Review: It's Kind of a Funny Story

Goodreads: 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

My Review:

‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’ is a truly wonderful book. I’d been searching for it for a while and suddenly spotted it on a Waterstones buy one get one half price tables. Obviously, this was a sign that I should buy it. It tackles mental illness in such a relatable way that doesn’t feel patronizing or dramatic in any way, instead it feels real and you can feel Craig’s emotions spill through the page. It’s a beautiful book and I would definitely recommend people pick it up!

You can tell straight off the bat that there will be a downward spiral as Vizzini creates multiple problems for Craig that would pressure any teenager. His friends all had their faults and Craig is not in a good place when the book starts. This book made me laugh and cry, Vizzini captured the true feelings of a teenage boy struggling with depression and this made me care for Craig so much. There’s only one negative that I would say brought the book down, is that I don’t think there needed to be a love story involved. I would have been quite happy if it was just a journey of discovery and self-love. 
Overall, I do love this book. It kept me hooked and I felt like I understood Craig. I recently found out that there was a movie adaptation of it too, but I’m not sure if it’ll be worth watching as the book was so good. If any of you have seen it and would recommend it then let me know! 

4 out of 5 stars.