One of Us

My Friends by Fredrik Backman is a touching story about friendship (obviously)!

Louisa is on the verge of aging out of the foster care system. The night before she turns eighteen, she breaks into an auction to see a painting that is very meaningful to her. She is thrown out and the police are called. In her attempt to escape, she crashes into a homeless man. However, it turns out that the homeless man is not homeless; he’s actually the artist. They paint graffiti together before parting ways. He sees something special in her and tells his friend Ted to find her, telling him that she is one of them. The artist sold all of his possessions to buy his own painting back, and it is his dying wish to give it to Louisa.

Fast forward to the artist’s friend Ted finding Louisa and giving her the painting. The two begin a scrappy relationship as they journey back to where the painting was inspired.

During this time, Ted recounts the painting’s origin story. The painting is of a sea scene, and it includes three kids sitting at the end of a pier. The kids in the scene include Joar (son of a violently abusive father), Ali (a tough drifter) and Ted. Ted (and others) shares the story of their friendship over the two summers leading up to Kim’s first painting and its aftermath.

Lessons are learned, relationships evolve and lives are radically altered. There are many heartfelt lines about life, love, loss, and of course, the power of art.