I discovered Fredrik Backman this year. I read Anxious People (2020), A Man Called Ove (2014), and My Friends (2025). I loved them all, but My Friends was my favorite. Backman has an amazing way of telling a story that portrays life’s harsh realities, serendipitous events, and heart-warming summations. He pulls on all your heartstrings (or, as the kids are saying these days: feeling all the feels). He has a thrilling way of weaving a story that is unique and unpredictable with characters that everyone can relate to. His understanding and portrayal of human nature is uncanny. His characters are so well developed, they might as well have souls. His characters endear themselves to us until we feel like they are our friends; until we’re rooting for their happy endings. Not because they deserve it, but because every human is worthy of love. Through his storytelling, Backman inspires us to celebrate every person’s story, including our own. I look forward to reading his other books.
Written by Brooke C., Youth Services