This is a story of four young people on the cusp of adulthood, struggling with serious family difficulties, inflicted by either cruel, unwittingly unkind, or overwhelmed, strained parents. These four are really children, forced to take responsibility for raising themselves, and protecting each other, where adults have failed them. It is also a story filled with the joys of youthful summer, with no job or school demands, they have the freedom of unfettered days of swimming, sunning, and being creatively mischievous. Most of all, they have the blessing of each other, to enjoy, laugh, and protect.

Backman really understands this age— perhaps he is a close observer of his own and other children, and perhaps he has a good memory. Louisa, a girl who grew up in foster care, and recently lost her best friend to a drug overdose, faces her eighteen birthday with one mission— to see, in person, the painting she has dreamed about for so long, The One of the Sea, by C. Jat. It has come to represent so much for her— the joy of the three figures on the dock, the carefree ease they have, the beautiful sea. It gives her hope for her own artistic aspirations. When she finally sees the painting, but is tossed out for having snuck into the auction, she meets the artist, whom she mistakes for a homeless man. For he is gravely ill, there with his lifelong friend, and this encounter is meant to change all their lives.

The artist, upon his imminent death, has asked his friend, Ted, to purchase this, his first painting, and give it to Louisa. As Ted and Louisa journey to the artist’s hometown by train with the artist’s ashes and the painting, Ted shares story upon story about that summer, when the artist, Ted, Ali, and Joar, have the best and worst days of their lives, and say goodbye to the carefree time that is youth. For the artist sees himself in Louisa, as we will learn from Ted’s and Louisa’s stories, and is giving Louisa a chance to chart her own future as an artist, a chance given to him by another artist who saw who he was as a young person.

During the train trip, we hear, layer upon layer, told in short stories, the circumstances of each child, how they support one another, in that crazy, illogical, passionate way of children. We hear of situations that children should not have to experiences, yet do, ever day. Backman’s empathy, his ability to see from the young person’s viewpoint, is amazing. It is so true, so heart breaking, so joyful. I won’t give anymore away, since it is such a unique pleasure to experience how Backman unfolds this story.

I have been waiting for Backman to present another story as moving as A Man Called Ove, one of my favorite books. Anxious People was good, but not quite on the same level (my review here: https://www.margueritereads.com/home/anxious-people-by-fredrik-backman?rq=anxious%20people ) I think he has finally achieved it with My Friends. So, my friends and fellow book lovers, here is the book you have been waiting to enjoy this summer.