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New release: Frederik Backman's new novel 'My Friends' tells story of long-lasting bonds and art

Published: 09 May. 2025, 14:59 Updated: 11 May. 2025, 18:21

LEE JIAN
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My Friends
Author: Fredrik Backman
Publisher: Atria Books

The best-selling author of "A Man Called Ove" (2012) returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose bond ripples through time. Most people don’t even notice them — three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist, knows otherwise, and is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures. Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets and committing small acts of rebellion. From that summer emerges a transcendent painting that, two decades later, lands unexpectedly in 18‑year‑old Louisa’s care. On a cross‑country journey to its birthplace, she grows increasingly anxious about what she’ll discover — and learns that happy endings don’t always look the way we expect. "My Friends" is a stunning testament to the timeless, transformative power of friendship and art.

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