Hello Rad Readers,
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini is a surprisingly hilarious and whimsical story about Craig Gilner, a teenager who feels an immense pressure to succeed in life. He got into the right high school to hopefully get into the right college to hopefully get into the right job. However, once he makes it into the halls of this prestigious high school the pressure becomes too much to bare. Craig's depressive episodes --almost accidentally-- result in him checking himself into a mental hospital where his new neighbors help him confront his sources of anxiety, and help him figure out what he really wants out of this life.
Like I said, though this story is very funny, it is also heartfelt and impactful which ultimately results in an extremely Rad Read!
First of all, what I loved the most was how Craig's story helps you reflect a lot on yourself and your own life. The overarching message that I understood was that we are all just a bit too hard on ourselves and that we just need to get rid of the things in life that don't make us happy.
I think that students, especially, could benefit from this read. Vizzini captured perfectly how students feel about school and teachers who make you feel as though if you do not do your homework it is a one way ticket to homelessness. Or, if you do not get an A in your math class you are doomed to piles of college rejection letters. It is abundantly obvious to the reader that Craig's A- average is not in fact the end of the world. However, due to Craig's surroundings and the expectations he puts on himself, he felt inadequate. It is something that can be observed in all walks of life. If you compare yourself to others, you will feel lame even if you are doing perfectly fine. This is a theme we see throughout-- Craig's interpretation of his reality being far different than the actuality of the situation. It makes you realize that more often than not, things are a whole lot better than they seem. It is something that we all certainly experience, and this book really helps you take a step back, slow down, and look at yourself.
The school system is flawed. That's just the facts, and Vizzini does a great job at criticizing it through an extremely realistic example of a student just trying to keep up. I love that. The author does not hold back and he paints an incredibly respectful picture of the many Craig-ish struggles we all face. It is a book you can zoom through, and it isn't pretentiously deep and in your face with metaphors and blah blah blahs. I know a lot of people hate it when books are like that. I digress, this book was not one of those where you have to really think about the meaning. It was just right there for you to read.
Let's talk character development! There is genuine in depth growth. The Craig at the end of the novel is not the same Craig that we started with. The first third of this book is just plain sad. It is all about why Craig hates his life and why he is suicidal. It makes you kind of question why you are reading it, because it is not in fact a funny story at all. One of the first notes that I took while reading it was that the title should instead be "It's Kind of a Really Sad Story That Will Just Make You Extremely, Overwhelmingly Sad." It would be a lengthy title perhaps... but if you read it, you will understand what I'm saying. However, once Craig accidentally admits himself into a hospital things get much much better. He meets some great people and learns so many life lessons in such funny and round about ways, so of course we the reader learn with him and it is really just great! By the end of the book, YOU WILL BE SMILING! I probably looked very odd, creepily grinning at a book in public and all, but I just couldn't help it!
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a well-developed, beautifully written novel, with a message that we could all be reminded of every now and then. I highly highly recommend!
- C8 ;)
P.S. Apparently there is a movie... and apparently... it is actually good!