YA or STFU

It’s Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini

Vizzini, Ned (2006). It’s Kind of a Funny Story. NY: Hyperion. 444 pages.

The best day of Craig’s life is the day he is accepted to the prestigious Executive Pre-Professional High School; unfortunately, it’s all down hill from there. To avoid the daily four hours of homework the EPHS requires, Craig hangs out with his stoner friend Aaron, a supposed genius who doesn’t seem to need to study and is engaged in some hot action with Nia, a girl Craig secretly likes. This is not what causes the depression and suicidal thoughts that eventually cause Craig to check himself in to a hospital–that is, not exactly. Instead, it’s the “trailing” thoughts, the crushing feeling of obligation to everything and nothing, and the anxiety that renders him unable to eat or keep anything down.

I have to admit, I came to this novel with something of a chip on my shoulder (surprise–this is nothing new). I thought, “Great, another novel about depression and suicidal ideation from another young writer who’s been there.” Turns out, this was a pretty good book, cheesy end note (”Ned Vizzini spent five days in adult psychiatric in Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn,11/29/04-12/3/04. Ned wrote this 12/10/04-1/6/05.”) notwithstanding. Vizzini’s descriptions of Craig’s growing depression and desperation ring true and the bulk of the novel–during which Craig is “in residence” at the hospital–is not romanticized the way I thought it would be. Where I was afraid that I would have to endure a male version of Elizabeth Wurtzel’s Prozac Nation with this new novel, I instead found myself enjoying this sympathetic portrayal. Sure there were the Ned Vizzini touches of semi-cheeseball optimism disguised as narrative revelations; however, there were also some moments of pretty genuine insight, most notably when the “friends” Craig meets in the hospital discourage him from contacting them on the outside. All in all, this 444 page paperback didn’t weigh me down. Instead, it rather surprisingly lifted me up.