Stephanie G. (thestephanieloves) reviewed Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened on + 241 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Allie Brosh's pinpointed humor, childish yet not-quite-childish anecdotes, and incredibly self-realized life stories at her cherished blog, Hyperbole and a Half, are what made her an internet icon. You either have never heard of her, or worship the ground upon she walks. There is no in-between.
For the first time, her illustrated memoir essays are bound, and this print volume features not only eight of her most popular and most affecting blog entries, but also ten brand-new original pieces that will remind you of why you fell in love with her blog in the first placeor if you're unfamiliar with it, just how much you've been missing out.
Hyperbole and a Half is so well known for its bizarrely hilarious cartoons; as exemplified in the infamous "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!" meme, her essays are accompanied by intentionally rudimentary Paint (et al.) illustrations that bring her personality and wit to life. Some daft early readers commented "I could draw way better than you!" on her posts, and well, that's the point. (Those readers didn't last very long).
Brosh's short memoirs are so special because they are highly conscientious, highly exaggerated (hence the hyperbole part), and perfectly capture the essence of identity and self-acceptance. I find it magical how she manages to be sentimental without being corny, intellectual without being standoffish, and comical without being snarky. She covers nostalgic topics like the mishaps of childhood, edgy topics like chronic depression, and downright entertaining topics like the weird and lovable beasts that are dogs. I swear to you: THERE ARE SO MANY DOGS IN THIS BOOK. If you have dogs, this is a must-read for a good laugh. If you have ever struggled with depression or self-doubt, this is a must-read for harsher realities and a sliver ever-burning hope. If you had a childhood, this is a must-read becausedon't even lie to me: everyone was a child once. This bookand blog!is simply a must-read, no excuses.
Pros: Some of my favorite essays from the blog selected // New content is fresh and original; did not disappoint // Dorky, strange, hilarious // Spunky and kooky; makes you want to be Allie's BFF // Appropriate for all ages // Still manages to be deeply meaningful and substantial
Cons: Not enough stories! I want MORE
Verdict: This blog-inspired collection of full-color-illustrated memoirsranging from lifetime reflections to random observant wisps of humoris guaranteed to fill you with nostalgia, cripple you with laughter, and become your next internet obsession. An adult graphic novel that would just as easily please preteens, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened is entertaining, wacky, and at times, even somberand this attitude of not taking things too seriously, yet still being sincere, makes it that much more of an extraordinary experience. Brosh's intelligent but self-deprecating humor will charm you and disarm you. This is a book to be read over and over again.
Rating: 10 out of 10 hearts (5 stars): I'm speechless; this book is an extraordinarily amazingly wonderfully fantastically marvelous masterpiece. Drop everything and go buy yourself a copy now!
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Simon & Schuster!).
For the first time, her illustrated memoir essays are bound, and this print volume features not only eight of her most popular and most affecting blog entries, but also ten brand-new original pieces that will remind you of why you fell in love with her blog in the first placeor if you're unfamiliar with it, just how much you've been missing out.
Hyperbole and a Half is so well known for its bizarrely hilarious cartoons; as exemplified in the infamous "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!" meme, her essays are accompanied by intentionally rudimentary Paint (et al.) illustrations that bring her personality and wit to life. Some daft early readers commented "I could draw way better than you!" on her posts, and well, that's the point. (Those readers didn't last very long).
Brosh's short memoirs are so special because they are highly conscientious, highly exaggerated (hence the hyperbole part), and perfectly capture the essence of identity and self-acceptance. I find it magical how she manages to be sentimental without being corny, intellectual without being standoffish, and comical without being snarky. She covers nostalgic topics like the mishaps of childhood, edgy topics like chronic depression, and downright entertaining topics like the weird and lovable beasts that are dogs. I swear to you: THERE ARE SO MANY DOGS IN THIS BOOK. If you have dogs, this is a must-read for a good laugh. If you have ever struggled with depression or self-doubt, this is a must-read for harsher realities and a sliver ever-burning hope. If you had a childhood, this is a must-read becausedon't even lie to me: everyone was a child once. This bookand blog!is simply a must-read, no excuses.
Pros: Some of my favorite essays from the blog selected // New content is fresh and original; did not disappoint // Dorky, strange, hilarious // Spunky and kooky; makes you want to be Allie's BFF // Appropriate for all ages // Still manages to be deeply meaningful and substantial
Cons: Not enough stories! I want MORE
Verdict: This blog-inspired collection of full-color-illustrated memoirsranging from lifetime reflections to random observant wisps of humoris guaranteed to fill you with nostalgia, cripple you with laughter, and become your next internet obsession. An adult graphic novel that would just as easily please preteens, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened is entertaining, wacky, and at times, even somberand this attitude of not taking things too seriously, yet still being sincere, makes it that much more of an extraordinary experience. Brosh's intelligent but self-deprecating humor will charm you and disarm you. This is a book to be read over and over again.
