Rachel Bloom's brand of humor isn't for everyone, but if it's for you, you'll love I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are. Fans of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend like me will appreciate the blend of gross, awkward, honest and er, musical? humor contained in these essays, screen-plays and journal entries by a young Rachel.
Imagine yourself at the age of 12. How cringey your self-indulgent, hormone-driven and generally immature your notes were. Now alternate these stories and journal entries with stories of adult Rachel trying to navigate relationships and the live comedy and theatre scene. Stories of wedging your body into dresses for events you were in no way prepared for, the absurdity of swag rooms (Stuff We All Get) and the genesis of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. As usual, Bloom is open about mental health, but the focus isn't really there like in the show.
I received a copy of the hardcover for review from Grand Central Publishing, but I ended up bouncing back and forth between audio and print. Some of the chapters work better in print, but Bloom's narration really adds something to many of them. That something is self-deprecating sound effects and intonation, voices for different characters and some funny "so right here in the print book, there's this little drawing in the bottom corner and I have no idea what I was thinking..." That's a paraphrased quote, but it's one of the things that made it hard to choose between print and paper. I assume either is just fine if you've gotta pick one.
This book is as funny as it is weird, exactly what I expected. If some of the jokes go on a little too long? There's a new chapter waiting for you.
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I received a copy of this book for review and borrowed the audio from my library.
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