Anxious People : Book Review

Hello readers! I am back with a book review after a long, long time! Yayy!

So without further ado, let’s begin….

One bank robber. Seven strangers. And a really bad idea…

Plot

A New Year’s Eve. A bank robbery gone wrong.A group of unrelated strangers stuck together in a hostage situation (which according to the hostage-taker isn’t the situation!). A pair of police officers ready to do anything to save the hostages. And utter chaos and confusion.

How will everyone get to safety? Will they ever learn to live happily forgetting the traumatic events which might scar their lives forever?

Review

As many of you already know, the first book I had ever read by Fredrik Backman was, ‘A man called Ove’, and consequently I started admiring his writing immensely. There is some beautiful magic in his words which makes you laugh and shed tears at the same time. I had been on a lookout for more of his works since then. I finally settled on ‘Anxious People’ recently and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I am sure all of you would, too.

To begin with, I was intrigued by the title of book, even before I was fascinated by the story. As I finished reading the last page, I realized how charmingly the author had brought under the canopy of the two words, overwhelming stories of a myriad of strangers. Strangers whose lives intertwined together, unknowingly and affected each other in unimaginable ways, ultimately blessing them with warm, happy endings they all deserved. Brownie points to the author for this!

The story of the novel greets us as a breath of fresh air with its gravitas and comic punches in equal amounts. It begins as a tale of bank robbery gone wrong and ends with all the characters learning how to embrace their flawed lives, moving on with after making amends with their lives and living in the moment, happily. Backman’s salient social observations add a unique perspective to the narration. I have read only a few novels on on the theme which explore the reasons behind the choices we make and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I don’t think this book aims to sound didactic, but some portions of writing compels you to feel so.This is the only point I felt the book turned into a little monotonous. Apart from this, it’s surely will leave you in splits.

Each character arc is written so beautifully and intricately, that you can’t help but empathize with all of them. Each character has his/her own story which unknowingly helps the other find their peace and happiness. I enjoyed reading how all separate stories coiled together and formed a warm and satisfying ending! My favorite character undoubtedly is the middle aged Roger, who never fails to amaze me with his actions and quick wit. His character is a delight for the readers. If you have read the novel, do tell me about your favorite character in the comments section.

One thing that really stuck out to me was the variation of the multi-person perspective that is common in contemporary novels. The analogical dialogues between the characters that are succeeded by characters’ stories and perceptions are marvelous. A quick word of advice be on the lookout for them.

Would I recommend it?

Overall, I enjoyed reading the novel and I would rate it 4.5/5. If you are looking for a pleasant read for the weekend, this is the book for you. You would not be disappointed with its emotional and rib-tickling moments.

So I would recommend it to only if you are not looking for a deep, philosophical and mind-grueling read. (Something which I think is the need of the hour, with everything that is going on around us.)

Tell me what you thought about the novel in the comments section.

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Until the next time,

Cheers!