Book review: Funny story by Emily Henry

Lately, Emily Henry has been all over my FYP. If you’re a girl my age scrolling through TikTok yes, I said it, BookTok you’ve probably seen this book recommended a lot. Naturally, I had to check it out.

Is it the best writing? No.
Is the story good? Not really.
But did I read it all the way to the end because I was too invested? Yes… yes, I did.
This isn’t a book I’d read again. The plot itself feels weak. Spoilers ahead if you’re planning to read it.

The story basically follows a girl whose fiancé leaves her for his best friend. She then ends up moving in with that best friend’s ex-boyfriend and, of course, they fall in love. While I understand that fiction doesn’t always have to be realistic, it should at least make some sense.
If the story had leaned into a revenge angle like her intentionally dating the guy it might have worked better. But instead, she randomly moves in with this wealthy guy who smokes a lot, has family issues, and a sister who immediately loves the protagonist. It all just feels too convenient and predictable.

What happened to good literature? For a bestselling book, this reads more like something off Wattpad. It keeps you hooked just enough to finish, but the writing itself feels shallow. The language is very simple maybe aimed at Gen Z readers but books with similar tropes from years ago had much more depth.

Think of something like Wuthering Heights or even romance novels by Nicholas Sparks there’s more emotional weight, more substance.
Overall, Funny Story is an easy, quick read if you’re just looking to pass time, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.
Goodreads score ⭐⭐

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