It's Kind of a Funny Storyby Ned Vizzini

Craig Gilner is a gifted 15-year-old boy who works hard to get into a fiercely competitive high school, then crumbles under the intense academic pressure. Blindsided by his inability to excel and terrified by thoughts of suicide, Craig checks into a psychiatric hospital where he finally gets the help he needs. (snipped from goodreads.com)

I sort of felt that since I was reading books I bought at TAC a YEAR AGO this week, that I should pick this one up and read it, too. I had never heard of the book, nor the author until I went to TAC last May and something about the things Ned spoke about on the panel and the fact that his book deals with depression and suicide made me want to get the book immediately. I even made a point to buy the book (with my limited funds), get it signed and tell the author how important this subject was to me.And then I waited a year before reading the book.I suck.In my defence... well, as much as I am addicted to books about mental illness and suicide and stuff, they also scare me and I have to be in the right head-space to even pick up the book and test its waters on how emotional the ride will be for me. Each time I held the book in my hands over the last year I just wasn't ready to take the mystery journey. I've had a pretty rough year and I was worried about a book that might be too close to home.Thing is, this book wasn't emotionally draining at all. Much like Julie Halpern's Get Well Soon, I was both amused and content while I read about fifteen-year old Craig's problems and stay in the hospital. There are some sad parts, but not in a soul-wrenching sort of way, just in a way that makes you feel for the characters and for Craig and that make the journey more real all around.There was something so compelling in the way the story was written. At first I was worried that I wouldn't connect with Craig as much as I would a female protagonist, but the gender quickly became a non-issue. I could totally feel what Craig was feeling and I got it. Totally got it. In fact I was finally able to put words/labels to what I was feeling as a teen with my depression. The Cycling, the False Shifts. It was like a light turned on and I went, "Oh! That's a perfect term for it!" In fact my brain still Cycles a lot even now and I have trouble sleeping. (Why are things always worse at night??)The cast of characters in the hospital ward were interesting and unique and although there was romance, it did seem forced just to have romance in a YA novel. I was sad that Craig's stay was only 5 days long, I sort of wanted to delve deeper into the lives of those also in the hospital with him (sort of like the interesting characters in Girl, Interrupted.I was also happy with the ending of this story because I didn't feel like it was over. Sure, I think 5 days might not be long enough to really be able to learn to cope with your problems, but at the same time, I liked how Craig came to some realizations about what was bothering him while there and once they were acknowledged he was able to work from there. It's not an easy road and I'm curious about his life after he leaves the hospital. Craig is only fifteen after-all, the tougher years are still to come. I'd like to think that the time in the hospital helped help him through some of the tougher parts of growing up, sort of like an Anchor. ;)I am very happy I finally read this story, yet still ashamed that it took me so long to read it. I remember a co-worker saying that she went to see this movie last fall. I looked up the movie trailer just now and I don't think I'll be able to watch it because it seems to have changed some of the aspects I really, truly loved about the novel (like Noelle's scarred face and Bobby looks changed, too). If it happens to appear on Netflix (Canada) I will probably give it a shot, but I'm too worried it'll just make me angry about what they changed for the movie. (Has anyone out there watched the movie? Can you let me know what to expect?)Bottom line: Give this book a chance. It's pretty darn awesome.