Anxious People

 

Damn you, Backman.

You've done it again.

You made me think for a second this book wouldn't be as good as all the others. You gave so much humor at first, I thought this one might lack the sweet soul I've come to expect. Then, you started to hint. You started to hint that this book would shatter me like all the others. By the time I reached page 328, I was in full-on tears. Sobbing my eyeliner away when I was supposed to be heading into work. Then, you snuck that last little hug it at the end that we've come to expect, yet somehow never see coming.

You wrote another masterpiece.

If you're new to this blog (hi!), you haven't experiencing my deep and abiding love for this Swedish author. His books are among my favorites and he's cemented himself as my favorite author. I'll drop some links to my other faves at the end of this post, but for now, we're going to talk about this wonderful novel.

It's about a bank robbery. No, a hostage situation. A terrible one, but a hostage situation nonetheless. But, like all good books, it's not about that obvious plot at all. Here, Backman acknowledges that all along. He flat-out tells you that this book is not about bank robberies or hostages or even idiots (though he's written in a few of those.) When it comes down to it, it's about families and connection and love and strength and depression and suicide and the power of four simple words: it's not your fault. It's about forgiving the people we love - and forgiving ourselves. And, it's about what we lose when we close ourselves off to others. 

Our characters here are brought together unexpectedly when they're looking at an apartment to buy and a would-be bank robber walks in. The hostage scene in which they're thrust brings out the best and worst of all of them. I don't want to say more because the journey is the best part of all of this. How you go from laughing out loud (truly, I LOLd a bunch...) to quietly weeping to full-on sobbing is what makes this book - and, all of his books - so special.

That's the quote that put me over the edge. I promise if you read this book, this will be your reward. 

The only unfortunate thing about finishing this book is that it's over. It's perfect.

As promised, my other favorite Backman books: 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry

Beartown

Us Against You

A Monster Calls

 

I should have known that picking a book off a list of "Books That Will Make You Cry" might make me cry.

Two pages in, I worried I was in trouble.

When I reached the final chapters, I had to finish reading it in the bath. It was the next best thing to a warm hug, which is what I needed most.

Ugh, this book.

Connor O'Malley is being visited by a monster each night. It's actually a yew tree outside his window that transforms into  a monster. And, while it scares him at first, it begins to tell him stories. Just when Connor is sure it's a dream, he wakes up with sticks and leaves in his locked room.

In his waking life, Connor is dealing with a more obvious monster: the cancer that is killing his mother. His dad has moved away to America, his grandmother is too blinded by her own grief to see Connor's. Even the kids and teachers at school steer clear, refusing even to discipline him because of all he's going through at home.

He aches to be seen. Yet, the only one who appears to notice him is the monster. The monster promises to help him understand a lesson, realize a truth. No matter how much Connor is trying to run away, the monster keeps calling.

I love the rhythm with which this book is written. I want to scoop Connor in my arms and protect him forever. I ache for his mother who can do so little to protect her son from the wave of grief.

It's a quick read, but by no means an easy one. I'll never forget it. 

Dear Edward

 

Oh, Edward. I think I'll think about you forever.

I'll think about this book, too, which is one of my favorites I've read this year.

Edward is 12 years old when he's the lone survivor of a commercial plane crash that kills his entire family and 180-some other people on board. He's Eddie when the plane takes off from New York to California, actually. He becomes Edward when he wakes up in the wreckage in a field in California.

This book follows two timelines.One is the flight that we already know is going to crash. As those chapters march on, we watch through fingertips as we learn about the passengers on board. The other timeline is Edward's life as he tries to move on. He's living with his aunt and uncle and quickly befriends the girl who lives next door. You root for Edward earnestly; he's a worldwide phenomenon, a 'miracle' - who is just trying to be a kid at the same time.

This is kind of a spoiler, but it's what makes the book so special to me. So, if you're already sold, go read it and skip this next part. 

A couple of years into his post-crash life, Edward finds locked bags in his uncle's garage that are filled with letters addressed to him. They're from the family members of the people killed in the crash. They're imploring him to go live a big life, to fulfill the crash victims' dreams. Imagine the weight. For most, it would be crushing. For Edward, it brings purpose. A chance to release the survivor's guilt that darkens his days.

I love this book. I love the characters, I love the way those characters are built. I love Edward. I think you will, too.

Sea Wife

 

"Did my mistake begin with the boat or the marriage itself?"

And that's the quote that sums it up, this book about adventure and secrets and marriage. 

A run of the mill marriage takes a turn when the family decides to spend a year at sea. Well, he decides. The wife sort of just goes along. Who could blame her for the trepidation? They have two young children, past trauma, a somewhat rudimentary a of what they're getting themselves into and a whole lot of marital baggage to carry onboard. 

Still, off they go. And, as a reader, you learn pretty quickly not all of them are coming home. 

Half of this book is told through the wife's perspective, the other half through the Captain's Log kept by her husband. Like so many marriages/relationships/encounters, it's two angles of the same story that may differ, but somehow come together to form the truth.

There is grief here. Regret. Maybe a little hope. All in all, comes to a satisfying end.