My FriendsMy Friends
What it's about
A famous painting shows a group of teenagers on a pier by the sea one summer long ago. Louisa, a lonely teenager with a gift for art and nowhere to belong, is obsessed with it, and when she unexpectedly crosses paths with one of the friends in that painting, she sets out to learn the story behind it: a summer of friendship, loyalty and loss that made the young artist who painted it.
Why it's worth reading
It's Fredrik Backman at his most heartfelt: funny, sad and full of love for misfits and the friends who save them. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
The Correspondent
Remarkably Bright Creatures
The Book ThiefGood to know
It moves between past and present and deals with abuse, poverty and grief. Have tissues ready.
By the numbers
- Readers83 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller72 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz59 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #25 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #30 of the 481 new books we rank
- #183 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove
Anxious People
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's SorryIf you like this, read next
James
Demon Copperhead
The Women
Quicksilver
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
My FriendsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is My Friends worth reading?
Yes. It's Fredrik Backman at his most heartfelt: funny, sad and full of love for misfits and the friends who save them. It ranks #183 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is My Friends about?
A famous painting shows a group of teenagers on a pier by the sea one summer long ago. Louisa, a lonely teenager with a gift for art and nowhere to belong, is obsessed with it, and when she unexpectedly crosses paths with one of the friends in that painting, she sets out to learn the story behind it: a summer of friendship, loyalty and loss that made the young artist who painted it.
How long does it take to read My Friends?
About 11 hours (436 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has My Friends won?
Goodreads Choice (fiction) winner (2025).
What should I read after My Friends?
If you liked it, try The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt or The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.