Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

"Though it took sometime to hit its stride, once it got going, the narrative was witty, funny, tender and the end had me in tears. I think, what Backman wants the reader to take away from this novel is that the best thing we can do for ourselves and each other is to be kind and understand that we’re all doing the best we can getting through this web of insanity we call life."

4 Stars. 

Pros: In perfect Backman fashion, he finds a way to make the ending so perfect that you can't stop but get teary eyed.  

Cons: I never quite know if people actually argue as much as Ro and Jules do, their relationship just seemed...complicated/It took awhile for the story to hit its stride.  

Full Review: 

This isn't how any of this was supposed to happen. 

That's really how this book and also how life can be summarized. 

We're all just trying our best, never knowing if we're doing any of it right and just trying to get through the days and in the end, it's all we can do. Hope and pray that we're doing it right, that our families love us, that our children love us, that we haven't somehow single handedly destroyed someone's life etc. We are our own worst critics and our own worst enemies, constantly judging ourselves and beating ourselves up for things that we may have, or should have done. 

When someone is faced with infidelity, divorce, the possible loss of their children, they go to desperate lengths. They rob a bank. But it turns out it's a cashless banks, that doesn't have any actual money on the premises. So the Bank Robber flees across the street and into an apartment viewing and suddenly the bank robbery turns into a hostage drama. But again, the Bank Robber never meant for any of this to happen, they're just trying to make it so they can still see their children. And the people at the apartment viewing are all just trying to live their lives and do the best that they can and get through their own struggles as well. 

This novel is both a comedy of errors but also a truly deep, poignant and heartfelt tale about love, life, patience, empathy, sympathy, kindness...the list goes on. 

At times the constant bickering of some characters was annoying and the rather chaotic beginning of the book was confusing and frustrating at first. But once I simply accepted it and the book hit its stride, it was truly enjoyable. Backman has such an amazing way of making you realize how intertwined all of our lives are, even if we don't know each other, even if we never meet, there may be a chance that something I do could affect someone's life halfway across the world. And so, I think, in the end, what Backman wants us to realize and try our best to do is to be kind to others, each and every day and be patient. In the end, we're all just trying our best.