"It's Kind of a Funny Story" Book Review

[Warning: This review includes spoilers.]

Ned Vizzini is an American writer for young adults whose novels have included "Be More Chill", "Teen Agnst? Naaah...", and "It's Kind of a Funny Story." His latest book, "It's Kind of a Funny Story" follows a depressed young adult named Craig who admits to having clinical depression. He spends most of his childhood dreaming of being accepted to Executive Pre-Professional High School, where he then plans on searching for his perfect job. However, Craig's mental disability shields him from being able to live and function as a normal teenager. He finds himself skipping meals, having insomnia and wasting his days smoking with his pal Aaron. One night, Craig has the idea to commit suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. He lies awake in his mother's bed for hours not knowing what he should do. He finally decides to call a suicide hotline and gets himself checked into a mental hospital. Here, Craig learns to accept his illness and discovers that there are what he calls "Anchors". Anchors are possessions or people that Craig can find comfort to hold onto.

While at the hospital, Craig slowly realizes that he is not the only person experiencing or coping with a mental problem. He meets some interesting characters including a transsexual sex addict who goes by the name of Jennifer who is really Charles, and a schizophrenic man named Jimmy. A psychotic man who never stops talking named Humble, two meth addicts, Johnny and Bobby, a boy who will not leave his room because he fears that gravity will shoot him upward, and a girl who has scarred her face with scissors. Craig is skeptical of his new surroundings at first. He is shy and a bit paranoid that the outside world will eventually find out that he has been admitted in a hospital for the "insane."

Craig starts to learn that even his room mate who sleeps 18 hours a day and speaks broken English has a story to tell. Everyone contributes to his healing in one way or another. He befriends Noelle, the girl who has scars on her face when he receives a note from her to meet at a specific time and place in the hospital. This sparks a very peculiar relationship. Craig soon notices that the reason why he enjoys talking to Noelle is because she is different and can teach him something about life's lessons that he never knew.

Throughout the story, the reader begins to notice a change in Craig's personality. He listens to these people and understands that maybe he had the wrong opinion coming into the hospital. Towards the end of the book, Craig has almost come full circle. He begins to draw what he calls "brain maps". When Craig was a child, he found that illustrating maps really interested him. He was able to create his very own metropolis and it could contain however many rivers and city streets he desired. At his stay in the psychiatric hospital, Craig picks up the talent once again after attending an arts and crafts activity session. Soon enough, the other patients see that this clinically depressed teenager is skilled in the artistic field.

His stay comes to a close as he prepares to be released from the hospital on his fifth day. On the last day, he draws maps of the patients' brains and depicts what someone would find if they were to look inside their head. He draws and draws and draws until everyone has finally gotten their map. Craig says goodbye to the hospital and the patients' having a few telephone numbers in his pocket so he can keep in touch with some even after he has gotten out. The real world is now Craig's and he is free to do anything he chooses. He realizes that being alive is the greatest privelege that anyone could have.

I thought that this book was excellent. It contained many themes that are important for teenagers to understand such as morals, the value of living, the difficulty growing up as a teenager and how certain people can change and effect your life. I could not put this book down. Every chapter captivated my attention with its witty phrases and uncommon, offbeat language. The characters were quirky and interesting to follow throughout the story and I was excited to see what was going to happen towards the end of each chapter leading into the next. "It's Kind of a Funny Story" is definitely on my top list of books. I recommend this novel to any reader who enjoys a good laugh but can also appreciate the struggle one endures when attempting to find out who they are. Though this book focuses on the main character's clinical depression; the way Vizzini writes is anything but. I almost forgot that Craig had clinical depression when I was reading it. I could not put it down, I guarantee you it's worth the read.