It’s Kind of a Funny Story is definitely a funny story.

The novel follows the life of a clinically depressed teenager, Craig Gilner. He is under the pressure of an exclusive, demanding school in Manhattan, not-so-great friends and the ongoing sensation that he is a failure. You might think it would be depressing to read but it is anything but that! The book tackles large issues like mental illness, chronic unemployment, peer pressure and an intense school, but the light humor and situational irony all lightens up the story.

I would recommend this book to an older, high school-aged audience because of the sexuality, and the mature issues discussed in the book. The narrative voice of Craig sounded very genuine and real; however, it can be a bit difficult to read the raw details of his depression.

The book was a bit was too slow paced for my liking at the beginning, when he was describing his depression and childhood. The action didn’t start until about halfway through the book when he checked himself into an adult psychiatric hospital. Still, learning Craig’s interesting background kept me going and his road to recovery was inspirational and built up a lively spirit towards the end.

Humor played a very significant role throughout the story. Although Craig himself wasn’t particularly funny, the situations and other characters were definitely entertaining and fun to read about. Even when things went wrong, the carefully placed wit that is voiced by other characters lightens the plot.

The author uses humor to ease into the deep, painful issues of the novel. It makes it less scary for the reader and a very enjoyable read.

Bobby, the former drug-addict whom Craig meets on the tour around the psychiatric ward, was a fascinating character. The description of him painted a perfect picture in my mind:

“…a gaunt, hollow man with big circles under his eyes and a nose that looks like it’s been broken in about three places. In contrast to the floor policy, scruff lines his chin. He’s older but still has all his hair, a stately gray mop, combed half-heartedly. And he carries himself a little weird, leaning back as if he were on a headrest.”

It’s Kind of a Funny Story was also made into the movie, which I enjoyed as well. Even though the movie sped up the pace at the beginning, it delved deeper into some of the characters, fleshing them out more than what the book described. It also helped that the characters in the movie were cast very well. For instance, the actor playing Bobby fit the book’s description flawlessly.

This book has a wide range of absorbing characters. Even the minor characters had a problem or complexity that added more layers to the story. For instance, Noelle was very captivating: a teenage girl checked into the psychiatric hospital for self-harm. Her story illustrates the horrors of people taking advantage of her and the rough life she has lived. She is a very strong character who hides her past away and moves on. I kept on turning the pages to learn more about her and her history.

Craig also comes to realize that his issues are not nearly as big as some of the other adults in the ward. Some of them are struggling to find a home and job, battling drug and alcohol addiction and need money to support their family. This opens Craig’s eyes and eventually he gains insight into other people’s situations and his own problems. Craig changes as a person in those few days in the hospital. He finds his passion, himself, love and so much more. It was a pleasure to see the progression of his character unfold throughout the story.

The truly perplexing aspect of this book was the contrast between humor and depression and how the author, Ned Vizzini, somehow tied them together seamlessly. He might have done this to show that there is always a bit of humor and hope, even when it seems that nothing is going the way it should.

It’s ironic that a story tackling some big issues taking place in a psychiatric hospital can be such a ‘feel-good’ story. The book is complex yet light, hilarious yet deep and most of all a definite must-read. You will laugh and cry throughout Craig’s story but will definitely be smiling once you finish the book.