milah’s Reviews > My Friends > Status Update

’at first joar looks insulted, then rather amused. he grins at ted’

‘this must have been the longest train trip of your life’

i LOVE them all. they have my whole heart. literally crying and laughing, but i’m fine, it’s fine (i’m a little, a lot, scared for the end).

'maria callas is singing on the radio. albert is good at keeping secrets, no one will know that ted cries on him'

new fave character unlocked 🔓 albert. a side note: the way that each chapter comes full circle is really just a testament to how good the writing is in this book.

’but they were lucky, they were wrong. the first day of the vacation joar found a damn ad in a damn newspaper, about a damn art competition. that was how everything started, again’

literally sobbing.

’dear lord, he hardly likes people, and of course babies are the very worst-functioning versions of people. what exactly does she want from him?’

ted and louisa’s relationship dynamic is hilarious.

’he glares accusingly at the box of ashes, as if this is the ashes’ fault. he feels exhausted. his heart has broken. he doesn’t know what gets into him, but before he knows it he finds himself telling the truth: i got stabbed’

dang ted.

the writing in this book though is absolutely amazing - uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time.

’it’s been a long, long life, and at the end of it i got to see something unbelievably beautiful’

ted nods disconsolately. ‘that girl’s painting’

‘no. you. i got to see you’

crying for two characters i have only known for 50 or so pages 🥺

pre read: my first fredrik backman book, and i am excited 🤭