Fredrik Backman’s newest release titled Anxious People is a complete delight. Read on to see why I fell in love with it! I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Atria Books via NetGalley; all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. This is one of those reviews where you want to shout out loud how wonderful a book is – but at the same time, you don’t want to give away too much, as I think part of the fun is going into a book a little blind. This is the story about a bank robbery that didn’t happen, thanks to a calamity of errors and desperation, and a hostage situation that really wasn’t, due to a misunderstanding. Actually, much of the book is about just that – misunderstandings, missteps, miscommunication, presumptions, all related to anxieties of one kind or another. As the younger of two police officers interviews the witnesses and hostage victims, my first thoughts were “These people aren’t anxious. They’re idiots.” But Bachman plays on our preconceptions, over and over. “The whole thing is a complicated, unlikely story. Perhaps that’s because what we think stories are about often isn’t what they’re about at all. This for instance, might not actually be the story of a bank robbery, or an apartment viewing, or a hostage drama. Perhaps, it isn’t even a story of idiots. Perhaps this story is about a bridge.” Each of the hostage victims has a story of their own, their own demons and worries and pain. As their individual stories unfolded, my opinions shifted from “this person is an idiot” to one of sympathy and sadness. That, in my opinion, is one of the kinds of magic that Backman works in this book. He has a wonderful way of working your emotions, and capturing the human spirit. And then making you laugh out loud, before you can get too deep in the sadness of a situation. He really stretches your emotions like a rubber band. Or puts you on a roller coaster. I’m not sure which analogy is most fitting. He also has a incredible gift when it comes to tackling serious issues and keeping a story lighthearted and relatable at the same time. I found my heart tightening in one scene, and then I was snort-laughing in the next. He really strikes a wonderful balance. This is a character driven novel, and it tackles the issues and challenges (and idiosyncrasies) of each of the characters, and how they are dealing with them. He creates these seemingly ridiculous or annoying characters, and then without even realizing it, he pulls sympathy for them (they you never thought you’d have) from you, with what feels like a literal sigh. “Oh, I think I was wrong about him/her.” Backman works magic in his plotting, and details that you thought you were paying attention to suddenly come together in ways you weren’t expecting. That’s my tip. Pay attention to the details. You still won’t see some things coming, and it’s beautiful. His writing has a very “stream of conscious” feel. It’s quirky, a fast prattle at times, and there were moments where the flood of words made ME feel anxious enough that I needed to slow down my reading. The pacing felt quick in those narrative moments, even if what was happening was unhurried. Anxious People will probably be one of my favorite books this year. It’s quirky, clever, and smart – and it really was a rollercoaster of a book, with twists and unexpected drops and just good fun. For another book with quirky characters that will make you think and feel and laugh, check out Why Stuff Matters by Jen Waldo.