Readers’ Voice

Once again, I am left in awe of Backman’s ability to describe characters using just a few words—words that make you feel as though you know them personally. *My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry* is a perfect intertwining of the stories of ordinary neighbors—the kind we’ve all had—who, just like the rest of us, possess a past that explains why they are the way they are today.
Every character contributes significantly to the narrative, and you will surely find familiar figures from your own memories to associate them with. Little Elsa—who is almost eight—and her grandmother will transport you back to happy childhood memories through their incredibly rich imaginations; it is truly remarkable how the grandmother teaches her granddaughter about life’s realities using the fairy tales she has invented.
What impresses me most is the author’s imagination and his command of language (I must also highly commend the translator, Lyubomir Gizdov, for a job perfectly done).
I’d love for you to share in the comments below if you share this same enthusiasm for Fredrik Backman and his works! 😀

Warmth. Laughter. Tears. Stories of childhood summers while the fate of a painting hangs in the balance. Love. Art. After this book you’ll understand why people stand in front of paintings in galleries for so long. You might even feel like calling an old friend. However long it is, it will always feel too short to me.

A quiet story about a supposedly ordinary concierge who is not to be underestimated. She shares reflections and stories about small joys, friendship, social masks, prejudice and everyday life while living through something like a love story, in her own way. For me, Renée’s story is not as gripping as Renée herself: wordy, but without a wasted word; well-read, but with no need to show it. Your vocabulary will thank you for meeting Renée.

Riveting. Lessons and a craft passed down from grandmother to granddaughter evolve into a family saga centered on the Armenian Genocide—a narrative that grows ever deeper. At a certain point, you become so absorbed that you even forget how it all began. The stories are interwoven with such skill—it even engages your sense of smell, firing up your imagination! 😉