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emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity, Grief, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Emily Henry is a romance goddess— this is an established fact. When it comes to making two absolutely loveable dorks fall in love? She’s going to knock the ball out of the park everytime. Funny Story is no exception.
But, what Henry does not get enough credit for is her ability to interweave familial affairs and complicated home lives into the backstories of her characters in a way that not only makes the characters dense with characterization, but also allows the reader to be fully immersed in the story while also feeling completely seen and loved. She writes in an immensely encompassing prose that walks you through some of our toughest moments in life and encourages a bond between the love birds that not only charms the socks off of every reader imaginable— but also feels incredibly raw and heartfelt. Daphne and Miles are no exception to Henry’s mighty pen— but they are some of the most interesting characters I have encountered in a romance in a long time. This book gutted me and starred me dead in the eye while also making me giggle and kick my feet. If you want a book that will not only take you on a rollercoaster of emotions but also absolutely devour you with love— then look no further. If I could give this book 5 million stars I would.
But, what Henry does not get enough credit for is her ability to interweave familial affairs and complicated home lives into the backstories of her characters in a way that not only makes the characters dense with characterization, but also allows the reader to be fully immersed in the story while also feeling completely seen and loved. She writes in an immensely encompassing prose that walks you through some of our toughest moments in life and encourages a bond between the love birds that not only charms the socks off of every reader imaginable— but also feels incredibly raw and heartfelt. Daphne and Miles are no exception to Henry’s mighty pen— but they are some of the most interesting characters I have encountered in a romance in a long time. This book gutted me and starred me dead in the eye while also making me giggle and kick my feet. If you want a book that will not only take you on a rollercoaster of emotions but also absolutely devour you with love— then look no further. If I could give this book 5 million stars I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To start- I’ve seen several reviews already across several sites saying, “this book wasn’t very funny for a book called ‘Funny Story’” or “I was expecting more romcom, less drama”… to be very clear, it is very obvious by the end of the first chapter that the meaning of the word “funny” in the title is used in the context of “ironic” not “haha”. So, with that in mind, she couldn’t have picked a better title, because nothing about the situations and backstories in this book is funny. But if you’re a bit of a cynic, like our main character Daphne, you will find lots of ironic moments all throughout that will make you do that nose breathing laugh 😂 That being said, it’s also Emily Henry- OF COURSE we have several laugh out loud moments sprinkled in amongst the angsts, drama, heartbreak, sadness, etc. The nod to the title at the end is very sweet as well. Loved that.
Okay, now moving on. Funny Story is Emily Henry at her best. I wasn’t sure if she would ever top Happy Place for me emotionally or Book Lovers for me in the swooning department, but with this novel she managed to outdo herself and completely blow her previous works out of the water.
Daphne and Miles are two people who have been repeatedly beaten down by the people who are supposed to love them. And haven’t we all felt that way before? What I loved about this book was the character study of the effect that growing up with this constant feeling can have on us. Will you internalize it and start to doubt yourself, never believing that you are good enough and always cutting yourself down, holding yourself back in order to “protect” the people you love from who you perceive yourself to be? Or will it be more external for you, where you stop trusting everyone around you, stop expecting anything from anyone, and build up your walls higher and higher to stop others from getting in, often running away or hurting them before they can hurt you? This book explores these concepts deeply through our beautiful, messy, flawed, and ever-so-lovable protagonists.
This book isn’t really about romance, though there is romance, and it is technically a romance novel. This is a book about finding self-love, self-discovery/fully realizing your autonomy/ learning how to be a whole independent person on your own (something a lot of people never learn how to do when they spend their entire 20s in LTRs), FRIENDSHIP, and confronting your past so you can move forward with the future you deserve. This is a book about two complicated people who have messy, complicated relationships and their journey through healing after a lifetime of repressed emotion and trauma for both of them.
The way they navigate through will have you laughing, crying, rolling your eyes, and at one point (for me) wanting to scream. I felt all the emotions and swooned all the swoons. I couldn’t have loved this book more. And of course, it really goes without saying, Julia Whalen is, as always, utter perfection. She is HANDS DOWN the best narrator in the business.
Okay, now moving on. Funny Story is Emily Henry at her best. I wasn’t sure if she would ever top Happy Place for me emotionally or Book Lovers for me in the swooning department, but with this novel she managed to outdo herself and completely blow her previous works out of the water.
Daphne and Miles are two people who have been repeatedly beaten down by the people who are supposed to love them. And haven’t we all felt that way before? What I loved about this book was the character study of the effect that growing up with this constant feeling can have on us. Will you internalize it and start to doubt yourself, never believing that you are good enough and always cutting yourself down, holding yourself back in order to “protect” the people you love from who you perceive yourself to be? Or will it be more external for you, where you stop trusting everyone around you, stop expecting anything from anyone, and build up your walls higher and higher to stop others from getting in, often running away or hurting them before they can hurt you? This book explores these concepts deeply through our beautiful, messy, flawed, and ever-so-lovable protagonists.
This book isn’t really about romance, though there is romance, and it is technically a romance novel. This is a book about finding self-love, self-discovery/fully realizing your autonomy/ learning how to be a whole independent person on your own (something a lot of people never learn how to do when they spend their entire 20s in LTRs), FRIENDSHIP, and confronting your past so you can move forward with the future you deserve. This is a book about two complicated people who have messy, complicated relationships and their journey through healing after a lifetime of repressed emotion and trauma for both of them.
The way they navigate through will have you laughing, crying, rolling your eyes, and at one point (for me) wanting to scream. I felt all the emotions and swooned all the swoons. I couldn’t have loved this book more. And of course, it really goes without saying, Julia Whalen is, as always, utter perfection. She is HANDS DOWN the best narrator in the business.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Sexual content, Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
The drug is literally just regular marijuana. It’s not anything crazy or serious and it’s occasional, casual usage, not incessant, lifestyle usage.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of my favorite feel-good books of the year. I adore Daphne so much, and really love how she chose to get her own place before jumping into something real with Miles. I don't know how to explain this, but Miles and Daphne just feel so human, as they really do exist in the same reality that I do. Emily Henry has an incredible ability to write people I want to root for no matter their characterization—yes, even Peter and Petra because I love how absolutely messy they are as people.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a ride of emotions. This might be my new favorite from Emily Henry!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity