Reviews

Goodbye, Again: Essays, Reflections, and Illustrations by Jonny Sun

thepaperbackplanner's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I was real scared to start reading this, not gonna lie. I worried it was going to be too sad, that it would send me into an anxiety spiral about all the bad things that have happened or could happen or will happen. But I am so glad I got into the headspace where I decided I could crack this one open, because I couldn’t have been more wrong. There is something really special and moving about reading something written by someone who clearly experiences similar anxieties as you. It’s a soft hand on your shoulder, a reassurance that you’re not alone in your weird brain chemistry. It’s a gift to be able to share that with someone, even though I’m sure I’ll never meet author Jonny Sun — and as he mentions in his acknowledgements, if we ever did meet, he wouldn’t be the version of him who wrote these stories anymore anyway, and I wouldn’t be the version of me who originally read them. Still, I feel like I understand myself a little bit better after engaging with these stories, and I’m grateful for that. 

fishky's review against another edition

5.0

A little tonic and tribute to overthinking that doesn't expect you to overthink. Soothingly existential. I read a review about how it has broad statements that could benefit from more depth: to me, it felt like they were just light touches meant to remind me of how *I* relate to this little inner world and a surprisingly visceral empathy for him and for myself. I loved some of the tiny turns of phrase for simple, common ideas that made them seem a little more special.

I'm happy that I got to read it after watching Perfect Days, and I'm happy that the friend who gave it to me left a few of her own thoughts on post-it notes, which maybe added to my bias, but which inspired me to do the same. Like a tender House of Leaves that is nothing like House of Leaves except annotations and, I guess, leafs and leaves.

tophat8855's review against another edition

4.0

I want to read his other book. But this is a good One for crying. Listened via hoopla.

eghimire_'s review against another edition

3.0

Maybe I expected more, but this was simply just eh. Yes some of the chapters were touching and apt, but in a general sense I just felt most of the topics surrounding each chapter to be similar to the ones before. And yes, they’re different in their own ways - butttttt not really that different.

Man’s killed a lot of plants. Rip to those plants

solanawhitfield's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

rcampbell311's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

holly_keimig's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this collection of essays and thoughts on life. I think I liked his aliebn book a bit more, but this one was a very thoughtful collection as well. Great for anyone struggling with mental health. Also, you get a recipe for eggs that sounds pretty good.

keeliegrasley's review against another edition

4.0

I related a little too much to this book. It was like he took all of the thoughts I can’t articulate and made them into a book for me. Lovely and sad and honest and open.

tinkerbellas's review against another edition

1.0

I enjoyed reading this book. It has a nice collection of various topics such as mental health and relationships. It's a book full of entries about vulnerability and thoughts, and I actually resonated to most of them. It's heart warming, but not really something I would read again because it does get repetitive.

lsparrow's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this collection of essays/reflections. I liked the themes of home, relationship, purpose and plants. I loved the many discussions about plants and their demise. I also love a book which talks about Toronto.