Name: Lara Engle's review of Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson
Item: Broken (in the best possible way)
Rating: 5
Author: Lara Engle

Jenny Lawson

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson comes her most personal book yet. As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, she explores her experimental treatment of transcranial magnetic stimulation with brutal honesty. But also with brutal humor. Jenny discusses the frustration of dealing with her insurance company in “An Open Letter to My Insurance Company,” which should be an anthem for anyone who has ever had to call their insurance company to try and get a claim covered. She tackles such timelessly debated questions as “How do dogs know they have penises?” We see how her vacuum cleaner almost set her house on fire, how she was attacked by three bears, business ideas she wants to pitch to Shark Tank, and why she can never go back to the post office. Of course, Jenny’s long-suffering husband Victor—the Ricky to Jenny’s Lucille Ball—is present throughout. A treat for Jenny Lawson’s already existing fans, and destined to convert new ones, Broken is a beacon of hope and a wellspring of laughter. Includes Photographs and Illustrations

Broken (in the best possible way)

Ritik Sahni

Lara Engle

I love Jenny and everything she writes. It's rare for me to laugh out loud at books, but she gets me every time. This one also has some serious stuff about mental illness, but that's beautiful, too. You have to have some cracks for the light to get in.

Gem Koeman

** spoiler alert **
           It's difficult to give this a rating that seems fair so I'm putting it at a three. There were moments that I fell about laughing and others that I felt the need to skim past as it was giving me serious whiplash.

Jenny's writing often comes off as a streams of consciousness which is why I loved the previous book and there were moments in this book where that shone.

Reading about mental health isn't easy and I'm damn sure it wasn't easy to write out either. In this case, I got a bit lost in the descriptions of Jenny's mindset and that's 100% a me problem!

I appreciate the descriptions of treatments and found the chapter on health insurance in the US completely absurd. The best moments for me were definitely in Jenny's descriptions of her conversations with Victor, the editors or with the pest control people. 😂 

From someone that also struggles with anxiety, depression and crippling introversion I hope that the good days gleam bright for you in 2022!

Sabetha Danes

I own Jenny's books but I haven't read them. The anxiety of knowing they were going to be so relatable and emotionally hard for me to make my way through was keeping me from reading them. BUT I knew they were going to be my favorite if I ever got the courage to read them so I kept buying them because support your people, all right? 

Somehow I logged into Libby at the exact right time for this book to be available via audiobook on release day and it was fate. So I spend four hours crying but also laughing so hard it looked like I was crying. Because Jenny knows how to tell a story. (If you follow her blog, you already know this.) 

The book is structured in a memoir/diary. She spills her guts on everything from day to day happenings to her childhood, and medical complications. For us to wad in and discover that we aren't so alone. Our broken existence is normal to other people too. 

I recommend the audiobook times a million because she narrates it *in the best possible way.*

It's hard to put this book into words. If you suffer from depression or anxiety, or any debilitating condition really, I can assure you that there is something in this book for you. Even if it's just to see how someone deals with the cards they were dealt. Heck even if you're one of those people that has literally none of those things going on in your life, you'll probably also laugh at many of the chapters in this one.

Jenny is my people. She understands parts of me that I don't even understand. I would say I could totally see having coffee with her but that would be a lie. Because it would be awkward, as neither of us get coffee with people, or enjoy public, or people. So not literal coffee. I just mean that she is raw, and open about her struggles, and it is refreshing. 

Normalizing the conversations around mental health build up those suffering from mental health things.

We all have battles for facing, we can't compare the battle, but we can take note as to how other deal with the fight. Laughter is always a weapon I want to keep in my arsenal. While we only see the curated parts of her life, they are crafted in a way that screams it's okay to be broken. 


Note: HP mention.

Alicia Dixon

I found listening to this book to be slow going, at times because it deals more seriously and in depth with some heavy topics that are touched on in Jenny Lawson’s other books. Her storytelling is compelling and relatable, as always. I just don’t think I was in the right headspace for this one.

Kristina Masone

This is laugh out loud wonderful whilst also being very real about mental health. Jenny does her own narration for the audiobook and I think everyone should give it a listen.

Анастасия Розова

4.75/5

Great as always! I love Jenny Lawson and always wait for her books to come out as an audio. I am convinced thia is the best wqy to consume them.

Thanks again to the author for being open and raw. Lots of love and, I hope, support.

Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[anxiety and panic attacks, depression, suicidal ideation (hide spoiler)] 


This is my first experience with Jenny Lawson's publications and I am instantly a fan!

Lawson writes in a way that is hilarious, down-to-earth, self-deprecating and raw. She is a comedian with a lot of things going on in her life, things that she doesn't shy away from sharing with her audience. 

Amongst all the laughing, Broken offers moments of truth and authenticity about mental health and chronic illness. Lawson is highly aware of what she is discussing in a way that allows her to intertwine comedy and seriousness without feeling forced or jading what is important. 

Lawson will become an author who strikes the core of what you feel in these facets of life, with words you may not have put together yourself. She makes her readers feel seen, understood and validated. And makes sure you have a hell of a lot of fun while doing it. 


  Note: Review copy (audio) received via Libro.FM. This does not impact opinions within this review.


blog •  trigger warning database • more links

Happy reading! ❤

Ritik Sahni &
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson

Reviews

Join the club

Ritik Sahni &Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson

Reviews

Join the club

Ritik Sahni &
Broken (in the best possible way) by Jenny Lawson