I bought a book without thinking much - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Trigger warning: Suicide.
Let's start with a confession here: I read the German translation which is titled "Eine ganz dumme Idee" ("A very stupid idea"). I expected to have a light read after considering the blurb on the website of my book dealer of choice:
A small town in Sweden just before the New Year: On a gray day, a group of strangers gathers for an apartment viewing. They are all at a crossroads, all wanting a fresh start. But this new beginning turns out to be more turbulent than expected.
Because of the rather foolish idea of a bumbling bank robber, everyone involved suddenly becomes hostage. Although no one is more surprised than the hostage-taker himself. What follows is a day full of crazy twists and turns and unexpected events that turn everyone's plans upside down—and show them what is truly important in life...
— my translation of the German blurb that convinced me to buy this book
I mean come on: That sounds fun - a bumbling bank robber accidentally took hostages? Crazy twists and turns, strangers longing for a fresh start? Hah, we got ourselves a deal!
Boy I got more crazy twists and turns than I bargained for...
The funny setup
None of the blurb is wrong and the book lulled me in with a fun start: A shoddily-prepared bank robbery, stumbling into a shoddily-prepared apartment viewing, turning it into a hostage situation. Asserting dominance turns out to be a challenge for our protagonist, too.
The darker undertones
But then the sucker punch landed. We learn about the string of events that lead our protagonist down this path. We hear about someone who took their life after getting royally fucked by the banks, we hear about losing a family member to dementia, a marriage on the brink of sizzling out and leading to divorce, a father-and-son who've lost the rest of their loved ones and don't know how to find back to each other anymore.
Throughout the book, we get a fun glimpse into the chaos of the present only to be thrown back into the dark places of human life and the many shades of shadow.
Mess, more mess and heist-like surprises
But throughout the book, the stories all find a new focal point - and a surprising one: A bridge. It ties together the many paths we've followed - it provides us with a point where all of them meet, where decisions were made, where thoughts wander to.
And as the many paths converge, new details come to light, even more surprises and twists. Things get messy. There is no clear hero or villain, it's complicated. Exactly like live itself is.
Life seems complicated, but full of beauty
It comes to a beautiful conclusion, not without a tragic note, of course - I've learned that throughout the book. But it shows that when we choose to face life, choose humanity and focus on the simple truths in life, we come out stronger.
With a bunch of things in my own life, I found myself relating to a bunch of the protagonist a lot, then not as much at other times throughout the book. Just like life meanders and throws us onto the banks lef and right, has us thrust through rapids and linger in the slower bends.
This book is surprising, complex and mixes tragedy with comedy in fascinating ways - but the mix turns out great.