Hi friends,
Just one more post after this one and we’ll have rounded up my favorites of 2025.
Today I wanted to talk about my favorite contemporary of 2025.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman stole my breath away and crushed my heart. Some have said that he wanted to stop writing after this one well, I hope it’s a false rumor because that would be a huge loss to the writing and reading world!
Audiobook review
ALL THE STARS!
From the start I wrote that:”This book will be on my top five of 2025. It’s a masterpiece!”
And the translator Neil Smith must be praised as he did a fantastic job!
I FELT EVERYTHING! It was overwhelming and beautiful. Terrible and superb.
I think all that I wrote in Beartown about Fredrik Backman’s penmanship and what he makes me feel is true for “My Friends”.
When I wrote: “In concise, nude but terrifyingly efficient sentences Frederick Backman immerse the reader in different characters lives.”, that’s exactly what happened here!
It is extremely difficult to explain how Fredrik Backman writes his characters so vividly that you can’t tell what is real and what is fictional. If you had told me that Ted, Joar, Louisa and company lived just two streets over mine I would have believed you. If you had told me that I went to school with them, that I used to swim in the sea with them I would have agreed with you. Because I WANTED them to be true.
There is so much beauty, joy, despair, grief, sadness and hope in that story that it’s transformative. Just do me a favor and read it. And then gift that book to friends and family. Because that’s just what I will do.
Have you read it yet? If no you should ;-)
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
This is an author that has been on my to-try list for ages, hopefully 2026 will be the year!
Fingers crossed!
I need to try this author some day!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2025/12/29/the-dnf-report-48-december-2025/
Yes you do LOL
This definitely sounds like something I’d like! I’ve been meaning to read Anxious People and A Man Called Ove. Maybe I’ll get to them this year?
Let’s hope you get the time to read them!
Ive heard so much about this book, I need to read it!
Yes you do Caro!
I love this author and have this on my tbr audio pile. I cannot wait to listen!
I am so glad you loved this one! I haven’t read it already but I have it on my TBR so sooner or later I will do it!
It’s still on my list! I may try to read it in 2026
Backman is always a good idea. His books are the perfect mix of humor and keen observations of humanity and connection. Loved them all!