Here is the latest book by the author of A Man Called Ove and Bear Town, both of which I loved! And I have to give full marks to this one as well. It’s a very different novel than either one of those. One thing I can say about Backman–his books are in no way formulaic!
An apartment real estate open house turns into a hostage situation when a failed bank robber comes in waving around a gun. This is a story about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears, and eight very anxious strangers who find out they have way more in common than they ever imagined!
Anxious People is delightfully (laugh-out-loud) funny but also very unsentimentally poignant, insightful, and wise. The set-up is hilarious, the characters likeable, the structure of the novel original, and there are some surprising twists and turns. I also found it stereotype-busting and bursting with kind generosity for human quirks and foibles. In the hands of a less skilful author this might have just been ridiculous, but Backman elevates a silly story into something entertaining and life affirming.
Joanne's Reading Blog 