thanks for sharing Lashaan 😊
I really think you have to be ready for those quirky characters or ready to endure them till the end for this one to work even more for you! Otherwise, it just continues to show how much of a greater writer Fredrik Backman is! 😀 Thanks for reading, Juliette!
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! I look forward to reading those in the near future though. Hope you get what you crave with this one, Gayathri! 😀 Thanks for reading!
I completely agree with you. Quirky is a huge compliment and a huge part of each of these character’s personalities. I hope you have a fantastic time with this one when you get the chance to pick it up. Happy reading! 😀
If you’d ever consider submitting some of your work for publication, Dixie State University has an online literary journal and is currently open for submissions.
We are sorely lacking in fiction and nonfiction submissions! We also accept audio recordings, visual art, book reviews, multimedia, nonfiction, photography, etc. You can check us out at R7Review.com. The deadline to submit this year is November 6th.
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Terrific review Lashaan! I have to say that what you wrote about wondering about people’s lives when they walk past you it’s something I have often wondered about myself as well. You can even make some kind of game about it (I think I saw that in a movie sometime). As for this book, despite it’s complexity it sounds like a great story, and it’s great to hear that the final act is that made it best. Too often a final act ruins something so it’s good to hear that isn’t the case here😊
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Thanks, Michel! Yep, it really hits your conscious hard when you start wondering about the lives of all those people around you and how we’re just stuck in our own routine, careless, too often, about what’s really happening. 😮
Yep, I really love it when an ending makes things work for the better. I have no idea if, in the future, upon rereading, I would feel the same, but that’s something that future-Lashaan can worry about hahah 😀
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Even after rough and confusing, looks like author did amazing in second half. I also like quirky characters and I’m already curious how this ends. Excellent review, Lashaan!
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I definitely recommend it to you if you haven’t already planned on checking it out. Quite the story! Thanks for reading, Yesha! 😀
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Oh man, I imagined in too much detail those hands softly grasping a beating heart… Something along the lines of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, perhaps? 😉
Fab review, Lashaan, I love how this book convinced you in the end despite such a rocky start! We all need some positive quirkiness in our lives (though I personally prefer my heart to be left alone, no grasping hands, thank you very much! :D)
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Hahahahaah it sounded much better in my head before you put all those less pretty images in my head! 😛
Thanks, Ola! 🙂 I was really convinced that I was going to have an unpopular opinion for an author that everyone seems to love but I’m glad that this one worked in the end. I’ll have to try his past work to really know how I feel about his ideas.
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I experienced a rough start too but was completely captivated in the second half. You could tell that the themes were important to Backman with how tenderly and carefully they were presented. I love how I need to read Backman slowly and carefully to comprehend his subtlety and understatement. He doesn’t waste many words! Great review Lashaan!
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I’m really glad that it was towards the end that the pieces fit perfectly and that he smoothed out the edges before it was too late. The quirkiness of these characters almost made me want to hide! 😀 I’ll have to try his other beloved stories to really see how his understanding of human nature is stunning! Thanks for reading, Carol. 😀
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Not going to ever happen for me. Real life is filled with enough people who I can’t stand, so them making their way into my entertainment? Oh no!
And I still think this guy is richard bachman, every time I see the name Backman. I was wondering why King was writing as Bachman again. Then I see the “Fredrik” and I realize my mistake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahahahahahah you’d have wanted to burn these pages if you had met some of these characters. No jokes. One of them made me want to punch a wall by how obnoxious and pretentious she was…
Welp. Definitely not that Bachman! 😛 Although the kind of horror explored here is much more… real… 😉
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I am currently reading this. This is my first Backman read. I love the authors writing style.
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I hope you enjoy the ending then! It was quite the read. 😀
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I am still halfway tho. I’ll write a review soon. 😉
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I have to think about this book, because it doesn’t sound like my usual cup of tea, but your review was a pleasure to read!!
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Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate it so much. 😀 You’ll have to think hard before diving into his books if you ask me. I think they are all meant to destroy you emotionally in one way or another. 😀
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And I think my comment was just eaten…
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Ever since you did that Skynet post, all your comments have been dropped into that spam container!!! 😮 😮 They’re… watching… you…
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It does seem that way. And this was the comment that led me to send off my second email to akismet, that led to today’s post.
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Ha! This one passed the test though. 😀
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Yep. Things seem to have gotten better once I wrote my blistering reply back to them and asked for another rep to fix the issue.
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Great review! And I must say, I had the same experience. The first parts were really a bit off. I am glad I pushed myself to read it until the last page for the best parts were in the latter parts 🙂
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Thanks! I’m glad to hear that I wasn’t the only one who had this kind of reading experience. I was on the verge of writing a pretty unpopular review before that final act melted me hahah 😀
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What an intriguing review for an equally intriguing and unusual concept!
The theme of complete strangers thrown together by quirky circumstances is one I often enjoy, and despite the little problems you mentioned this might prove to be an intriguing read, and one way off my usual beaten tracks. Which is good, because a little change is always healthy… 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading, Maddalena! 😀 If it has piqued your curiosity, then it’s totally worth exploring. I’ve only heard amazing things about all of his books too and I’m glad that this one won’t steer me away from his other beloved hits too now! 😀
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My thoughts exactly Lashaan! I too struggled in the beginning! It felt all over the places with so many characters so I was wondering: where does the author want to go???? But then, everything made sense and the characters were amazingly detailed. He truly writes about human souls and hearts.
