Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Emily H | Marlboro High School, Grade 11

Rating: *****

A woman is desperate to keep her family, so she sets out to rob a bank for just enough money to tide her over. When the police are on her tail, she sees no other escape but to take hostages at an apartment open-house. Clearly she didn’t think her plan through very well because the group of hostages turn out to be very difficult people. When the police hear a gunshot and find blood spilled on a rug, they take all the hostages in for questioning to uncover what really happened. However, this proves to be more difficult than it should be. Hopefully the police can find out the truth.

This is one of my new favorite books. The author gave each character a distinctive identity that made the novel whimsical and charming. Being hostages in the apartment actually benefits all of them. They learn more about themselves and their relationships. The best part was the way that this seemingly random group of hostages are all connected in some sort of way. An event described in the first chapter remains an underlying theme for the entire rest of the book. It truly comes full circle. This was an unconventional and unforgettable story as bank robbers are not usually apologetic. That’s what made this book so unique.