Thursday, January 23, 2014

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

4 Stars
 
It’s Kind of a Funny Story is about Craig – a 15 year old boy whose greatest (and sometimes only) success each day is urinating. It’s the one time when he feels like he has actually done something. The rest of the time he “cycles” – his brain running a nonstop marathon from one thought to the next. School, friends, girls, extracurriculars, etc. overwhelm Craig to the point where he plans to ride his bike to the Brooklyn Bridge and step off. Right before he gives up, he makes a last-ditch effort to save himself by calling a suicide prevention hotline and is convinced to walk a couple of blocks to the nearest hospital for help.

If you know anything about me, you know I generally don’t watch movies until I have read the book. Obviously I’m a little late to the party on this one since both the book and movie have been out for quite some time. Better late than never, right? Since Zach Galifianakis is one of the stars of the film version, I am assuming the official synopsis (“A humorous account of a New York City teenager’s battle with depression and his time spent in a psychiatric hospital”) is a fitting description. The book, however, isn’t “humorous”. If you want some LOLz, move along folks. On the other hand, if you want some real talk about what it’s like to be depressed and spiraling and medicated and lost – this should be your choice. Vizzini's own hope for recovery is tangible through these words. A heartbreakingly honest 4.5 Star book that is losing half a point for lying to me in its description. I was prepared to read something that made me laugh with the crazy, not cry. Vizzini's personal story makes me sad enough : (


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