Anxious People
The No. 1 New York Times bestseller, now a Netflix TV Series
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4.3 • 295 Ratings
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
The funny, touching and unpredictable No. 1 New York Times bestseller, now a major Netflix TV series
'A brilliant and comforting read' MATT HAIG
'Funny, compassionate and wise. An absolute joy' A.J. PEARCE
'A surefooted insight into the absurdity, beauty and ache of life' GUARDIAN
'I laughed, I sobbed, I recommended it to literally everyone I know' BUZZFEED
'Captures the messy essence of being human' WASHINGTON POST
From the 18 million copy internationally bestselling author of A Man Called Ove
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It's New Year's Eve and House Tricks estate agents are hosting an open viewing in an up-market apartment when an incompetent bank robber rushes in and politely takes everyone hostage.
For Anna-Lena and Roger, busy buying-up apartments to fill the hole in their marriage, it's something else to talk about.
For Julia and Ro, panicky parents-to-be, it's yet another worry.
Lonely bank manager Zara only came here for the view.
While 87-year-old grandmother Estelle seems rather pleased by the company . . .
As the police gather outside, the anxious strangers huddled within try to make the best of a very sticky situation - but could it be that they have a whole lot more in common than meets the eye?
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Readers are loving Anxious People!
'Backman never disappoints . . . heartwarming and multi layered' 5***** READER REVIEW
'As always Backman manages to delight . . . a really satisfying ending that makes you feel better about the world' 5***** READER REVIEW
'A wonderfully unusual tale, told with flair and finesse that is so wonderful it is sure to cure everything that ails you. Don't miss out on this beautiful book' 5***** READER REVIEW
'This novel is about humanity at its most raw and at its most wonderful and I LOVED it!' 5***** READER REVIEW
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A diverse assortment of Swedes gets caught in an unlikely hostage situation in Backman's witty, lighthearted romp (after Us Against You). On the day before New Year's Eve, in a "not particularly large or noteworthy town," a desperate parent attempts to rob a bank in order to provide for two young children. After the police arrive, the amateur stickup artist flees and stumbles into an apartment's open house. The attendees, including a heavily pregnant, first-time home-buying lesbian couple; an apartment-flipping older couple; and Zara, an executive at another bank, become hostages. Meanwhile, father and son police officers Jim and Jack scramble into action. The appearance of a man wearing nothing but underwear and a bunny mask, hired by the flippers to sabotage the open house, adds to the drama. Backman layers the hostage scene with threads of backstory on Zara's regret for denying a loan to a man ten years earlier, along with developments in Jack and Jim's investigation. While the prose is chockablock with odd metaphors ("Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of") and a plot twist leans on societal assumptions, Backman charms with his empathetic description of the robber, who gradually earns sympathy from the hostages. This amusing send-up of contemporary Swedish society is worth a look.
Customer Reviews
A fun, intuitive read
Once I got used to the writing style, and after the characters had stopped annoying me (which wasn’t too far in!) I really enjoyed this story and the insight the author gave into each of their feelings, worries and anxieties.
Interesting
Book is full of surprises. Plays on your consciousness. This book is relatable as it depicts the behaviours of people in everyday life. Book will leave you more curious and gives a new view of how we look at people and what happening in their life. Reading through can be a bit confusing but story ties up all in the end. In the end you have to laugh because the book played you and teach you in the end.
Brilliant
Unexpected,, funny and heart-warming all at once. I cried… a lot.
Highly recommend this brilliant book!