I had been reluctant to dive in based on how highly praised this has been in some quarters, and that the first [x] number of pages seemed fine but hardly world-shattering. But then Bechdel's points of empathy and overlap with her father increasingly converge and the narrative comes together with a nearly audible emotionally satisfying snap.

One of the most difficult things to do in any form is to make narrative seem casual to the point of aimlessness, but then have everything resolve so tightly that it's impossible to believe it ever felt airy. Fun Home works as a de- and re-construction of memory as it does coming-of-age (and coming out) story, and the artistry of the drawings, not perfectly realistic, but with more precision than in an average graphic novel, heightens the mimetic effect.

Just really brilliant, and that is not a phrase I toss around lightly. ( )

I tried and I tried to make myself like this. But it was SO complicated. So many literary citations that made me feel utterly dumb. Oh well, I guess I better stick to simpler stuff.
Great art tho! ( )

You can read this over and over again and get something new out of it every time. And I'm sure I'm missing loads. A real work of literature, in comic form. Fuckin' genius. ( )

I finally read this after years of everyone yelling at me because even my damn therapist said I should. (Un?)Fortunately related to the weird closeted gay dad thing, which was comforting to know existed in some sort of media and am really here for more of, but could not relate to the majority for obvious reasons of not being a lesbian or attracted primarily to women for the time being. It's my own ill but I genuinely enjoyed and would recommend it. ( )

Warning for young or religious readers: this is pornographic (i.e. it portrays sex and nudity). That said, it also has a lot to say about about death and relationships that is interesting and worth reading. ( )