My Friends

Another Fredrick Backman book is a cause for celebration for many readers, including myself. He's a bestselling writer that keeps churning out the hits, so if you're a fan of his some of his previous books like the Beartown series, or Anxious People, you'll more than likely enjoy his latest novel, My Friends. Written in the same style of the aforementioned titles, this book is told from a few different perspectives with Backman's trademark observations of the human condition. It can veer into saccharine territory at times, but his creative plotting keeps the pages turning.

Reviewed by Anne Logan

Louisa is on the cusp of turning 18, and eager to finally graduate out of foster care. One of her very few possessions is a postcard of a famous painting which she has kept with her since she was little, which has also helped inspire her own artistic pursuits, mainly spray painting walls and drawing with whatever writing instruments she's able to get her hands on. When her only friend passes away, she embarks on a very risky plan to commemorate her memory, triggering one of many police chases in her life, but also the unlikely path to potential financial stability. To pursue this opportunity Louisa finds herself on a train trip with a new companion, Ted; one of the men who was included in this famous painting decades ago. As they travel to the sea Louisa learns about Ted's friends who are also included in this painting, and the difficult circumstances that led to its creation. Ted is reluctant to befriend Louisa, but he has also just lost someone, and is simply executing his friend's dying wish. Together, they learn more about one another's difficult upbringings, the challenges that led them to their current circumstances, and a hope for their future healing. Switching back and forth between Ted and Louisa's present-day adventures and Ted's childhood with his friends, the novel unravels as a long story told from one person to another, with unexpected twists that force the reader to remain open to new possibilities, even when it seems impossible to consider a different ending.

My Thoughts
It might be unfair to label My Friends as overly sentimental, but if you've read any of Fredrik Backman's work, you'll know what I mean. His writing thrives on pithy, emotional one-liners that sum up the complexities of being human. It's tempting to just fill a review with quotes because so many of them resonate. For example:

"It is an act of violence when an adult yells at a child... Yet we still do it. Time after time, we fail at being human beings" (p. 292).

Addiction is explored in several forms throughout the novel-not just in those who struggle with it directly, but in those who love them. Backman doesn't excuse it; he simply lays it bare.

If you're drawn to this kind of emotional insight, this book will likely hit you hard. If you tend to roll your eyes at sentimentality, you may want to skip it. The book is a bit too long for my taste, but like all of Backman's work, it's heartfelt and affecting.