My Friends is about a group of teenagers who, 25 years ago, find solace in each other during one summer. That friendship inspired a painting which now mysteriously belongs to 18-year-old aspiring artist Louisa, who becomes driven to learn the story behind its creation. Louisa finds herself on a journey to the seaside where it all began, but as she gets closer to the painting’s birthplace, Louisa learns that happy endings are not always what we expect. This book essentially tells the tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life years later.
My Friends is originally in Swedish and was translated by Neil Smith. I can honestly say this was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read, and it fascinated me from the get-go. There are so many quotes I have written down as I was reading the book, making me smile and tear up simultaneously. This book is written in the third person, which I’m not usually a fan of, but it worked perfectly for this book. I found the depiction of mental health, grief and mortality to be very accurate, especially the parts about grief, which I really resonated with.
‘It’s the incomprehensibility of death that drives people mad, so that we forget how to breathe and how to walk, until we spend whole nights stumbling about in dark rooms, calling and calling, trying to understand how there can be a phone number that no longer belongs to anyone.’ p54
The book was much funnier and more emotional than I had expected, as the plot can initially seem quite mundane, but it is an amazing story. The book alternates between flashbacks from 25 years ago and the present day, and it made me love all the characters. It is crazy to me that a book about a simple painting has ended up being one of my favourite reads, but it really is great. I normally gravitate towards fast-paced thrillers or romance books, but this helped me slow down and really enjoy the book, taking in the setting and the characters in every form.
The way the past and present intertwine is so clever as we delve deeper into the characters, and it makes you addicted to knowing more. Every time a sub-story got interrupted, I was desperate to know how the characters’ story ended. I think there is something about books about ordinary people that is so special and captivating, and I really enjoyed the repetitive nature of some of the storytelling when different characters were sharing their perspective and how everything is cyclical. There’s also a reference to Donna Tartt, who is one of my favourite authors, so that made the book even better!
‘You don’t wish for happiness when you have lost the love of your life, because you can’t even imagine ever feeling happy again. All you wish for is peace, calm, a long night’s sleep.’ p68
Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it’s even made me want to go to an art gallery and appreciate art as a way to love this book even more! This was my first book of 2026, and I’m so happy it is a 5-star read. I would definitely recommend this book as I found Backman’s writing so wonderful; I’ve already added A Man Called Ove and Anxious People to my list.
5/5 stars
Soph's Library 
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