Life Is Funny

Rating:
Summary: Starred Reviews/Life Is Funny
Review: Life Is Funny has received two starred reviews to date: In the 3/15/00 issue of Booklist--"First novelist Frank breaks new ground with a realistic, lyrical novel about 11 teens....their contemporary voices ring true. Their talk is painful, rough, sexy, funny, fearful, furious, gentle....the voices are distinct, heartfelt. This would be a great book for readers' theater and for group discussion. Teens will open up to the yearning and the poetry in their daily lives."

And in the 3/13/00 issue of Publishers Weekly--"Eleven kids with distinct voices and individual struggles narrates Frank's impressive debut novel, yet each of the interlocking stories springs to life with tender details....Readers will empathize with their struggles, but more than that, they will be inspired by the strength of their spirits and their willingness to love....The language is gritty, and some of the story lines will be intense for young readers, but this is ultimately an uplifting book about resilience, loyalty and courage."

Rating:
Summary: An awesome debut by E.R. Frank.
Review: Life is Funny is a debut novel by E.R. Frank. This novel was very good in my opinion. The language was very contemporary, from the name calling all the way down to little slang words. The author has very descriptive parts, and he gives you enough that you can picture what the person looks like or what is happening. The book does have some parts that are not for younger kids like under the age of fourteen, but other than that, this was an excellent book. There are eleven teenagers that are involved in the book. The book is split up into years. . During the first year the kids, China, Ebony, Grace, and Keisha are twelve. When you finish that book on year seven they are all sixteen to seventeen.
All eleven teenagers are somehow related. They all go to school together, but some of them are friends and some are neighbors. They have all kinds of relationships...
I would only recommend this book to young adult readers because of sexual parts in the book. This book shows that there are people out there that have a worse life then you. But there are people who live with their life just the way it is, like Gingerbread. "Why do you laugh so much?" Keisha asked. Gingerbread answered, "Because. . . Life is Funny."

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Summary: E.R. Frank Shows Brilliance in her YA Debut
Review: Life is Funny is a very clever Young Adult novel. E.R. Frank introduces all sorts of characters from different backgrounds, all with their own stories. The interesting part is when she weaves those characters together and allows the plot to continue to unfold.

It is like reading a series of short stories about different characters, and then finding a way to connect them all at some point.

It is hard to explain, but E.R. Frank debuts a very complex novel that allows the reader to both read casually and have to concentrate at the same time. E.R. Frank is one of my newest, favorite Young Adult authors. Her writing is real and very hard to put down. E.R. Frank knows teenagers. She is the real deal.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: Life is funny is a very good book, not a favorite, but definately worth reading. And while there is content for slightly older people, I really think that this book is okay for most ages... over 11. (People don't really understand how mature 12 yr olds can be) This book tells the lives of 11 teens that all have problems. As diverse as they are, and their problems are, they all seem to be connected in even the slightest way.
But overall, this is a really great book that will keep you interested until the very end.

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Summary: Finally, a book that tells the truth about teenage life
Review: LIFE IS FUNNY is a very unusual and amazing book because it deals with real life issues, doesn't try to tone things down for a teenage audience, and although it has many intertwining stories, it never seems to get TOO complicated. All the characters seem real, even with their sometimes extreme family situations, and the author doesn't go overboard trying to incorporate ALL possibilities of teenage life into the book. Not all the stories are wrapped up into neat "happy ending" packages, which makes the writing more believable, but the stories that really would leave you hanging (for example, Eric's) are given some sort of a conclusion. Although some of the issues the characters have to deal with are very traumatic, such as domestic violence, drug abuse, incest, suicide, and teenage pregnancy and miscarriage, it is not a depressing book. It is hopeful and inspiring in its reality. The stories of China, Ebony, Grace, Keisha, Tory, Gingerbread, Drew, Sam, Sonia, Monique and Molly, Hector, Eric and Mickey, and Linette are always truthful, interesting, and remind me in different ways of my own life.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: Life is Funny is an incredible book, even more amazing coming from a first-time author. I read this book in one night, and i'm not ashamed to admit that i cried a few times.

There are some issues that bother me, like Sonia's view of a Muslim lifestyle. Being Muslim myself, many of the "rules" that this book speaks about are mere stereotypes. I definitely cut my hair and talk to boys, things that Sonia says aren't allowed. However, i'm assuming that E.R. Frank was probably just misinformed and wasn't trying to enforce stereotypes or anything. And if you look beyond all that, it is obvious that Frank is a talented, touching author and that Life is Funny is a truly poignant book.

Not all of these stories have happy endings, yet that is part of what makes them so realistic and true-to-life. I loved Life is Funny, and i look forward to reading more from E.R. Frank

Rating:
Summary: a book that's off the chain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Life is Funny is the best book i have read in a long time it is now one of my favorites if you love books that have a variety of characters you'll like this book and the way everyone knows each other in some way or another is cool this book pulls together a variety of life styles races and ethnicity's but if your squirmish about bad language (which if your a teenager i doubt it) you'll be a little shocked but it's still a good book

do not read without adult supervision if you are under aged this book is of the ch ch ch chainnnnnnnnnnn

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Summary: it'll change your life, i promise
Review: My mom bought me this book. Being a 15 year old who doesn't always want to hear what my mother has to say, I didn't want to read it. I picked it up- and I fell in love. Every single page has you feeling a different emotion, every single character leaves a little memory of them you will never forget. This book is so real, so coming-at-you that no one will be able to put it down. For me, this book was my first step to the reality out there, so ate it all up. Actually its hard to tell what ate who; I either ate the book up or it ate me, for I was so absorbed in it I might as well have lived the characters' lives right along side them. This is truly my favorite out of all the many, many, MANY books that i have ever read. Once you pick it up, there is no turning back... and it will change you.

Rating:
Summary: Life is Funny
Review: Once I finished reading this book I wanted to know more about what would happen even later on with the characters.It's a really good book but confusing at times.

Rating:
Summary: good book
Review: The only way I can think to describe this book, is REAL. It's so real and really makes you think when you read it. There's lots of stories going on at once, but it doesn't really get confusing, and it's just really bare and a good read for someone like me who has their head in the clouds.