Hilary D

How can a book simultaneously warm your heart and break your heart at the same time? The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman did just that—and I loved every word. I've never 'met' as charming a protagonist as the title character—you will laugh with him and his mother, Sadie, and cry with them. The writer brings the reader along Norman and his mother Sadie's journey—both of them are grappling with grief, Norman's from the present and Sadie's from the past. Over the course of the book, the two learn that grief need not define their lives; the message is that joy can always be found, even following the depths of sorrow. Part coming of age story, part odyssey, the book will leave you reeling like you've been gut punched, but the journey will have been worth it. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to balance out the melancholy undertones; despite the sad event that occurred in the beginning of the book, the book is ultimately uplifting. This is perhaps one of my favorite books I've read over the past year.