For my first book review of the semester I wanted to do a book I read in early January. I actually read the book in one night and started it and like 6 pm and finished it just after midnight. I have a lot of books by Fredrik Backman, but this is actually the first one I read by him.

The main plot of this book centers around an accidental hostage situation that occurs at an apartment open house. The “criminal” had tried to rob a bank outside the building, but the bank went cashless so there was nothing to rob and in a panic, they ran away and into the open apartment. At this point, the failed robber is panicking so they hold up their gun and claim it a hostage situation. It quickly turns awkward when the failed robber does not really know what to do or want to continue the hostage situation anyway and starts sobbing. When all the hostages realize this person is no real harm, they start to relax and talk to each other, including the robber. At one point, they even order delivery pizza.

The robber explains their backstory and reasons for trying to rob the bank, and most of the hostages feel quite sorry for them. They were about to lose their children in a custody battle if they could not pay the rent and they just needed exactly 6,500 kronor. The hostages take pity and develop a plan to help them escape.

I really liked this book because it is written from many different character perspectives so you see all kinds of ideas and viewpoints. I also really like how connected everything is. By the end of the book, about 20 loose ends get tied up in a very satisfying way that I was not expecting. There is also a decent plot twist toward the end of the book that I was not expecting, but it made a lot of things less confusing once I figured it out. I just really liked the complexity and multiple story lines that you follow throughout the book. You get to know about all the different hostages and their backstories, the police officers, and people who aren’t even related to the hostage situation. I just never expected all the lies and twists that just kept coming and I really did not expect the ending. I will admit, I did cry a couple times. Another thing that I really liked about this book is how it accurately described anxiety and the thought processes of a bunch of people who don’t quite know what to do. Everyone agrees they don’t want to get the robber in trouble, so they all just kind of sit around for a while. It was also extremely funny in my opinion, as one of the characters is literally an old man in a bunny suit. Unsurprisingly, I gave this book 5 stars and could not put it down.

Of course, I also have to say that the book had a pretty good floppiness and I think the pages were a good thickness. It is a paperback book and just a pretty satisfying book overall.

P.S. apparently they also made it into a series on Netflix and I didn’t even know that, so all pictures of characters are the actors from the TV adaptation.