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Right? I’m glad that he dared do what he did in this story and knew that the ending would make the reader content and enlightened. Thanks for reading, Sophie! 😀
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After reading and crying my heart out to Beartown, Backman has easily become an author I trust to take even the most bizarre concepts and make them golden. Backman’s understanding of humanity and how he pulls you in with his characters is just on a whole new level of epic. Anxious People is one of my most anticipated releases and I’m really curious to see how this book coms together. Brilliant review.
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You’re in for a treat for sure then! It was tough to really connect with these characters and what they were doing at first, but he really nailed it with the ending by giving us something to think about as we empathize with them. 😀 Thanks for reading, Lois!
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Like Ola, I pictured those hands softly grasping the heart, but being close to Halloween I saw them then begin to tighten, strangling the life from the still beating heart… Talk about anxious people?!? Great review, though. Not sure if this is one I’d try, but it sounds intriguing, at least parts of it. Glad to hear you enjoyed it when all was said and done.
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Hahahaah I was clearly in a whole other mindset, one that thought Halloween was still far, far away! 😉 It’s a truly quirky one that could deter many, but if you dare push through, it’s quite rewarding. I’ll have to try his other books, which are probably less humour-oriented, to really see how good the other is at exploring human nature. 😮 Thanks for reading, Todd! Always a pleasure to hear your thoughts on my posts. 🙂
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I’m so glad this one ended up working out for you, despite a rough start. Great review!
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Thanks, Stephanie! Now I need to visit his past successes ASAP! 😀
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Start with Beartown!!
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“the author found a way to reach deep within my heart, to grasp it softly with both hands, and to smoothly comfort me with the complexity of human nature and our ability to show kindness to strangers.” And, from my own experience and what I’ve heard from others–you’ve described the last 25% or so (if not more) of every Backman book.
And it always works. Even when you know it’s coming.
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Well then. Now I know hahaha He really has a way to turn it around perfectly and make you realize how genuine and beautiful humans can be. But if the ending of this says anything of his writing, it definitely promises that, if he went for a full-on less-quirky story, he’d probably destroy me emotionally!
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Wonderful review, Lashaan. I am glad, it ended up being a good read for you. Other bloggers have apparently had the same experience, finding it difficult to get into, but eventually winning them over. Personally, I am still warming up to more Backman. For some reason, I find it hard to believe that any of his other novels can live up to A Man Called Ove. Stupid really, but there you go! 😁
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Thank you so much! Hey, at least it’s good to know that AMCO really blew you away. I have no idea if Beartown can top it though. I know a lot of people rave about that one too. I hope you dive into a new Backman soon to find out for yourself though! 😀
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Amazing review, Lashaan! This author really knows how to write about human connection and emotions and I’m glad to see that this book didn’t disappoint. Thank you also for highlighting some of the negatives, I feel like his work is always so hyped that people often overlook some of the weaknesses.
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Thank you so much, Darina! 😀 If this is his weakest one so far, then I’m sure his other titles will destroy me emotionally! I was soooo ready to write a truly unpopular review for this one until the ending made me reconsider, then again, the issues I had remains flaws, and others might not be as forgiving as I was to it too. 😮
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This is a lovely review! I’m quite excited to read this book myself. Especially after hearing that it follows multiple people and finds common ground.
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It’s my first Backman and he definitely proved himself as a fantastic author with this story! I hope you enjoy it when you get the chance, Sumedha! 😀
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Not bad. I have to admit that I’m a sucker for stories about “strangers” locked in a room.
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Then this MIGHT be something that might intrigue you. I’ve always heard great things about Fredrik Backman too. Just be aware of the insane personalities that these characters have and how… implausible the plot might be if you think hard and long about it in today’s era… 😀
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Sounds interesting! I also absolutely love the depth and details you put into the review yourself 😍. Keep it up!
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That is soooo kind of you to say. I really appreciate it! Thanks for your love and support. Happy reading! 😀
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Aaah it sounds like such a fun book! I’m really curious to read it through, though I guess I will probably be as annoyed as you (if not more) by the annoying character… Thanks for sharing Lashaan 😊
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I really think you have to be ready for those quirky characters or ready to endure them till the end for this one to work even more for you! Otherwise, it just continues to show how much of a greater writer Fredrik Backman is! 😀 Thanks for reading, Juliette!
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I loved Fredrik Backman’s first one but the other ones didn’t do better for me. But I have hopes on this one.
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Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! I look forward to reading those in the near future though. Hope you get what you crave with this one, Gayathri! 😀 Thanks for reading!
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I can feel your words. Quirkinesses is the most ignored compliment so far in so many ways. I’m surely going to read this!
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I completely agree with you. Quirky is a huge compliment and a huge part of each of these character’s personalities. I hope you have a fantastic time with this one when you get the chance to pick it up. Happy reading! 😀
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If you’d ever consider submitting some of your work for publication, Dixie State University has an online literary journal and is currently open for submissions.
https://r7review.submittable.com/submit
We are sorely lacking in fiction and nonfiction submissions! We also accept audio recordings, visual art, book reviews, multimedia, nonfiction, photography, etc. You can check us out at R7Review.com. The deadline to submit this year is November 6th.
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Thank you for reaching out to me for a publication submission. I appreciate it. 🙂
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