I can say that I enjoyed this book. It brings some great insight to adolescent mental health issues as well as shedding light on the pressure a lot of kids put on themselves to succeed in life, despite the fact that they're still trying to figure out what it means to succeed. I enjoyed the chapters where the main protagonist, Craig Gilner, spends time in a psychiatric ward and his interactions with the wacky yet lovable characters there, especially his relationship with Noelle, a girl his age. Yet, even though It's Kind of a Funny Story has several positive attributes to consider, there was just something about it that I didn't like that I still can't exactly put my finger on. Mental health issues are still a very sensitive subject, so bringing awareness to it can happen in many different ways, but Craig's narration bothered me a little. Maybe it was because I could see what he was doing to himself in the beginning and I wanted to yell at him to stop, or the fact that he thought smoking weed was a solution to his problems. I can definitely say Craig's "friends" were the absolute worst, especially Nia, who I'm still angry he gave the time of day to. I didn't like how these friends suddenly were realizing their own issues just because one of their own went to a hospital for help, but I suppose you could call that realistic. In any event, I think the main problem I have with It's Kind of a Funny Story, despite the fact that I enjoyed the majority of it, was the plotting. It's basically just told from beginning to end through Craig's retelling of it, which is also realistic, but it seems sloppy and tedious to read even though I know for sure it was not intended that way. I think if it was told in a more condensed, well-plotted way, it would be half as long (444 pages) and be more sophisticated in tone, if you will. But don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy the book. 4/5 stars. (It's also worth mentioning that I watched the film adaption, and it was plotted out much better, which I found much more enjoyable. But, at the end of the day, I do kind of appreciate how the story is told in the book.)
2. The BFG, by Roald Dahl:
This was a reread, but given the fact that it was the first time I've read it since elementary school, I'd take the opportunity to express my thoughts! The BFG was just as odd, zany and fun as I remembered. It features a series of insightful, unique, mystical characters who all bring something to the story. It's definitely something I'd recommend as a bedtime story to imaginative children, just as I was. I reread it so the story would be fresh in my mind as I went to see the film adaption, which came out a few weeks ago, and oh how I enjoyed it. It was such a great feeling to see a childhood favorite brought to life with such magic and effects, not to mention Disney magic. Steven Spielberg does an amazing job, as he is known to do. Love, love, love. A childhood without Roald Dahl seems empty to me, so please read it to your children or, better yet, buy his books for them and wait for them to discover the books themselves. 4/5 stars.
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