My Friends: A Novel By Fredrik Backman Book Review
Ever wonder what it really means to have a friendship that changes you forever? Fredrik Backman’s latest novel, My Friends, dives into those messy, beautiful bonds that shape us, sometimes even save us.
This book is a heart-wrenching yet hopeful story about four teenagers, Joar, Ali, Ted, and the Artist, who come together one summer in a small coastal town, each carrying heavy burdens from fractured families and grief. Their friendship becomes a lifeline, a fierce, imperfect kind of love that sticks with them through everything they face. Fast forward twenty-five years, and a girl named Louisa, a foster kid with a complicated past, stumbles upon a painting created by the Artist and finds herself pulled into the story of these four friends. What follows is a journey full of tenderness, laughter, pain, and the strange, magical ways art and friendship connect.
What makes My Friends so special is Backman’s gift for writing characters who feel incredibly real, flawed, vulnerable, fiercely loyal. His writing mixes gut-punching emotion with sharp humor, so you might be laughing one moment and wiping tears the next. The dual timelines let the story slowly reveal the depth of each friend’s struggles and joys, and how those teenage years shape much of who they become. Readers have especially loved the richly drawn characters: Joar’s protective fierceness, Ali’s fiery spirit, Ted’s quiet wit, the Artist’s tragic brilliance, and Louisa’s aching search for belonging. The book doesn’t shy away from tough topics like abuse, loss, and grief, but it never feels heavy-handed or bleak, it’s honest, messy, and deeply moving.
People who’ve read My Friends say it’s one of the best books of 2025, praising its beautiful look at found family, the healing power of art, and how friendships can be chaotic but life-saving. Some mention the pacing feels a bit slow at times, especially early on, but almost everyone agrees the payoff is worth it. If you love stories that make you think and feel, that celebrate the small, sometimes overlooked moments of connection, this one will hit home. That said, if you’re looking for a light, fast-paced read or prefer tidy happy endings, this might not be for you, Backman’s love for messy realism really comes through.
For me, My Friends felt like sitting down with an old friend and having a long, honest conversation about life, painful, funny, and full of hope. It reminded me how friendship can be our fiercest shield, how art captures our deepest truths, and how sometimes the people who truly see us are the ones who save us. It’s the kind of book you’ll keep thinking about long after the last page, maybe even calling up your best friend to say “I love you.”
If that sounds like your kind of story, definitely check it out. And hey, if you’ve already read it, let me know what you thought!