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

Author: Allie Brosh
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Touchstone
Source: Edelweiss DRC, NetGalley DRC
Genre(s): Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Blog, Graphic Novel, Humor

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Spoilers:  Low
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I’m a big fan of Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half as I’m sure pretty much the entire Internet is, too. There are plenty of awesome memes coming from the blog and you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t at least heard a friend proclaim that they shall do ALL THE THINGS at some point or another.

But what a lot of people forget is that the blog wasn’t really all about the funny drawings or ranting about people who can’t tell the difference between ‘a lot’ and an Alot. Hyperbole and a Half was a very honest blog that gave a very intimate look inside the mind of the writer and it wasn’t always as fun and easy going as the cartoons might have implied.

Some of the greatest moments have been her very stark discussion of her own struggles with depression. That tends to be the major focus on the book with most of the original content being attributed to a little additional insight into the author’s life. This includes stories from her childhood – including the cake disaster story we all know very well and new stories about being lost in the woods and her ‘super power’ involving hot sauce. It also includes other entries including the ‘ALL THE THINGS’ post as well as other little tidbits about finding motivation and struggling with explaining something as personal as depression to those who can’t really understand.

The book certainly takes a heavier angle than I think I was initially expecting but as a long time fan of the blog I have always really appreciated her honesty and candor in talking about the tough issues. Besides, there’s also several entries about the antics of the Simple Dog and the Helper Dog to lighten things up!

I think that this was a fun book but I should say it’s not for everyone. People who are looking for the lighter side of Allie Brosh’s blog probably won’t be satisfied with it. If you’re looking for non-stop laughs or the sort of Internet meme popular moments then you’re not going to really get what you want. This is a much more serious look at the more personal and sensitive blog posts about her depression and coping with it.  It still has some fun moments and it has her unique and familiar illustrations throughout. But think about what you like about Allie Brosh before you consider buying this book.

Final Thoughts: 
As always, it’s great to get a look at some new content from the fabulous Allie Brosh. And there is some really good stuff that you’ve never seen before in here! Granted, the general theme and topics addressed in the book aren’t deeper than you’d see on her blog but it is much more focused on them than the blog always has been. Still, it’s a great book for fans and like the blog it’s he sort of book that will draw in a wide audience. You can feel confident that fans of the blog will enjoy it and it’d make a great gift as we edge closer to the holidays.