Allie Brosh is an internet darling. Her webcomics published on her blog Hyperbole and a Half in the 2000s and her crude drawings never fail to make me chuckle. And her latest published book, Solutions and Other Problems, continues her story where it left off.
Brosh is wonderful. But she’s also intensely weird in the way that tells you there is a lot going on for her. She illustrates incredibly hilarious stories that transition to tragedy so quickly you’ll get stuck somewhere between laughing and crying. And then, before the tears have dried from your eyes, you’ll be chuckling again. If you can stomach this level of emotional whiplash, you’ll find her books very engaging.
I was lucky enough to be given this book as a Christmas gift, and I’ve been slowly reading it all year. I’ve found that I needed that kind of space to let the story (and me) breathe. As easy and tempting as it is to read through in a single sitting, I don’t think I’m strong enough for that. Perhaps because I took so long to read it, it is difficult for me to review. I remember a lot of chuckling throughout, and a few well-timed gut punches too. It’s not so much a book as an experience.
Brosh is well known for her honest take on depression (dinosaur onesie and all). Even if you have never read her work, I can guarantee you’ve seen her distinctive art style in various memes. She spoke briefly on Reddit about her re-emergence to publish this second novel as follows:
…a lot has happened in the six or seven years since I last poked out of hiding. Some were hard (many health issues, surgery, death in the family, divorce {me}, divorce {parents}, the constant threat of depression), some were pretty cool (I taught myself how to dance; I taught myself some science and math; due to all the hard stuff, I got a lot of practice dealing with things, so I got better at surviving in the world; I got a cat; I got married again; I discovered Hearthstone, and achieved true glory)…. There have been several different bedrooms, though. The one where I lived before all the crazy changes started happening, which was in Bend, Oregon. Then my bedroom was in Denver for a while. Then it moved to Gunbarrel, Colorado, which was a cool place….I live in Bend again now. Moved back here two years ago. I also briefly lived in a cabin 40 miles from anywhere in Arizona.”
That about sums it up, really.
Solutions and Other Problems does not shy away from dark themes. Throughout, she tells stories from her childhood, her first marriage, the death of her sister, and her attempts to come to terms with the challenges that her life has thrown to her (note to self: don’t try to process fear by taking handfuls of hallucinogens and intentionally getting lost in the woods at night).
Though a difficult read at times, I’m glad I did. 4 weird little neighbours out of 5.