Rating: 10 out of 10 hearts (5 stars): I'm speechless; this book is an extraordinarily amazingly wonderfully fantastically marvelous masterpiece. Drop everything and go buy yourself a copy now!
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Simon & Schuster!).
Christin R. (raksha38) reviewed Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened on + 203 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Brilliant!
Hyperbole and a Half is one of the shiniest gems of the internet and this book is every bit the treasure the blog is. There are a few old favorites from the blog reprinted here, but most of the book is new content. It's got zany childhood adventures, journeys of self-discovery, and dog stories. Oh yes, lots of dog stories! Allie's art may seem deceptively simple at first, but it actually has so much nuance and single frames can send you into gales of laughter all on their own, even independent of the story as a whole. Every word is gold, even the acknowledgements and the About The Author page.
Such a hilarious book!
Hyperbole and a Half is one of the shiniest gems of the internet and this book is every bit the treasure the blog is. There are a few old favorites from the blog reprinted here, but most of the book is new content. It's got zany childhood adventures, journeys of self-discovery, and dog stories. Oh yes, lots of dog stories! Allie's art may seem deceptively simple at first, but it actually has so much nuance and single frames can send you into gales of laughter all on their own, even independent of the story as a whole. Every word is gold, even the acknowledgements and the About The Author page.
Such a hilarious book!
loregess reviewed Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened on + 175 more book reviews
If you need a good laugh, read this book! The insane descriptions of her dogs were enough to get me going, but her childhood recollection of the walk in the woods with her mom and sister did me in. What I like most about this author is that she knows her limits. She knows where her stumbling blocks are, looks at them, and then just kind of shuffles around them. One of my favorite quotes: I am incensed that reality has the audacity to do some of the things it does when I clearly don't want those things to happen It's like you read my mind, Allie. Like you read my mind!
Claire B. reviewed Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened on + 29 more book reviews
Fantastic book that had me laughing and crying within the space of a few stories. Excellent stuff, and beautifully printed.
sphinx reviewed Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened on + 97 more book reviews
This book is often wonderfully hilarious, but strange as it may seem, despite the author's use of an intense level of detail about her life, she comes across as remarkably lacking in self-awareness.
An extensive portion of the book explores her experience with depression, yet she seems never to have actually explored the true causes of her depression - she just wallows in her feelings and unhealthy coping mechanisms for pages and pages. The first sentence is "Some people have a legitimate reason to feel depressed, but not me." This exemplifies the shallowness of the author's thought process that is evident throughout the book. She tackles light subjects well, but the heavier material feels hollow and childishly unselfconscious (which doesn't suit the material at all). The entire book is also extremely self-deprecating, which can get uncomfortable at times, as the author seems to have almost no positive things to say about herself (her self-image based on the art is bizarre, to say the least).
The author knows nothing about dog body language or social behaviour, which results in the problems that she relates in such hilarious fashion. She also knows nothing about how bad parenting can seriously affect a person for the rest of their life, and doesn't seem to consider her own parents inadequate despite the plethora of disturbing evidence she provides in the book.
Read this for the lighthearted, silly portions, which are wonderful, but don't be afraid to skip the heavier subject matter, which is dealt with in a very disappointing and even disturbing way.
An extensive portion of the book explores her experience with depression, yet she seems never to have actually explored the true causes of her depression - she just wallows in her feelings and unhealthy coping mechanisms for pages and pages. The first sentence is "Some people have a legitimate reason to feel depressed, but not me." This exemplifies the shallowness of the author's thought process that is evident throughout the book. She tackles light subjects well, but the heavier material feels hollow and childishly unselfconscious (which doesn't suit the material at all). The entire book is also extremely self-deprecating, which can get uncomfortable at times, as the author seems to have almost no positive things to say about herself (her self-image based on the art is bizarre, to say the least).
The author knows nothing about dog body language or social behaviour, which results in the problems that she relates in such hilarious fashion. She also knows nothing about how bad parenting can seriously affect a person for the rest of their life, and doesn't seem to consider her own parents inadequate despite the plethora of disturbing evidence she provides in the book.
Read this for the lighthearted, silly portions, which are wonderful, but don't be afraid to skip the heavier subject matter, which is dealt with in a very disappointing and even disturbing way.
