Anxious People: The No. 1 New York Times bestseller, now a Netflix TV Series - From the Author of My Friends Paperback – 19 Aug. 2021

i don't have the words to describe how much I enjoyed this book, but my Kindle highlights is full of profound thoughts and funny lines from this book.I'm a below average reader but found this book so engaging and uplifting, and the subject is original and well ordered.

Really enjoyed this unusual book. Lots of layers unpeel, lots of truths and untruths, lots of insights into people’s characters. Comical in some ways but quite sad in others. Worth a read

Really enjoyed the way the story jumped between the different characters using humour and sadness to retell each person's individual lives that has all become entwined through a bank robbery gone wrong

I read Anxious People, and while it had received a lot of hype, I have to say that it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The story itself was interesting, but I found that it lacked the depth and complexity that I was hoping for.While the characters were well-written, I didn't find myself connecting with them in the way that I had hoped, and I felt that some of the plot points were a bit contrived.Overall, while Anxious People is a decent read, I don't think it quite lives up to the hype. If you're looking for a thought-provoking and deeply engaging novel, you might want to look elsewhere.

This is a very different book.I enjoyed it tremendously and laughed out loud on several occasions.But beneath it all there is a very touching understanding of our everyday lives, problems and mental battles.

Book 6 of 2023 finished 14/1/24 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A bank robbery goes wrong and in the process of escaping the bank robber runs into an apartment which is being viewed by prospective buyers. The bank robber now has a hostage situation and isn’t sure how to get out of this.Now the police are interviewing the hostages to try to discover where the vanishing bank robber has gone.Each of the hostages have their own stories to tell and we learn that even strangers can have an impact on other people’s lives.My thoughts: The book talks about anxiety and depression in an honest and relatable way. The heavy topics are written with such a balance of light hearted moments that this doesn’t feel like a ‘heavy’ read.My favourite element of this book was the discussion surrounding how far parents would go for their children. The backstory of the bank robber and Jim as parents made me really think about what I would do in their situation.I’m not a huge fan of timeline jumps and that is reflected in my rating. However, I was completely hooked to this story and desperately needed to know how the story ended.

Having brought A Man Called Ove many months prior, I finally read it as I saw there was a movie coming out and was determined to read the book before I saw film. Well, I loved it (the book, and also the movie, but the book was better. Sorry Tom Hanks). This spurred me to read Britt-Marie Was Here, and it really didn’t disappoint. So it was a no brained to buy Anxious People, and when I realised a Netflix series had been made I chose it from the plethora of kindle books I now own and I was absorbed once more. Backman’s books contain such ordinary people written about in such an extraordinary way. The stories shine a light on how the simplest of acts can have great impacts on the lives of others. Now to go watch the Netflix series whilst the story is fresh in my mind…

Well, I read and listened to this one, and it initially felt like a random farce with bit part actors. But when I took a step back, I realised there was much more to it.We have Jim, a police officer who didn’t want his son Jack to follow in his footsteps. However, Jack joined the force anyway. While it’s clear they love each other, there’s continued stress and irritation from Jack. They have their own story.On New Year’s Eve, an estate agent is hosting an open viewing. As the guests arrive, they’re met with a rather reluctant and accidental bank robber. This wasn’t the intention; the bank robber is going through heartbreak and a breakup. She’s at the end of her tether, which causes a desperate act that turns into more than anyone realises.As the strangers get to know each other, they start to bond. Each person is holding something within, and bit by bit, we get to hear about their backstories. Some of the stories were emotional, while others made me cry. I also laughed at some of the absurdity of what was going on, like the guy wearing a rabbit’s head.We learn that behind the facade, everyone is going through something. Some of the stories were relatable, and we see the very real and human side that we often conceal.At the end of the day, we learn that as humans, we all make mistakes. We need kindness and not judgement. Patience and love go a long way.This turned out to be a clever and moving story, cleverly woven despite the collection of characters. It didn’t feel crowded at all.