“..the most dangerous thing in the world isn’t natural disasters, or wars, or weapons. It is unremarkable men with beautiful smiles and even bigger pr“..the most dangerous thing in the world isn’t natural disasters, or wars, or weapons. It is unremarkable men with beautiful smiles and even bigger promises.”
This book was a gripping read from start to finish. It was chilling and uncomfortable at times, but these elements were necessary to expose us to the harsh realities of our world. I couldn’t help but pay attention from start to finish.
Many POVs felt initially unnecessary but gave us multiple perspectives in this angst-driven story. The POVs were necessary to reveal how missing people affect the lives of various people. One of my favorite parts of the book was how the flaws of our law enforcement were highlighted. Certain people are given more attention when they go through some unfortunate circumstances, while sometimes no one seems to give a whoop about certain classes and races. It was a superb thing to touch on.
Henry didn’t slowly ease us into this book's messiness but gave it to us immediately. This ensured that I wasn’t going anywhere but finishing the bookHenry didn’t slowly ease us into this book's messiness but gave it to us immediately. This ensured that I wasn’t going anywhere but finishing the book to the end, and boy, I’m glad I did.
Yes, maybe Funny Story is labeled as a romance, but I swear it’s more than that. I felt it was about learning to love yourself and making sure you don’t let people ever make you feel less than you are. I was constantly shocked by how much the people in Daphne’s life were such a disappointment, and I was angry for her the entirety of this. Henry, however, with Daphne’s growth by the end, made all my emotions worth it.
Aside from the obvious horrible characters, everyone was great. Sometimes, with books, you wonder what a character's point is, but they all contributed generously to the theme of friendships, love, family, and growth. Ashley, in particular, deserves her book. She was such a great character who sometimes would speak out loud my exact thoughts when reacting to events in the story. Of course, honorable mentions include Julia, Miles’ incredible, hilarious sister, and Daphne’s loving mother and best friend.
Daphne and Miles's relationship was beautiful! It’s tough to do a romance wrong when you build a friendship between them and work your way to sexy sexy. Their story reveals that you see someone’s beauty as you get to know them, and it’s not always the first-day attraction nonsense. There are instances of fake dating, but it wasn’t overpowering in the story. They were incredibly raw with each other, sometimes bringing tears to my eyes. They were such a tease as the tension between them was a rollercoaster….the excellent kind. In the ending parts, their relationship got confusing due to some events, and I was terrified Henry would be unable to save this book. Henry, however, surprised me with the characters' actions and revealed that the characters have grown and have learned from past mistakes.
Funny Story was sad, witty, and raw, and cute. And sad again. Then funny again. I’ve said in a past book that Henry is a whole comedian, and she once again proves it. She also proved to me that she is great at making her characters relatable with all their strength and weaknesses and their freaking childhood. You know how everything links back to your childhood in psychology, and boy, did we delve into people’s childhoods here.
I was hooked from the beginning to start a “romance” book that felt more than a romance. I learned from Funny Story to love myself and tell people who belittle me to F off….respectfully. The characters were imperfect yet perfect at the same time, and there were many instances in the book that brought tons of emotions to me. I’m glad I read this, and you should too :)