There have been so many great books that have come out recently, and Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman is definitely one of them. Without a doubt, it is one of my new favorite books to have come out this year because of how it instantly grabbed and held me in from the very first few pages up until the very end. Unputdownable is the right word to summarize that feeling – a book so good that you do not want to put it down until you find out what happens next. Apart from the story alone that is already quite interesting, the writing, the format, and the themes it explored are what made this such a great and compelling read.
Chani Horowitz is a twenty-something inspiring writer who is given the chance to do a profile interview on movie star, Gabe Parker. Gabe has just been cast to play the next James Bond despite fan outcry. The interview would assuage any criticism and help Gabe’s image as a serious leading man. From the moment they meet, Gabe is handsome, charming, and down-to-earth and Chani cannot deny her attraction to him. However, she also cannot help feeling skeptical about whether he is truly being genuine or if this is all just for the interview. And Gabe feels the same way about Chani; is she really this thoughtful and considerate writer or is this all for a juicy article in the end? The result of their weekend together ends up becoming the most personal and intimate interview no one ever expected, leaving many to wonder what really happened.
Flash forward to ten years later. Chani is now in her thirties, recently divorced, and a successful writer. She has a new book underway that is a collection of all her essays and celebrity interviews, including her most famous one with Gabe. Ever since that article, she is still often asked about that weekend. Soon enough, she is contacted by Gabe’s PR team to do another interview with him. Despite how much time has passed, there is an aching feeling in her heart about seeing Gabe again that makes her hesitant. And yet, she also needs to know if that weekend meant as much to him as it did for her.
I love a good Hollywood story, and this is one that felt real and grounded. Celebrity and fame are such a surreal idea that it can practically mask the person behind the glamour and allure it brings. With this book, it breaks down that idea and becomes a character exploration on identity and what we expect from someone who is famous and how those two opposing images between what they present to the public and how they live in private can confuse our perception of who someone really is. Maybe that is a little too heavy of an analysis, but basically the idea we have of someone, especially a celebrity, is different from who they really are. So, reading Chani and Gabe’s weekend together as they get to know one another and see a different side to each other than they both expected is what made this book so initially fascinating. It goes even deeper however, in this story about a writer doing an interview with a Hollywood actor.
I read in an interview Elissa Sussman did with Shondaland that the inspiration for this book was based on a GQ magazine profile Edith Zimmerman did on Chris Evans around the time when he was about to make his debut as Captain America. Sussman also referenced two other profiles, one with Tom Hiddleston and another with Channing Tatum, and talked about how those interviews are so interesting because of how the writers behind them inserted themselves into the narrative.
I actually read the GQ article on Chris Evans first before reading Funny You Should Ask, and I admit that while reading the book my mind kept going back to that interview, especially since Gabe Parker kind of reminded me of Chris Evans. (There is another character in the book, Oliver Matthias, who I pictured as Tom Hiddleston. Now, I understand why). It’s true though, what Sussman said. Those types of interviews are interesting, especially since they offer a stripped down personal experience by the writer that almost gives us an idea of what it is like to spend time with a celebrity in real life. There is also the added intrigue of the intimacy between a writer and the subject, but a striking difference in public opinion depending on whether the writer is a woman or a man. There is a Gawker article that talks about this more in-depth that I highly recommend reading.
Going back to the book, there were so many things I liked about it. The writing was great beat after beat. I also really loved the format, which went between Then (the weekend of the first interview) and Now (ten years later) while also including excerpts from various articles and blog posts that filled in the gaps in between or were related to the events mentioned. Together it worked in giving every side of the story while still maintaining one overall perspective. It kept me invested and left me wondering each chapter, much like Chani, on what was real or if it all was just in her head and how she perceived it.
My only criticism is that I wish there was some explanation as to what drew Gabe towards Chani. I can see why Chani liked Gabe based on how much of a good person he really is beyond him being her crush, but I could not completely understand why Gabe was so attracted to her upon just meeting her. I really liked Chani and I think any of us could relate to her (she’s a huge fan of The Philadelphia Story, so I already loved her). Yet, it felt as if something was missing. I thought maybe he already liked her after reading her writing, as it is mentioned that he read her blog before their scheduled interview. I could believe too that maybe he was physically attracted to her once they met. However, I would have liked that extra character build that could have explained Chani better other than her being a special girl Gabe never met before.
That aside, I liked Chani and Gabe’s chemistry both during their first interview and when they reunite ten years later. When they first met, they were so young with their whole lives and careers still ahead of them. There was still so much uncertainty, but hope on whatever could happen next. When they see each other ten years later it’s different but also familiar. They have grown and changed having been through a lot whether it was divorce or rehab, but there is still that memory of what they almost had. It's like an old scar from the past that remains and Chani and Gabe seeing each other again has reopened that wound and they need to repair it together. Seriously, the many depths this book will go, or at least how I interpreted it, is why I love it so much and can talk about it for hours.
Funny You Should Ask is such a good book and I cannot say that enough. It starts with an interesting concept, but then pulls you into a much deeper and thought-provoking story.
*****
Movies You Should Watch After Reading Funny You Should Ask
Notting Hill (1999)
Love, Rosie (2014)
The main reason I recommend this movie is because the miscommunication and the years that pass between Rosie and Alex's unspoken true feeling for each other are similar to Chani and Gabe’s relationship. Both Love, Rosie and Funny You Should Ask depict that challenge of missing each other and wanting to admit the truth of how you feel. Despite this though and how much time has passed, those feelings still remain.
La La Land (2016)
Los Angeles plays a special role in the story as it is both Chani’s hometown and the place where Gabe built his career as an actor. I would have liked L.A. to have been featured more in the book, but the spirit of it, the good and the bad, comes through in Chani’s love for the city and Gabe’s admiration for it. La La Land is the perfect film to watch to fall in love with L.A. and it features a love story between a couple of dreamers almost like Chani and Gabe.
Almost Famous (2000)
“He is the enemy!” Almost Famous is a great movie to watch on any given day that presents that experience a writer gets to have when covering someone of high profile, or in this case a famous rock band. Chani is initially seen like William Miller as “the enemy” among Gabe’s close friends until she reassures them that her intentions are good. With that trust built, she develops meaningful relationships and has a memorable experience that despite her job, are still hers, much like William’s is his when he tours with the band, Stillwater.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Here is another movie that follows a story between an actor and a regular person that still resonates and is simply engrossing just as the city it’s set in. Although the themes of Lost in Translation are different from Funny You Should Ask, there are elements of finding someone you can connect with that the two share.
Before We Go (2014)
Did I add this movie because it stars and is directed by Chris Evans? Yes, but that is not the only reason. I genuinely love this movie and that connection you can have with someone, even a stranger, that doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic but meaningful. You cannot really explain it to anyone else, but it stays with you and only you and the other person you share it with. That is much like Chani and Gabe’s weekend and how much they confided in each other. Only they know what really happened and no one else.
The Notebook (2004)
I think this movie perfectly encapsulates that passage of time between two former lovers. We all know this movie by heart (the kiss in the rain!) and its depiction of how beautiful and freeing first love can be between Allie and Noah (“If you’re a bird, I’m a bird”), and how much it hurts when it abruptly ends. But also, how those feelings are still there when they see each other again even now that they are older. That’s the same feeling I got between Chani and Gabe when they meet again and spend another unforgettable weekend together reconnecting after all the years they lost.
*This review is not sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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