Review: Something Like Happy

Something Like Happy by Eva Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Damn, Something Like Happy is a seriously emotional read.

I’ll be completely honest by admitting I went into this one a little bit tentative. The notion of the book was intriguing, but I find books dealing with the topics included in this one can be a bit hit or miss. Mainly it was the #100HappyDays social media phenomenon that had me a bit worried. My idea of a social media phenomenon to follow is watching people make a fool of himself or herself through the ice bucket challenge or the cinnamon challenge. I’d heard of the #100HappyDays but I’d never really paid it much attention. It existed, but I wasn’t going to be taking part.

Then came Something Like Happy. The book is focused around the question of what you would do if you only have one hundred days left to live. A story contemplating happiness and suggesting you embrace life. Hence my tentatively. I sometimes fear these kinds of stories are going to try and sell you happiness. Far too many psychology lectures have left me doubtful of self-help books, and I feared this book would err on the side of being a self-help book dressed as a fiction novel.

Fortunately, my tentatively was misplaced.

Something Like Happy is a truly beautiful novel. It sucked me in with just a few pages, and I was lost. I picked it up and I could not put it down. I needed more. I had to finish the story. I couldn’t wait to see what happened. Throughout, I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve said this about a handful of books in my time, but this one really hit hard. There were genuine tears running down my face – the ugly, phlegmy sobs kind of crying – alongside laughter. It is the kind of book that has you laughing as the tears roll down your face. It really is such an emotional rollercoaster on so many levels.

It’s easy to understand why it’s such an emotional read. You can pick up books with heavy topics and they can fail to hit the right emotional spots. When you connect with the characters and their stories, when the book seems real, and the emotions are true to life, it is easy to be pulled into the emotional vortex. This one really pulls you in. Eva Woods was inspired to write Something Like Happy after surviving her own brush with cancer and the breakdown of her marriage, allowing deep emotions to be entombed in this story. You feel what the characters are feeling – you love, lose, and grow again right beside them. It’s an emotional journey that will make you feel. Feel good. Feel bad. Most importantly, feel alive.

Honestly, I could prattle on for hours about the emotional depth of this book. I know such will bore people however. Therefore, I’ll try to sum it up – you need to be prepared. You need to prepare yourself to feel so much, because you will feel everything.

Without a doubt, this one hit all the right spots. The book can be all kinds of emotional, but without the right storyline and characters, it can fall apart. Something Like Happy provides all: the emotional depth, the gripping storyline, the wonderful characters, and the beautiful writing that will keep you addicted throughout.

A very strong four star rating for this book, a book that will leave you feeling everything.

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