A review by koreanlinda
The Book of Bunny Suicides: Little Fluffy Rabbits Who Just Don't Want to Live Anymore by Andy Riley

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

This book was a pleasant surprise from a library bookshelf. Two people I showed the book to were aghast at its content, but I found it refreshing and amusing. All the pages in this thin graphic novel are filled with various ways the bunnies find to kill themselves. They get sliced in half and exploded into pieces, but none of the methods succeed. Yet they keep trying one after the other. 

I found the book amusing because it reminded me of traditional slapstick cartoons where the characters are invincible such as Tom & Jerry. They experience extreme violence inflicted by each other, but it doesn’t leave unscathed. That is part of the fantasy that makes cartoons and comics, far from our real world. 

Suicide is a topic of my interest in my daily life. I often get suicidal thoughts, and what I can do is sit with the ideas, observe them and study. I write about them and read others’ writings about them. For people with suicidal thoughts, suicide is a knife that we carry around to protect us from the worldly sufferings. If not careful, it can cut into us at any moment. 

Bunny’s pursuit of ending their life resonated with me. It made me question. “What is causing you pain? How are you coping? May I help you?” The bunny’s endless trial at committing suicide all turn out futile. But that’s how I sometimes feel with my attempt at continuing to live. The world seems to be turned against me, blocking my way all the way around except for a backdoor for escape. Don’t we all sometimes feel that way? 

 
Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in June 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda 

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