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dontstopreadin's review against another edition
4.0
I first heard of Fun Home in the musical theater circles, but as I started reading graphic novels I just couldn’t get away from hearing about this story. I haven’t listened to the musical, because I wanted to read the source material first. Now I’m eager to see how this story was adapted for the stage. This story is strong and unique. My favorite aspect of it was the art, which Alison Bechtel penned herself! The narrative was complex and interesting, emotional and compelling. I am eager to read more graphic memoirs in the future, this one sure has sparked my interest. The format is fascinating.
mcloonejack's review against another edition
5.0
There’s some true irony to Fun Home being on the (disconcertingly long) list of oft-banned books: One of its main themes is the way repression can heighten and build strife within oneself, clouding judgement and complicating relationships.
For as much as Bechdel makes fun of the English class trope of finding nitpicky meanings in every line, I do wish I’d had the opportunity to read this in a classroom setting. The times I did understand the literary references—largely only The Odyssey and the story of Icarus—brought so much more out of the story.
Calling this an autobiography or a memoir feels restrictive in a way, but whatever you classify it as, it’s the most inventive version of one I’ve ever read (and that’s not just because of it being a graphic novel). You can almost feel Bechdel writing her way to a deeper understanding of her father and their relationship as she’s writing, as if she hadn’t already plotted the ending before beginning. It gives Fun Home the intimacy of a diary, a fitting motif.
A moment for the illustrations, which were stunning in a reserved way, but then stunningly beautiful at times as well, particularly the reproduction of the photo her father had taken of Roy.
The illustrations were also, obviously, the target of this book’s banning. Considering that thematically, including the heavy reliance on literary references and the main plot point being a possible suicide, this book was likely not being recommended to anyone younger than a high schooler, it’s of course ridiculous (I wouldn’t ban it for kids younger either, but I can accept that as being slightly out of step). As mentioned above, the bans just feed into the underlying theme that Bechdel explores. Hopefully young adults struggling with not necessarily just their sexuality, but maybe the sexuality of others or even just relationships with their family, find Fun Home like Bechdel finds her stack of lesbian and feminist literature, too.
For as much as Bechdel makes fun of the English class trope of finding nitpicky meanings in every line, I do wish I’d had the opportunity to read this in a classroom setting. The times I did understand the literary references—largely only The Odyssey and the story of Icarus—brought so much more out of the story.
Calling this an autobiography or a memoir feels restrictive in a way, but whatever you classify it as, it’s the most inventive version of one I’ve ever read (and that’s not just because of it being a graphic novel). You can almost feel Bechdel writing her way to a deeper understanding of her father and their relationship as she’s writing, as if she hadn’t already plotted the ending before beginning. It gives Fun Home the intimacy of a diary, a fitting motif.
A moment for the illustrations, which were stunning in a reserved way, but then stunningly beautiful at times as well, particularly the reproduction of the photo her father had taken of Roy.
The illustrations were also, obviously, the target of this book’s banning. Considering that thematically, including the heavy reliance on literary references and the main plot point being a possible suicide, this book was likely not being recommended to anyone younger than a high schooler, it’s of course ridiculous (I wouldn’t ban it for kids younger either, but I can accept that as being slightly out of step). As mentioned above, the bans just feed into the underlying theme that Bechdel explores. Hopefully young adults struggling with not necessarily just their sexuality, but maybe the sexuality of others or even just relationships with their family, find Fun Home like Bechdel finds her stack of lesbian and feminist literature, too.
writingbookscoffee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
cesar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Bonito e culto
A autora usa de referências literárias para descrever o seu relacionamento com o pai a a descoberta de sua sexualidade.
O traço é muito bonito e passa um pouco da dualidade da autora e de seu processo de auto descoberta e do desconforto que seu pai lhe causa.
A inserção de textos durante a HQ quebra um pouco o ritmo da história, mas no fim é um boa obra.
A autora usa de referências literárias para descrever o seu relacionamento com o pai a a descoberta de sua sexualidade.
O traço é muito bonito e passa um pouco da dualidade da autora e de seu processo de auto descoberta e do desconforto que seu pai lhe causa.
A inserção de textos durante a HQ quebra um pouco o ritmo da história, mas no fim é um boa obra.
gracieaward's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
So many secrets. So much unsaid. I finished the book feeling sad for this broken family.
a_wilson399's review against another edition
5.0
I first found out about this book through the Broadway musical rendition of it. When I was younger and the thought of coming out was still a fever dream, I remember finding the song "Ring of Keys" on a road trip with my family. This song was about the scene where Allison encounters a butch delivery woman in a coffee shop with her father. I'd never heard anything that felt so similar to how I felt about seeing other queer or gender non-conforming women. It took quite a few years after finding the musical to find the book, but having read it, it remains one of the most inspiring pieces of queer media I've found to date.