“Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman

We’re all doing our best.

I read this book's description and was intrigued because of its title and the fact that it's described as humourous. I started reading it and was pleased to discover that it is a book that talks about serious matters but with such a light tone in its storytelling that it is very enjoyable.

It is the story of a group of total strangers that meet under unusual circumstances - they are held hostage at an open house by a bank robber who just failed to rob a bank. Hours go by, and with the police and the media surrounding the building, the bank robber and the hostages get to know each other and share their griefs, fears and secrets.

"Anxious People" deals with very important matters such as suicide, failing marriages, loneliness, remorse and depression, but the style that the author uses to approach these topics is light, positive and entertaining. There are also moments of surprise when you discover that some of the characters are linked  to each other by defining situations or places in the past, and which are key to their present unhappiness.

I really liked this book and found it very enjoyable. Its narrative is very different to what I expected - it switches from one situation to the other but it's easy to keep track and tie everything together. What I also appreciated is that the situations in the story give the reader some ideas to reflect about, such as the notion that everybody lives with some kind of pain, that we all have our own anxieties and that we pass each other every day without knowing what others are going through. It is a story about empathy and with a message that, in my experience, is very true - you never know when you will meet someone that will make a big difference in your life.

 If you're looking for a read that will leave you feeling good (and who doesn't, in times like these), this is definitely a book for you.