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11 juin 2016

REVIEW : It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini


248704
Publisher : Miramax
Release Date : May 1st 2007
Genres : YA, Contemporary
Pages : 444
Rating :

Ambitious New York City teenager Craig Gilner is determined to succeed at life - which means getting into the right high school to get into the right job. But once Craig aces his way into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School, the pressure becomes unbearable. He stops eating and sleeping until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness.
It's Kind of a Funny Story may seem an odd title for a book dealing with depression but the thing is, it wasn't depressing at all. In fact, it was light-hearted and funny. The author shows that we don't always have to put a serious face when we're talking about mental illness.

Depression is a very tricky subject, people usually don't talk about it and yet it touches 5% of the world's population.

"Everybody has problems. Some people just hide their crap better than others."

What I liked the most if how accurate it was. It wasn't like All the Bright Places where all of the mental illness' clichés were reunited. The author knew what he was talking about and it showed. Craig's head is a mess, a very complicated one but it's easy to get into it and follow his train of thoughts.

The most interesting part is after he gets to the hospital. As soon as he met the other patients, I was hooked. If you expect horror movies type patients, think again. I found myself eager to learn about their experiences. They're living tough lives but they don't judge Craig for being "just" burnt out. It's tough to write about only five days and yet I didn't get bored. This book was compelling and thought-provoking. If you want to read a book about mental illness, It's Kind of a Funny Story is your go to.

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