Review: Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Snagged from NetGalley.

I made the mistake of reading this while eating lunch. I alternately choked or sprayed food due to fits of laughter. Luckily, my co-workers have grown enured to my antics.

This isn't organized in any shape or form. About half of it, like it says in the blurb, is reprinted from Allie's blog; specifically, the first five on the 'Best Of' sidebar. I was hoping for the Alot strip, but sadly, it's missing. I think they specifically went for the longer stories, but there were only two pages out of the 374 without any illustrations and it was almost jarring to see them after prolonged giggling at Allie's art.

Actually, I just went back and skimmed my way through the blog, and I think they chose strips that didn't make Allie seem...how to put this...disturbed. The post, Wolves, for example, cracked me up again until I was practically under my desk, trying to muffle the laughter. However, I think some people, like those who ban books for example, might take issue with the idea of a pack of six year old girls (the "wolves") repeatedly hunting down a thirteen year old boy (the "deer"). The comics in Hyperbole and a Half focus more on topics that are mainstream relate-able.

In addition to the new content (I took the time to search, half of the book really is new), Allie also expanded some blog posts. Dinosaur, for example, is a funny blog post about an invading goose, but Allie has added new illustrations that elevates it to a hilarious, dribble-your-lunch-down-your-chest-because-you're-laughing, tale. There are more introspective moments, as well. Adventures in Depression is there as well as a new narrative about identity.

If you're a fan of the blog, you won't be disappointed and, personally speaking, I'm glad I've already pre-ordered my copy. If you haven't read any of Hyperbole and a Half yet, I'm sorry, I don't think we can be friends.