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A review by mororke
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
5.0
** POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains suicide themes and pacts and may trigger suicidal thoughts. While my review may not reflect many of these themes, they are within the book itself. In staying with spoiler free reviews, I will only be touching on main themes.
Wow. Just wow. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is an incredible story about Craig, a boy struggling with depression. I knew when I picked this book up that it would hit close to home. I was interested to see how a person, or persons, with depression would be presented in a young adult novel. When I was preparing to read this book, I knew it might not be able to finish it. I also learned that Ned Vizzini suffered, and lost his battle with depression. As some one who also has depression, these things can be a bit triggering. Instead I found a book full of laughter, moments of joy, and understanding.
Craig is a normal fifteen year old student, well, maybe not normal. He’s definitely a high achiever, which should be a strong side, but in this case, it sends him down a spiral. With profound moments, and thoughts throughout, I found a lot of great quotes, Anchors if you will, to keep me from spiraling through the tentacles of the world. Craig, with a mind full of suicidal thoughts, ends up in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. What follows is his journey, learning not only about himself, but those around him.
Overall, I feel that the book is brilliantly presented. Craig, like most people with mental health issues, appears normal. He acknowledges this often. He understands that he has a great life, with a supportive family, and goes to a great school, and he can’t figure out why his inside is not normal as well. The thing that makes Craig different is that he finally figures out he’s not okay. Throughout the book he talks about shifts: Big Shifts, Fake Shifts, etc. The night when he almost ends it all, while he doesn’t see it, is the beginning of his big shift.
I highly recommend this book, not so much if you’re depressed, but definitely if you have friends or family members struggling with depression. To me it provided a more honest view of what living with mental illness is like that most books touching on the subject. It’s Kind of A Funny Story has landed in my top ten favorite books. I plan on reading more of Vizzini’s books and hope that they live up to the high expectations that this book has set.
Read more of my reviews at the-pink-moose.com
Wow. Just wow. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is an incredible story about Craig, a boy struggling with depression. I knew when I picked this book up that it would hit close to home. I was interested to see how a person, or persons, with depression would be presented in a young adult novel. When I was preparing to read this book, I knew it might not be able to finish it. I also learned that Ned Vizzini suffered, and lost his battle with depression. As some one who also has depression, these things can be a bit triggering. Instead I found a book full of laughter, moments of joy, and understanding.
Craig is a normal fifteen year old student, well, maybe not normal. He’s definitely a high achiever, which should be a strong side, but in this case, it sends him down a spiral. With profound moments, and thoughts throughout, I found a lot of great quotes, Anchors if you will, to keep me from spiraling through the tentacles of the world. Craig, with a mind full of suicidal thoughts, ends up in the psychiatric ward of a hospital. What follows is his journey, learning not only about himself, but those around him.
Overall, I feel that the book is brilliantly presented. Craig, like most people with mental health issues, appears normal. He acknowledges this often. He understands that he has a great life, with a supportive family, and goes to a great school, and he can’t figure out why his inside is not normal as well. The thing that makes Craig different is that he finally figures out he’s not okay. Throughout the book he talks about shifts: Big Shifts, Fake Shifts, etc. The night when he almost ends it all, while he doesn’t see it, is the beginning of his big shift.
I highly recommend this book, not so much if you’re depressed, but definitely if you have friends or family members struggling with depression. To me it provided a more honest view of what living with mental illness is like that most books touching on the subject. It’s Kind of A Funny Story has landed in my top ten favorite books. I plan on reading more of Vizzini’s books and hope that they live up to the high expectations that this book has set.
Read more of my reviews at the-pink-moose.com