My Friends By Fredrik Backman (Summary).

Image Credits: Tectegic Solutions

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My Friends is a deeply emotional novel that moves between two timelines — the present and the past — to tell a story about friendship, art, grief, and the ways human connection shapes our lives.

Main Storyline

• Louisa, a teenage foster child, has endured a hard life and lost her only close friend, Fish, to death. Fish’s loss haunts her and fuels her anger toward the adult world that failed them both.
• Louisa carries with her a postcard of a famous painting — The One of the Sea — that she believes is about more than just ocean waves: to her, it shows three kids laughing at the end of a pier.
• At an art auction where the real painting is displayed, Louisa’s emotions overflow. She tries to get close to it and ends up being chased by security, after which she meets an older man in an alley who helps her — a man who turns out to be the reclusive artist C. Jat who painted it.

Louisa’s Journey

• The artist, now older and ill, entrusts Louisa with his painting. She must decide what to do with it — sell it, keep it, or return it.
• Her choice leads her on a road trip where she meets Ted, one of the subjects of the painting and someone deeply connected to its history. Together, they set off to discover the truth of the painting and its creators.

Backstory – The Friends Behind the Painting

• The narrative shifts back 25 years to follow four teenagers in a seaside town:

  • Kimkim (the artist) – shy, gifted with art, and emotionally fragile.
  • Joar – protective and tough, often defending the group.
  • Ted – thoughtful and steady, a grounding presence.
  • Ali – spirited and wild, full of energy and spontaneity.
• These teens form an intense bond — a found family — to survive their troubled home lives, spending summers telling jokes, sharing secrets, and dreaming of a future beyond their pain.
• Their friendship culminates in the creation of the painting, a work of art that captures a moment of joy and unity — something precious born from hardship.

Themes and Impact

• The novel explores grief, trauma, and healing, showing how deep friendships and shared experiences can give meaning even when life feels unbearable.
• It also examines the power of art as both a refuge for pain and a way to connect across time — how something beautiful can carry memory, love, and belonging.

What It Ultimately Says

In the end, My Friends is a tribute to the people who save us — not by changing our past, but by helping us carry it forward.