Fun Home

by Alison Bechdel
Fun Home cover
Good Books rating 4.58
Graphic Novels / Comics
Technical:
  • ID: 567
  • Added: 2025-09-18
  • Updated: 2025-09-18
  • ISBN: 9781529193510
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2021-11-11
  • Formats: 4
  • Reviews: 3
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99–£16.99

Fun Home is a groundbreaking graphic memoir that delves into the intricate and often tumultuous relationship between Alison Bechdel and her father. Through pitch-perfect illustrations and a narrative that balances heartbreak with fierce humor, Bechdel recounts her childhood memories, college life, and present-day reflections. The story is set against the backdrop of her father's double life as a historic preservation expert and a closeted homosexual, revealing a shared journey of self-discovery and identity. Interweaving themes of family, sexuality, and personal growth, Fun Home is a deeply personal and universally resonant exploration of the bonds that connect and divide us. The book has been praised for its groundbreaking storytelling and has been recognized as one of the Guardian's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.

Reviews
Oberlin Review · 2019-09-27
moving 4.75

The graphic novel holds a special place in the reviewer's heart, capturing the intricacies of a father-daughter relationship with emotional honesty. It's a deeply personal and moving exploration of family and identity.

The reviewer shares a deeply personal connection with this graphic novel, praising its emotional honesty and the way it captures the complexities of a father-daughter relationship. They appreciate how Bechdel's work delves into themes of family and identity with such depth and sensitivity. The reviewer finds it deeply moving and a significant addition to their personal library of meaningful reads. The exploration of these themes is done with such care that it resonates on a deeply personal level.

Quick quotes

    Fun Home occupies a really special place in my heart

    In this graphic novel, Alison Bechdel captures her relationship with her father in all its complexity

    It's a deeply personal and moving exploration of family and identity

Kate Macdonald's Blog · Kate Macdonald · 2017-02-09
profound 4.50

The graphic novel is described as painful, beautiful, and poetic, offering a symmetrically chilling exploration of childhood and family dynamics. It's a profound and impactful read.

Kate Macdonald finds Alison Bechdel's graphic novel to be a profound and impactful exploration of childhood and family dynamics. She appreciates the poetic and chilling way Bechdel navigates these themes, making it a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. Macdonald highlights the beauty and pain intertwined in the narrative, which leaves a lasting impression. The reviewer's appreciation for the work is evident in their detailed and heartfelt reflection on its emotional depth and artistic merit.

Quick quotes

    It's painful, beautiful, poetic and symmetrically chilling

    It's about Alison Bechdel's childhood in Pennsylvania in the 1960s and 1970s

    A profound and impactful exploration of childhood and family dynamics

The Guardian · 2013-12-28
comforting 4.50

The graphic novel resonates with a comforting honesty, exploring family dynamics and personal identity with depth and emotion. It's a poignant reflection on grief and self-discovery.

This review highlights how Bechdel's work captures the complexities of family relationships and personal identity with a raw and honest approach. The reviewer appreciates the emotional depth and the way the graphic novel navigates themes of grief and self-discovery. They find it comforting and resonating, making it a memorable read. The exploration of these themes is done with such finesse that it leaves a lasting impact on the reader.

Quick quotes

    Bechdel's graphic novel, focused on family relationships, sexual orientation and grief, resonates with a comforting honesty

    It's a poignant reflection on grief and self-discovery

    The emotional depth and the way the graphic novel navigates themes of grief and self-discovery

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