Item: The Answer Is No
Author: Gina

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman #BookReview #ShortStory #Humor #LitFic #BookSky 💙📚 #Bookstagram

Book Details

The Answer Is No by Fredrik Backman
Published by Amazon Original Stories on 12/01/2024
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Humorous, Literary Fiction
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Pages: 68

In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?

Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.

Source: Amazon Purchase

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Purchase Links for The Answer is No

The Answer Is No: A Short Story

Amazon Kindle Edition
Backman, Fredrik (Author)
English (Publication Language)
68 Pages - 12/01/2024 (Publication Date) - Amazon Original Stories (Publisher)

The Answer Is No: A Short Story

Audible Audiobook
Fredrik Backman (Author) - Stacy Gonzalez (Narrator)
English (Publication Language)
12/01/2024 (Publication Date) - Amazon Original Stories (Publisher)

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My Thoughts on The Answer is No

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman is a masterclass in understated storytelling that leaves its mark on the heart. With his blend of wit, vulnerability, and human observations, Backman tackles the complexity of saying “no” in a world that often pressures us to say “yes.” The book is both a gentle reflection and a sharp reminder of the immense power and cost of standing our ground regarding self-care.

Lucas is a man who only wants to be left alone. He sees nothing wrong with having Pad Thai (with peanuts) delivered to his door and playing video games; all enjoyed with a bit of wine. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for him, beginning with an abandoned frying pan. The story escalates to involve Homeowner’s groups, neighbors, religious cults, and government officials with hilarious results.

The novel gently explores boundaries in relationships and the quiet bravery of self-determination. Backman understands how people justify crossing personal lines—through love, fear, or a sense of duty. He crafts characters who feel deeply real, flawed, and yet redeemable, showcasing how difficult it is to navigate the messy world of human connections. Lucas’s internal struggles are achingly relatable as he struggles with prioritizing his own needs against what his neighbors want him to do.

The story’s underlying theme of bravery doesn’t sensationalize acts of courage. Instead, it focuses on the small, quiet moments where decisions are made—moments that can alter the course of a life. Backman illustrates how saying “no” is sometimes a necessary act of self-preservation, even when it invites misunderstanding or loss. Many times, all a person needs is a little solitude and appreciation.

What makes “The Answer is No” so engaging for me is its ability to mirror the reader’s own life. It pushes us to examine where we’ve compromised ourselves and where we’ve found the strength to stand firm.

Backman’s writing is deceptively simple, yet every sentence carries emotional weight. This isn’t just a book—it’s an invitation to reflect on the choices that define us and the strength it takes to honor our boundaries. Profound, raw, and moving, it’s a story that stays with you long after you close the last page.

I have a friend who is a Fredrik Backman completionist, reading all his novels. After reading my first Backman book, I can see why. There is so much to reflect upon packed into a short, concise tale.

I purchased the book from Amazon. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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I love to read books through my Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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About Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, and two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime, as well as one work of nonfiction, Things My Son Needs to Know About the World.

His books have been published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children.

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