Book Recommendation: My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Hi Readers! By now you know my reading choices. If Fredrik Backman publishes anything, I am going to read it. Novel? Yes. Short story? Yes. Instagram Post Caption? Yes. Grocery List? Yes. Anything? YES! So, I didn’t think twice before reading his latest book My Friends! And, oh what a rewarding experience. Here we go!
~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~
#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.
Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.
Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.
Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.
~~THOUGHTS~~
My Friends is the story of an artist who had no idea his painting would sell in billions some day, but his friends did. These friends who spent a few summers together in their childhood but somehow became everything to each other. Joar, our wild and fierce friend, who badgered the artist to paint. He claimed it was to win a competition, but only he knew he did it to save the artist from falling into a deep hole. Ted, our quiet and loyal friend, who understood why everyone did what they did, but kept it to himself, because he didn’t need to prove to his friends how smart he was. They knew it anyway. Ali, our wild and lovely girl friend, who came like a storm and disappeared like it too. But, the kind of storm that comes in to save everyone from a drought, leaving everyone shocked, happy and grateful. And, of course, we have our artist friend, without whom the story will not exist.
Usually, I like to share a plot preview of the novel in my reviews for readers to understand if they will enjoy reading it. My Friends is what the novel is all about. The story of four friends; artist, Joar, Ali & Ted and two friends; Louisa and Fish. We are with them for 400+ pages, but these are only over a handful of years. So, while I felt like I was just another friend in the group, I also felt robbed of how little time I got to spend with them. It’s a story about love, loss, grief, trauma, and how all these emotions feel when you have friends to share them with. Fredrik Backman’s books are something else. They cannot be explained in a few lines. They can only be felt.
I loved how this book was A Little Life meets The Goldfinch, both of which books I have loved beyond reason. I loved how wonderfully the story of childhood friends is written; balancing serious topics like death with humour like farts and action like stealing bikes. I loved how whether you spend two months or two years with a childhood friend, they become a part of you. As an adult, you still remember them whether or not they are still your friend. You think of happiness, silliness and unadulterated joy because childhood friends are always with you. Even during times where adulthood takes you to challenging places, it’s these memories and these friends that remind you of your purpose in the most simplest ways. I loved how art was central to the theme of the book. I loved how a painting can be portrayed in a myriad of ways by different individuals’ lived lives. I loved these friends, and while they were fictional, they were so uniquely special.
If you are feeling lonely, I would recommend you to read this book. You will either feel like a part of the friend group, or you will relate them to your own current or childhood or estranged friends. You will want to run fast, jump and then dive into the sea. You will want to laze around the pier with no to-do lists and just whiling your time away without a care in the world. You will want to go to your storage rooms, find your drawing and painting sets from school, or just buy new ones, smell that paint, bathe the brushes and color the canvas any way you want to. If you are able to do all of it solo, it’s precious. And, if you are able to do it all with friends, it’s simply marvelous.
Such a wonder it is to read Backman’s writing. I sometimes wish I could always feel the way I feel while reading Backman’s works. I have rated My Friends by Fredrik Backman, translated by Neil Smith at 4/5 stars!
If you would like to read my other reviews of Fredrik Backman’s books, here they are:
Until next time,
About The Author
Aishwarya Shenolikar
Hello! I'm Aishwarya, an Introverted bookworm & writer. I have been reviewing books since 6 years on my blog - Mindscape in Words. My favourite genres are Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thrillers, Magical Realism, Poetry, Fantasy & Memoirs. I like the kind of books which evoke emotions on several levels leaving me wrecked, but also incredibly content. I'm dreaming for the world to paint a landscape full of words, more like Mindscape in Words. Hope you enjoy the view.
