Hyperbole and a Half

Touchstone Books

Hyperbole and a Half
Allie Brosh
2013

The Summary
Taken from the award-winning blog of the same name, Hyperbole and a Half chronicles the musings (and misadventures) of Allie Brosh.  Simultaneously enlightening and hilarious, Brosh's graphic memoir is chock full of amusing anecdotes, enjoable asides, humorous stories (see:  "The Goose Story"), and psychological introspection that's sure to hit you right in the heart and, more importantly, cause uproarious laughter.

The Good
I absolutely adored Hyperbole and a Half.  I think I laughed the entire time I was reading.  With it's crude illustrations, blunt sense of humor, foul-mouthed narrator, and heart-breaking honesty, Brosh's novel is an absolute gem.  Granted, I liked some stories more than others (again, see "The Goose Story"), but I enjoyed the entire book and devoured it in a single night.

Brosh was honest and funny and, truthfully, entirely relatable as she recounted her experiences and shared her most intimate memories.  Her flaws - which I can say I share a number of them - are what make her real, make her so intensely accessible as an illustrator and a narrator.  She's an absolute joy to read, and she knows how to tell a story, which makes Hyperbole and a Half well worth reading.

The Bad
Truthfully, after I read about Allie's encounter with a rogue goose, nothing else could quite compare.

The Ugly
Allie Brosh is brutally honesty about her experiences.  She shows her readers that life isn't all about sunshine and rainbows.  Sometimes, its just rain clouds - and corn (which doesn't make sense now, but it will.  Trust me.)

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For more on Hyperbole and a Half, check out Allie Brosh's blog:  http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/