My book club’s September gathering was last night and my friend, Lisa, did an excellent job hosting us. Her book selection was My Friends by Frekrik Backman. We definitely didn’t run out of things to discuss! Here’s a brief synopsis without any spoilers:
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
A Most Anticipated Book of 2025: Goodreads •USA TODAY • Marie Claire • BookPage • Literary Lifestyle •Book Riot •Sunset Magazine • Totally Booked with Zibby Owens * A Fallon Book Club Pick
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anxious People returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.
Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.
Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.
Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.
All of my B*tches loved the book, but my biggest takeaway is that it’s a very sad story. Interestingly, half of my book club agreed with me while the other half found it uplifting. It’s definitely inspiring, but I really struggled to get through the abuse passages. I don’t want to give anything away, so that’s all I will say! This is one of those novels I probably would not have read if it weren’t for book club, but I am glad I did. If you are in need of a good book for discussion, click here: https://amzn.to/3VCyuuQ
My Friends
Let’s take a minute for Lisa’s table setting! Perfection. Goodness, I love my Book B*tches.
My Friends Table Setting
Next month’s novel is Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Read along with us here: https://amzn.to/3Ko3mN8
Happy reading!
