Review: Hyberbole and a Half

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

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HELLO, FRIENDS! Two weeks have come and gone, and I am back with another book review! This week's book is Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh.



THE PLOT-Y BIT

How do I put this? There is no plot--no ongoing plot, anyway. This book is based off of the blog of the same name, so each "chapter" is really just a blog post, either directly from the website or a hypothetical one filled with entirely new content.

Each blog post serves as a story (based off of real-life experiences from the author), and each story is contained in the post--with the except of Depression and Identity, which are each told in two parts.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

I have read many funny books in my life, but very rarely has a book made me laugh so hard that I cried. This one did--and I'm talking body-shaking, breath-gasping, tears-streaming-down-my-face, keep-it-together-Justyne-you-are-in-PUBLIC laughter.

There are few books that I manage to read in one day. This one I managed in about 16 hours or so. (And that's while working an eight hour shift!) Granted, the various illustrations do make it a much faster read, but I guarantee you that that doesn't make this honour any less special. (The last book I read in less than 24 hours was Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu, which was also a very good read.)

I almost feel like I can't give this book a proper review, due to the type of book it is. It's almost like a collection of short stories--some I loved, others I really liked, while others still were just okay. (Although I won't lie, most of them fall under the "love" category.) I will say, though, that my favourite had to be the God of Cake chapter (followed closely by Dinosaur (The Goose Story)). Those were the ones that had me clutching my stomach in tears at the bus stop and in the break room at work.

(As a side note, I'm pretty sure that the entire city of Winnipeg thinks I'm insane now.)

And in the midst of the uncontrollable-laugh-worthy moments, Brosh managed to tackle a very serious and alarmingly common problem. Her 2-parter entitled Depression did an excellent job of documenting her experiences with the illness, in a way that gave the topic the solemnity it deserved, while still keeping a hint of the humour that remains at center stage for the remainder of the book. It was a very honest recount, and I definitely recommend it if you or anyone you know is going through (or has gone through) depression.

The (purposefully) poorly drawn illustrations give both the book and her blog a wonderful touch. While the style can be hard to get used to, I honestly don't think the stories would be the same without them. They add to the humour in a way that neater, more technically well done drawings wouldn't be able to. It makes the blog unique, and it's what sets it apart from the rest.

I think the only real problem I had with this book is the final story. While Identity was extremely relatable, I didn't find it as funny as her other stories. When I finished it, I felt slightly disappointed, because I had been looking forward to having a final laughing fit on the bus ride home. (I mean, everyone in this city already thinks I'm insane, right? Might as well.)

THE RATING-Y BIT

This book as earned the easiest 5 stars I've given out in a while. Brosh has another book slated for release this year (with ALL NEW CONTENT!), and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

If you're looking for a good laugh, I seriously recommend this book!


Until later,

- Justyne