My Friends: Fredrik Backman

"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."

B-RANDS REVIEW: 4.5/5 stars

Hello Bookworms! Thank you SO much for stopping by!

Fredrik Backman has a gift for turning ordinary moments into something unforgettable, the perfect example being, My Friends. From the very beginning, I was hooked by the unique point of view and the way the story unfolded with so much heart.

I loved the tone of the writing, the way the characters felt fully alive, and how the plot carried both warmth and heaviness in just the right balance. As I read, I felt like the characters truly became my friends, and it was turning the pages knowing I will be letting them go at the end.

That being said around chapter 55 the pacing dipped a little for me, but it didn't take away from the story overall. It's still a book that left me reflecting on friendships, connections, and the small ways we show up for each other.

Overall: Thoughtful, beautifully written and worth picking up if you love character-driven stories that explore human connection in real and tender ways.

Which part of a book hooks you the most?

• The characters
• The writing style
• The plot twists
• The emotional depth

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." -George R.R Martin