Reviewed by M. Koopmans, August 2022
The novel Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is a compelling and twist filled novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A group of people are at an apartment showing when suddenly a bank robber bursts in and takes them all hostage. The group contains a retired couple, a wealthy bank director, a young couple who are about to have their first child, an eighty-seven year old woman, a real estate agent, and a mystery man. Backman takes readers through the story of the hostage situation through the eyes of several people including the police officers and the backstory of many of the characters.
This book was one of the best books I’ve ever read. Backman does a brilliant job of developing several characters, which is a very difficult task, and creating a story that has so many aspects that readers can’t put the book down. My favorite thing about this book was that so many details that were revealed seemed almost insignificant at the time but later became very relevant points. Along with this the writing and the general language of the book was not quite like anything I’ve ever read before and it was super interesting. While this is true the novel discusses the idea of suicide very thoroughly so if that is a triggering topic I would be weary. Besides that I think that any fan of fiction should read this book.