Anxious people: a novel
By Fredrik Backman, Neil Smith
Introduction by Librarian
“Anxious People” is a novel written by Fredrik Backman that tells the story of a failed bank robbery and hostage situation that brings various characters together.
From the beginning of the story that the robber went to rob a bank, it seemed destined to end in tragedy. But the story kept reversing and reversing. It was hard to guess what would happen next. A sudden reversal solved the puzzle and the ending of the story was a great surprise.
Although the book is called “Anxious People”, it does not directly describe anxiety, nor does it directly tell how to relieve anxiety. Instead, it tells the story of a group of anxious people who happened to get together, and a series of interesting things happened. In the end, the problem was solved, and the things that anxious people were anxious about became less anxious.
The whole story is full of drama and absurdity. It has twists and turns, and you will be attracted by this way of storytelling. The author deeply portrays human nature in the book. All the characters in the story have distinctive personalities. They are anxious about themselves, others and all kinds of things.
We can see some of our own shadows in the characters’ anxiety, worry, anger, pain and helplessness. This is each of us! Everyone has moments of anxiety, whether it is about relationships, family, marriage, parenting or other things. Sometimes it is a knot that we cannot get over, a difficulty that we cannot overcome, a secret that we cannot say or a cruel reality that we have to face. Sometimes we doubt about our ability and belief. Sometimes life is so anxious that it makes us feel like a mess. But as the book says, “Sometimes it’s easier to live with your own anxieties if you know that no one else is happy, either.” Maybe, we are not alone, no matter how difficult things are.
Whenever we think about the innocent dreams in the past, or compare with the friends around us who are successful, or miss the past, life turns out to be something other than what we expect. But we need not worry. Just learn to live and face our life. Remember, there is always a ray of light in despair, and constantly solving problems is the essence of life. As the book says, “We don’t have a plan, we just do our best to get through the day, because there’ll be another one coming along tomorrow.” This is a heart-warming and uplifting novel. You will feel good after reading it.