Backman is a master of writing delightful and compassionate tales with character driven narratives. With his stories, no one is usually likeable at first, but there’s always a compelling backstory with more heartbreaking secrets and unending hope.
Without a doubt, he is a genius in the world of literary fiction. Even though he writes about topics that have been discussed in mainstream media and literature again and again, he still manages to bring in a new perspective that makes everyone question their beliefs all over again. He doesn’t try to write lyrically or create the best plot, but he always creates a story that is honest to its characters and his craft. Perhaps, his genius lies in his ability to deal with these tough issues like rape culture and old age with so much delicacy while also being unflinchingly honest about them.
As a reader, I cannot describe in words how much his stories mean to me. He seems like a writer who isn’t afraid of expressing the troubled parts of his mind and writes about the things that move him and ends up making a messy story brimming with comedy, tragedy, hope and philosophical insights while also making so many of us feel seen in the pages of his books.
Currently, I have only read two of his works (which may seem like such a small number), but he has genuinely become an instant favourite/ auto buy author for me. I am the kind of reader that inhales everything written by an author in their lifetime if I even find one amazing book by them. However, with Backman, I have learned to proceed with the kind of caution that only comes with treasuring his books too much. I am constantly scared that I will run out of books written by him or will not be able to experience his books for the first time again. But, more than anything, it is the havoc that comes after finishing any of his books. Moments after finishing his books, I struggle to understand my own feelings. I experience a vaulting joy along with the grief that doesn’t really sink in. I grow to love his character work so much, that saying goodbye to his words breaks my heart.
His books have always felt like home to me. So, I totally recommend him to anyone who looks forward to falling in love with books all over again and I promise, he will not disappoint. His stories are magical and funny yet so surreal and tragic that you can’t help but fall in love with the characters that you would slowly learn to appreciate.
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