The story is told in a nonlinear way and while we have the hostage storyline there’s also one about a bridge and a tragedy that happened there.

Were you surprised when it turns out the bank robber is a woman?.

Why do you think the ‘bank robber’ decided to try to rob a bank? What does that say about desperation and also just having a really bad idea?

This story becomes one about a hostage drama.

When you see the word ‘idiot’ what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Let’s talk about what he’s saying here about human nature. And that while it’s easy to declare that other people are idiots, it’s also true how difficult being a human is. The book starts off with Fredrik writing that this is a book about idiots.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. 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. And all of them-the bank robber included-desperately crave some sort of rescue. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. 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.Įach of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. 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. 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. 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. And of course, if there are any others of his that I should read! Here’s the synopsis: If you’ve read his other books, let me know what you think about this one compared to his previous stories. Such a creative story with a truly wonderful ending. I thought he wrote the characters all quite well-all district and a bit lost for their own reasons.

There’s definitely a quirky, and somewhat, random nature to it and I liked how everything ends up coming together in the end. This is actually the first novel I’ve read by Fredrik Backman and I so enjoyed his writing.

Anxious people fredrik