My Friends by Fredrik Backman: A Five-Star Book

The world doesn’t deserve a gift like Fredrik Backman. His wit and unique voice make his characters come alive with memorable personalities and heartstring-pulling stories. My Friends is one more example why Backman is an exceptional author who understands the human condition.

About My Friends (No Spoilers)

My Friends is about friendship, love, and grief. It is the story of mournful Ted and runaway Louisa paired on an unlikely journey to the hometown of C. Jat, the famed artist who was deemed a genius with his debut painting of the sea. That painting, created 25 years earlier, is the impetus for Ted to reflect on a memorable summer of his teen years, one that defined him and his friends for life.

“Little children think teenagers are the best humans, and teenagers think teenagers are the best humans, the only people who don’t think that teenagers are the best humans are adults. Which is obviously because adults are the worst kind of humans.”

Fredrik Backman, My Friends

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What I Loved About My Friends

I loved everything about My Friends, but here are the standouts.

• The Writing: Backman delivers more keen observations and commentary about people that he’s become known for. His writing makes me emotional, from laughing to crying with just a few pages in between. 
• Louisa: The first character we meet, Louisa, is grieving for her best friend and foster sister, Fish. Uncertain about her future, Louisa is a talented artist with no home or family. But, she’s smart beyond her years. She brings life and humor to her encounters with Ted and manages to pry out his long-gone memories of his own teen years.
• The Friends: As he travels with Louisa, Ted talks about the deep connection he had with his friends from a summer 25 years earlier. They are traumatized teenagers who face abuse, neglect, and loss, but they are present in all the important moments, good and bad, over the course of a summer. Each teen – Ted, Joar, Ali, and the artist – is a thoroughly complex and yet endearing character. They are troublemaking teens who are troubled, and I love them for it.
• Art and Love: The artist’s talent is central to the story; after all, his paintings are now worth a fortune. But the appreciation for art is much deeper as Backman uses the artist’s skills to bring the dual timelines together while showing that art is emotional, whether that be melancholy or joy. Most importantly, Backman describes how a piece of artwork can change everything, including who you love.

Final Thoughts about My Friends

It would be a travesty if My Friends is not included amongst the top fiction novels of 2025. It is quintessential Backman at his finest: unforgettable characters, touching storylines, and candidly entertaining scenes infused with his one-in-a-million voice.