Solutions and Other Problems, by Allie Brosh

 It's here, you guys! It's finally here!!

I'll get this on the table right now: I have waited seven years to be able to read this book and write this review. Seven years! There were moments when I believed this book would never actually be published (things got weird for a while there). But here it is and here we are. So let's do this!

Unlike many books that have generated THIS degree of hype and this level anticipation and excitement, Solutions and Other Problems is as good as I hoped. Better even. So much better!

(we won't talk about the Other Hyped Books that were a disappointment)

I was first introduced to Allie Brosh in 2013 when her first book, Hyperbole and a Half, hit the shelves. I picked it up on whim, thinking it looked quirky and fun, but unremarkable. Something to pass the time, enjoy, and move on from. But I was unprepared for my reaction to it.

In Hyperbole, Brosh spun funny true stories about childhood, living with dogs, dental work, the world's greatest cake... But she also talked about her personal struggle with depression. And not in a detached way either. She talked about herself, her life, her struggles like she was talking with a close and trusted friend (as opposed to millions of readers). Her humor and her storytelling approach resonated with me on a level I was unprepared for. It made me legit Ugly Cry and laugh so hard there was snot involved. It was so personal I felt I knew the author personally. And that's why Hyperbole became one of my favorite books, one I would keep going back to when I needed a pick-up or even when I needed entertainment. The book truly had something for every situation.

Then came news about a sequel soon to be published. And then it wasn't going to be published. And then it was. Wasn't Was. Finally...was. An official release date. And it couldn't have come at a better time. I mean, it's 2020. Things are weird out there. We need Good Things to balance out the bad. And we take what we can get and appreciate it all the more.

I think this was the plan all along.

Solutions and Other Problems is even better than Hyperbole and a Half. It has the classic mix of Humor and straight-up Serious REALness that Brosh is known for. But both author and longtime fans have grown and had more life experience in those seven years between books, and Solutions (and my reaction to it) reflects that. But I have no doubt this book will help capture new fans as well. Because how can it not. There's something in there for everyone. 

Neither Hyperbole and a Half or Solutions and Other Problems can be accurately described in a short review. As Inigo said to Westley in The Princess Bride, "Let me explain...No, there is too much," these are books that must be experienced in order to be understood. So ask your Friendly Librarian to get these books for you. You'll be glad you did!

--AJB