“My Friends” (post 1) by Fredrik Backman: Teenage Protagonist Louisa’s Two Personalities Share Her Brain

“Louisa is a teenager, the best kind of human…the only people who don’t think that teenagers are the best humans are adults. Which is obviously because adults are the worst kind of humans…

“…sometimes Louisa is a genius, but sometimes she isn’t a genius, and the problem is that the genius and the non-genius share a brain. But the plan? Perfect…” (1, p. 1).

Comment: Fredrik Backman introduces his latest novel with a humorous statement that his semi-genius, teenage protagonist has a split personality.

1. Fredrik Backman. My Friends. Trans. Neil Smith. New York, Atria Books, 2025.