As romcoms go, Emily Henry's Funny Story is classic screwball. Daphne Vincent's and Miles Nowak's significant others have ditched them to be together, leaving them no choice but to shack up and launch their own buzzworthy albeit faux romance. Somewhere between farm stand crawls and action flicks, they catch feelings, and drama ensues. Still, Funny Story isn't any old meet-cute courtship couched in a summer-at-the-lake montage. Because, like all of Henry's romances, it hums with cerebrally sexy, soul-baring wit and emotion. No-nonsense librarian Daphne and stoner-with-a-heart-of-gold Miles are so flawed and quirky that you feel like you know them. I especially love Daphne's love of books and what she tells Miles about it:
"I like that it feels like I can live as many lives as I want." (127)
Same, Daphne, same.
Devil-may-care yet tender Miles is just who Daphne needs to venture outside her comfort zone. Just as whiteboard plan-plotting but sensitive Daphne is who Miles needs to rein himself in. That said, these characters are complex and layered, belying their tidy stereotypes. Their love story may not be as glossy as the ones they shared with their exes. But it's most definitely fun and funny and real.
And that's a win because at the end of the day, our stories are all that we have.
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