Once again, Emily Henry showcases her unique writing style in Funny Story, a delightful summer read. Her characters, with their perfectly messed-up lives and witty banter, are a testament to her storytelling prowess. In Funny Story, Daphne and Miles find themselves in a tricky situation when their partners fall for each other, leaving them without a roommate. As they navigate this unexpected turn of events, their relationship evolves from mere cohabitation to a deep friendship and perhaps something more.
What I liked about Funny Story:
- Peter and Petra seemed like awful people who projected their issues onto others. Peter is super controlling but masks this behind being caring.
- Daphne finally realized she wasn’t living her own life, but the life Peter curated was something many people go through. She thought she had everything and one day, she woke up and found it all gone, but you don’t even know you. Daphne wanted security and stability and settled for someone else to take control of her life. That is what happiness looked like.
- Miles’s struggle to understand whether he is “good enough” is hard. This hangs over every decision and situation he makes, and it is a heavy burden. Sadly, this is a relatable experience for me and why I connected with this character.
- The dynamic friendship between Ashleigh and Daphne is a highlight of the book. Ashleigh’s role in pushing Daphne to self-discovery and her willingness to call her out on her actions make her a refreshing character. She’s not just a ‘yes’ friend but a supportive presence in Daphne’s life. I wanted to know more about Ashleigh and secretly hoped for a future book that delves deeper into her story. The relationship between Daphne and her dad is front and center in this book and why Daphne struggles in life and has to move around so much in her younger life. I liked seeing the juxtaposition of the relationship she had with her parents and how she was able to navigate those relationships.
- I loved that Funny Story wasn’t a dual POV chapter book. Yes, there were moments when I missed being inside of Miles’ head, but it wasn’t necessary. The countdown approach to the chapters helped with the pacing; this was a way to show Daphne and Miles’ growth from beginning to end.
Things I didn’t like so much:
- I hated that at some points of the story, we didn’t know what Miles was thinking. We only got to know Miles through Daphne’s point of view, which left me with questions during pivotal moments. It’s possible to have dual POVs without switching off each chapter.
- The wedding was the catalyst to the “fake dating,” which wasn’t a big part of the book, but I wish we could have made it the actual wedding part of the book as a big “F you” to their former partners.
- Is it sad that I wanted to know more about the read-a-thon? I wanted to know how the whole thing operated and how they determined the kids’ prizes. That’s just the mom in me.
The Aesthetic:
I’m horrible at remembering the book’s details, but this book has stuck with me. I wanted to create this board to remember great things like Miles taking Daphne to the farmer’s market, poker night with Ashleigh, the milkshake and fries and date on the beach, and the sunrise kayak. Also, let’s not forget that Daphne doesn’t drink coffee but will take a chai tea, and Miles loves to wear his Crocs. So many things captured here will bring you back to Waning Bay, MI.
The Playlist:
I wanted to briefly explain each song I chose for this Funny Story soundtrack. Here’s a link to my spotify playlist.
- Heartbreak Feels So Good by Fall Out Boy. The book starts off with two break-ups which bring Daphne and Miles together to heal and move on with their lives. Even though they knew nothing about each other in the beginning, they trauma bonded, became friends, and were able to pick up the pieces of their lives.
- Tracks of My Tears by Rod Stewart. The Rod Stewart version of the song seemed more fitting for Miles. This is an obligatory pick because this is the song played when Daphne first rode in Miles’ truck.
- I Can Do It With a Broken Heart by Taylor Swift. Daphne and Miles are forced to move on to the same town as their exes. No other song speaks better to their situation than this because they weren’t “allowed” to show how affected they were by the breakups.
- Flowers by Miley Cyrus. Daphne quickly learned the life she was living wasn’t the one she wanted but the life Peter wanted for her. She gradually broke free from the past and embraced being by herself and finding her happiness.
- Champagne Problems by Taylor Swift. “How evergreen, our group of friends / Don’t think we’ll say that word again /And soon they’ll have the nerve to deck the halls /That we once walked through /One for the money, two for the show / I never was ready, so I watch you go / Sometimes you just don’t know the answer /’Til someone’s on their knees and asks you”
- Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Jack Johnson. Daphne spends much of her life waiting for her dad to want to be a part of her life. This song captures the feelings of Daphne and her father. Later in the book, Daphne finds herself waiting for Miles, and she gets angry with him because he does not explain why he left her hanging.
- Hey Ho by the Lumineers. This song is for Miles because he doesn’t “know where he belongs” and where he “went wrong,” but he soon realizes that he wants to be with Daphne and doesn’t want his past to hold him back.
- Adore You by Harry Styles. “I’d walk through fire for you / Just let me adore you.” Miles is doing everything for Daphne and trying even harder for her to let him love her.
- Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung. “He looks, as ever, like human sunshine, totally engaged, completely interested in this stranger, and it makes my chest pinch. “I’d assumed the sunny disposition came naturally.”
- Cop Stop by Gavin Degraw. Daphne constantly ignored her feelings for Miles, even when he admitted how he felt for her. She would constantly run away from him or ignore him. When he told her he loved her, she said, “no.” It took a while for her to realize the feelings Miles had for her were genuine.
And just like that, we’re done. This is my Funny Story aesthetic. Tell me what you think in the comments. What did you like? What would you change? What would you add?