Crying Laughing

by Lance Rubin

A tragicomic story of bad dates, bad news, bad performances, and one girl's determination to find the funny in high school from the author of Denton Little's Deathdate.

Winnie Friedman has been waiting for the world to catch on to what she already knows: she's hilarious.

It might be a long wait, though. After bombing a stand-up set at her own bat mitzvah, Winnie has kept her jokes to herself. Well, to herself and her dad, a former comedian and her inspiration.

Then, on the second day of tenth grade, the funniest guy in school actually laughs at a comment she makes in the lunch line and asks her to join the improv troupe. Maybe he's even . . . flirting?

Just when Winnie's ready to say yes to comedy again, her father reveals that he's been diagnosed with ALS. That is . . . not funny. Her dad's still making jokes, though, which feels like a good thing. And Winnie's prepared to be his straight man if that's what he wants. But is it what he needs?

Caught up in a spiral of epically bad dates, bad news, and bad performances, Winnie's struggling to see the humor in it all. But finding a way to laugh is exactly what will see her through.

**A Junior Library Guild Selection**

• ISBN10: 0525644687
• ISBN13: 9780525644682
• Publish Date: 19 November 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780525644682

Reviews

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

4.5*

I won't lie, titling a book Crying Laughing is setting the bar pretty high, right? You're gonna make me laugh and cry, book? You promise? Well, it definitely didn't lie, because I absolutely genuinely did both. It starts out mostly funny- but I assure you there are tears, and not just our main girl Winnie's. I shed a few myself by the end, no question. So let us talk about what made this book work so well for me!

What I Loved:

• • Winnie is just a really relatable main character. Her experiences felt so... utterly normal. Make no mistake, the author makes us care about Winnie's daily life, but that's what it is ultimately. A coming-of-age story about a girl who's just trying to discover who she really wants to be, in the midst of the usual struggles. She's got friendship stuff happening, romantic turmoil, and is going through a lot with her family, which we'll expand on more. She's dealing with the mundane academic expectations, finding extracurriculars that appeal, thinking of her future. Stuff that a great majority of us will certainly relate to. And through it all, she keeps her sense of humor, which is a lesson for us all tbh.



• • Comedy being such a huge focus is such a fresh take! I've read countless books with school plays, musical events, various sports, dancing, you name it. But never have I read one where comedy- let alone improv!- is a big plot point. It's awesome because it lends itself to being humorous, but it's the witty writing that drives the humor home over and over again.



• • Winnie's boyfriend is pretty much a flaming pile of garbage. "Wait!" you exclaim. "How can this be a positive?!" Well, I will explain. I think it is so damn helpful to present a young woman who has some doubts about herself, who is flattered by the attention of a boy who is seemingly not a troll. A young woman who, despite the red flags that the reader can see from miles away, sweeps them under the rug because she's enamored with the thought of being in a relationship, of being wanted. I could say this is especially important to present to the young adult audience, but I'm going to go ahead and say that this is a lesson all women- nay, all humans could use to read. We're all worth more than the first random asshat who throws us a look of attraction. And I won't tell you how Winnie's story ends up, but I promise that the author handles this fabulously. 



• • The family is the absolute heart and soul of this book. And hot damn, it's real. Very honest, the whole family. They have some ups and downs, and everyone makes mistakes throughout. But at the core is a whole lot of love. And a father who has been diagnosed with ALS. This is a gut punch to the whole family, and you know what? They don't always handle it gracefully. Because they're human. And that is why I loved it so much, it's so honest, it's how real and actual families behave. And I am here for it.

Bottom Line: A heartwarming and heartbreaking story of a young woman trying to find her passions, build relationships, and cherish her family and doing it all with a healthy dose of humor.

[Sam@WLABB]

This should have been a great year for Winnie. She had her two best friends at her side, a cute older boy was showing interest in her, and she was going to attempt performing again, but then, things started to unravel. Friend drama, boy drama, epic comedy fails, and worst of all, her father's ALS diagnosis had Winnie wondering where she could find any humor in her life, but with love, and yes, comedy, Winnie was able to find her way.

I think my first update for this book was about how I had already laughed and cried. Rubin did a wonderful job blending the light and heavy in this beautiful story, which delivered quite an emotional punch.

Five Things I Loved About Crying Laughing:

• Winnie was a little spark plug. I found her witty and charming, and she did indeed, make me laugh. Her journey over the course of this book was not an easy one, but she took each lesson to heart, and learned from her mistakes, as well as, the mistakes of others. She opened her eyes a little wider, and began to see the world in a bit more detail.

• I think I have only read one other YA book that featured improv, but not to the depth encountered in this book. Rubin really delivered an education on the art of improv, and I enjoyed learning more about it. It was also a nice parallel to how Winnie needed to begin listening more and living in the moment. She had to challenge herself to not think about her father's end, but rather, treasure the moments she still had with him.

• When I took my adolescent psychology class, I remember discussing how this was a time in a teen's life, when they realize their parents were only human. They made mistakes and were simply mere mortals. Winnie had to face this about her father, who she sort of hero worshipped. She first had to accept, that he would probably be gone in 2 - 5 years, and then she learned some more hard truths about her parents, which she had to deal with. Rubin handled this part quite thoughtfully, and spared no emotional impact as he did so.

• The relationship between Winnie and her father was very special. I loved seeing them interact and joke around, but I also found their deeper discussions quite touching. These two filled me with feels and brought me to tears.

• I loved the friendship that Winnie shared with Asmaa and Leili. They had some ups and downs over the course of the story, but that only made it seem more authentic. Fletcher was also a good friend, and all three were a source of comfort and support for Winnie as she attempted to deal with her father's failing health and family situation.

"Laughing and crying, you know it's the same release." - Joni Mitchell (from Laughing Crying)

As promised, this book made me laugh and cry, but it also was a great reminder to hold onto the ones you love, while you can, to listen to each other, and to be present.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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