Cover Image: Barely Functional Adult

Barely Functional Adult

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Member Reviews

This was a cute graphic memoir on becoming an adult. I found the stories to be entertaining and relatable. I follow the author on IG and really enjoy her illustrations.

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I enjoyed this so much . Part life part memoir . I loved reading about the challenges of life , adulting, friendships, love.with great true and honest illustrations .written with humor and wit I just enjoyed it so much

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I've been following this artist for a while so being able to have a whole collection like this is so fun. They're funny and real and sometimes almost too relatable.

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I really wanted this to be a book of quick comics and not interspersed with prose. It lost me when I had to read more than expected. Funny at times, and I appreciate the author's raw humor and story.

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This book is something of a mash-up- memoir and self help, prose and comics. The result is an endearing, deeply relatable book about being an adult, and all the crap that comes with that. From not being happy with your job, to the desperately long tome it seems to take to get over an ex, to trying to figure out if you are an adult or not (I'm 52 and am just starting to get a grip on adulting. Hanging on by my fingernails, but it's something.), reading this book is like chillin' with a friend, talking about life, and laughing more than crying about it. Good times!

#BarelyFunctionalAdult #NetGalley

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Each story that Meichi shares sounds like you're talking to your best friend. You're hearing about something real and relatable that people all around us go through. It's fantastic, and it gives you ways that you might be able to work through your own issues in life, even if all it is is 'just keep holding on. There is light at the end of the tunnel."

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Barely Functional Adult by Meichi Ng is a fun, somewhat angsty, somewhat relatable collection of webcomics based on the author/ artist’s life. I say somewhat relatable because while I could definitely relate to a few stories, like realizing that you’ve gotten older and are even less cool than you were before, there’s a lot of other stories where Meichi just had A LOT MORE going on in her life and her head and her mental health than I could relate to. If you enjoy Sarah’s Scribbles AND Allie Brosch and Jenny Lawson’s books, this collection will probably be exactly what you’re looking for. You can laugh about the universal awkwardness of making new friends in a new city, and be horrified by the story about the bump on the frog (don’t ask. Just read it if you must.) and cheer on Meichi’s quest for a job at Google and relate to her grappling with imposter syndrome and the concept of what happiness/ contentedness/ adulthood actually look like in real life. The art is simple but bright and very effective at communicating mood and setting, and the tone is fully self-deprecating humor. I enjoyed the collection, even when there was much I could not relate to, or perhaps especially because of that. And the overall tone is a wryly hopeful one. Meichi has come through a lot, and bears the message that we too can successfully get through the challenges we face.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Harper Collins for sharing an #advancedcopy of #BarelyFunctionalAdult with me in exchange for an honest review.

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Adulting is hard! And this book sets out to prove just how hard it is. Who knew how difficult keeping a pet is! Humorous and real this is a fun book to get lost in.

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When I saw this was available to request through my library I couldn't press buy fast enough! I only got to read about the first chapter but I loved it, it had me laughing non stop. I can't wait until I have more time to sit down and read it, once it comes to my library!

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Very funny and [somewhat] nice to relate to. Someone this professionally successful trying to convince you they're 'barely functional' does get an eyebrow raise from me at a couple of points though.

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Barely Functional Adult is so relatable that I feel exposed. Seriously though, Meichi had me laughing out loud with the way she tells stories and the seeming non-sequiturs throughout. If you've ever felt anxious, lost, or broken and dislike the idea of growing up/old then you should read this book, if only to feel you're not alone. There are also words of wisdom and lessons to take away from the stories she tells.

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Hybrid blend of essays and comics in a similar vein to Hyperbole and a Half. I felt like maybe I was slightly older than her intended audience and some parts dragged on for me, but I still enjoyed many of her stories.

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Barely Functional Adult is perfect for fans of Allie Brosh. I was expecting more little one off comics about funny adulting situations but this was a deeper dive into feeling out of place and trying to get your life together. This is a mix of writing and comics. A quick little read that new adults will enjoy.

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This book is honestly a contender for my favorite of 2020, and it is rare for me to narrow down a favorite. Barley Functional Adult just so happens to speak to exactly where I am in life right now, and it does so with fabulous insight and delightful humor! I took a step back from social work in February (for some context I have an MSW and have been in the social work field for over a decade). Since then I have continually felt lost and unsure of the next steps in my life. Reading a book that essentially confirmed that I am not alone in this feeling and also that it is OKAY, was exactly what I needed right now. I am so thankful for this book and plan to get myself a physical copy as soon as possible!

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No one you gives a guidebook on how to become an adult, there isn’t a secret handshake and no matter how old you are filing your taxes is a tedious experience. Meichi Ng offers her experience wading through the churning waters of adulthood and instead of offering answers she delivers readers page after page of laughs in her book “Barely Functional Adult.”

Ng explores going to therapy, relocating and making friends as an adult, moving on from past relationships, and career goals in her personal essay/cartoon hybrid that is sure to get a chuckle from even the most severe folks. Whether she’s sharing tidbits about her alternative pet choices or wandering around with wild cows Ng skillfully shares a silly story that offers a poignant bit of life advice. And she does it all without coming across as preachy or condescending.

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I went in expecting more comics, but there is some real heart-felt essays also added into this story that bring humor and reality to life. Lots of topics are covered in this book that may be a bit heavy for some (ie. mental illness), but the humor of every day life that you find in the comics really balances it all out. An enjoyable read for sure!

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This is a short story collection of comics that chronicle life in your twenties. I have read a few and they are hilariously relatable but also made me feel. This is definitely a book that you pick up and read a little at a time when you need to feel seen.

You will find some humor in these pages, but expect the have your heart strings pulled a little. The illustrations may seem silly and simple, but they pack a punch. I can’t wait to read more!

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I loved the illustrations and the author's humor about such a tough time in adulthood. As I read this, I thought of all of the drama, success and failure of my twenties.

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***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
Very funny drawings and something I can relate to as an aspiring adult.

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Barely Functional Adult: It'll All Make Sense Eventually by Meichi Ng is currently scheduled for release on November 24 2020. This collection of four color, never before seen, short stories holds a mirror to our past, present, and future selves. Featuring a swaddled Barely Functional Adult as its protagonist who says all the things we think but dare not say, this book is equal parts humorous and heartbreaking as it spans a spectrum of topics from impostor syndrome, therapy, friendships, first loves, letting go of exes, to just trying to find your purpose in the world.

Barely Functional Adult had a little more text than I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the read. The illustrations are charming and cute, and I recognized the artist's work as something I have enjoyed in the past. As an introvert that has struggled with some of the same thoughts, I related to the personal narrative. I liked the honesty and frankness of the text, and think that there are a great many people that could relate to the book. We are all just struggling in our own way through life, and seeing that no one choice is perfect, and feelings might be troublesome but most are universal, can make readers feel less alone. Impostor syndrome and not really knowing what we are supposed to be doing are pretty common, and I hate to break it to you- age does not lessen the possibility of these feelings. While this is marketed mainly at readers that share the author's generational labels, I think everyone can find something here to relate to, including middle and high school students. I tell my own kids all the time that the adults they see are faking it just as much as they are- and that reminder that we are all just getting through life a day at a time is good for all of us. I do not mean all that to mean this book is depressing, rather that it foster the knowledge that none of us are alone, and that there is hope and humor to be found in it all.

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