I thought this book was a fun and interesting read, something completely different than what I usually read.

This "Emotional Smoothie Recipe" is Grand (4 stars)

I hate winter. By early February I'm ready to crawl into bed and never come out. Vitamin D supplements help a lot but they don't quite make me laugh like a good humorous book can. I picked this one up not being familiar with Rubyetc other than having seen a comic or two online. It was totally worth trying a new comic.

Simple and goofy the art may be, but these comics are quite affecting. The kind that'll make you laugh until you cry because they're quite relatable if you suffer from mental illness as I do. In fact, I found the title fitting from two different angles... that of someone who says they're fine when they're not and that of someone who knows it's okay to be struggling, afraid, lacking confidence.

If you enjoy the work of Jenny Lawson or Allie Brosh this is right up your alley!

A poignant drawing in the book is a face asking another face...What did you do today? The face responds with three ... and then says "managed" with the last drawing of the two faces cuddling.

The reality is that some people only just manage to get through the day, but some people aren't as open about mental illness as Ruby Elliot and it is refreshing to see. If this book only helps one person then it has done its job. I like that this book is predominantly picture based because it makes it more simple for the reader, especially with someone whose head is already buzzing and concentration is already hard.

I also believe that the book isn't over complicated with every illustration being in black and white with a few limited paragraphs of writing.

I believe this book is suitable for teens and adults. it is dark in places and there is swearing, its also honest which can be confronting. Overall this read will not suit everyone but will be a refreshing look at an often taboo (STILL!) subject

I recommend! I recommend! Ruby Elliot's description of her daily life with mental illness spoke to me greatly. I have experienced many of the situations she talks about either it be an eating disorder or depression. She makes situations of her mental illness funny, but she helps us understand that our mental illness is not the only part of us. Just because we have a mental illness doesn't mean that we can't be awesome and witty also. Absolutely hilarious!

It's All Absolutely Fine feels like a great commiseration session with someone who is going through hard things like the hard things in your life. Ruby is honest about her struggles without being overly detailed and hopeful without being annoying. Her drawings are whimsical and relatable, filled with characters that don't always make sense, but seem to fit the world inside her head.

Highly recommended for those who have struggled with eating disorders, depression, severe procrastination, or just adulting.

I loved this book. Ruby Elliot's drawings might look simple but they exactly capture what it feels like to function with depression and anxiety. The portions of longer text help give context to Ruby's story, but the pictures are so relatable that I think anyone who has experienced mental health problems, or who loves someone who does will get a lot from this book. I'd definitely recommend it to pretty much everyone!

Amazing! Hilarious! Real! Sarcastic! I love it. I'm happy that the author decided to "write" a book to put together all this work.

This is a collection of cartoons and personal observations by someone dealing with mental illness. It's at times funny, sad, heart wrenching and completely relatable. It will definitely hit home for anyone who is depressed, bipolar or even an introvert. It's not a self-help book, it won't solve any problems. But it will let you know there are people out there facing similar struggles... and sometimes that's what you need.

I actually found a lot of very relatable things here, although I don't have anxiety and depression quite on the level of the author. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who deals with these things! Some of the drawings were pretty funny and very on point.

4 stars, recommended for anyone dealing with anxiety/depression.

Ruby Elliot just gets it.

She understands, and communicates in such a funny and thoughtful way that it makes you love her, and love yourself a little more for the simple fact that you are not alone and that someone Just Gets It.

I am not alone. You are not alone. We are not alone.

I love you all.

This was fabulous. As a person struggling with mental illness this was a very moving read. I could have quoted/highlighted 80% of this book as I saw and felt myself in it.

The write ups were honest and to the point compared to many wordy mental health materials. I enjoyed this more then Hyperbole and a Half (It only received a 1/5 from me). This was well organized into sections, had autobiographical content to match illustrations, didn't try to pander or entertain anyone and didn't have so many f-bombs.

F-bombs are not necessary and having content with a huge percentage of them can very well become a library policy content issue. I don't believe in censorship but I don't need parents or staff (not often students) barging into the library or principal's office to complain about a book with swearing. Library and administration staff are already busy. We do not need to add to our to-do list.

I recognized so much of myself in this book that I feel I should buy a copy for myself and keep it on hand when I am unable to put into words what is going on inside. It wouldn't only help me but the people around me to get an idea what I am dealing with.

1 of out of 5 people have a mental illness in Canada. Many staff and student struggle or knows someone who struggles with it. It is nice to know we are not alone in the struggle. Mental Illness has a stigma and those living with it learn about it faster than anyone else. It is hard to explain to people who do not struggle with mental illness in some form of their lives. Materials like this can help bridge the gap to what those suffering and suffering with them. Sometimes words aren't enough. Sometimes an image is more useful. If one scribbled illustration from this book can help some recognize or share how they feel to someone who does not know the daily struggle then this book is a success. It is to me in my mind.

I can't believe it's 2017 and people STILL doubt the debilitating effect that poor or bad mental health can have on a person. I was officially diagnosed in 2014 and though I'm doing much better, I still have to remember to take care of myself and take a step back and realise when something is Not Me and the Bad Brains instead. But it's slow process and I'm still learning. I honestly wish I had this book back then because this is pretty much the "self help" book I needed when I entered THE VOID for the first time.

https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com/

I confess I don't have a lot of experience reading graphic novels, but when I saw It's All Absolutely Fine at Netgalley I was immediately intrigued by the promise of a combination of simple drawings and a down-to-earth description of the daily struggles of life with mental illness. It is a topic that has always interested me for various reasons... And It's All Absolutely Fine is without doubt another title to add to my list of favorites talking about mental illness. Why? First of all, I found it really easy to connect to the little stories. Ruby Elliot shows life as it is without trying to hide the ugly parts, and I can really appreciate the sincerity of it all. This bundle switches between short essays and illustrations that show the reader Ruby's experiences living with social anxiety and the daily struggles of life with mental illness. Simple drawings of sometimes 'simple' situations, but with a huge dose of sharp humor for maximum effect. Ruby Elliot's drawings are sometimes brutally honest, but they always feel 100% real. It's both an entertaining and eye-opening read that will appeal both to anyone interested in the topic and fans of memoirs such as Furiously Happy.

Well-done graphic non-fiction dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and body image. The graphic medium is well suited to creating empathy and understanding where works alone don't quite capture the experiences of these mental health issues.

Ruby Elliot has lived with depression, an eating disorder, bipolar disorder, and other struggles. To cope, she draws. She has shared her drawings and musings on the internet (rubyetc.tumblr.com), and now in an actual book, It's All Absolutely Fine: Life Is Complicated So I've Drawn It Instead.

Elliot's reflections on life are achingly honest. She describes her feelings as a teen, just beginning to deal with depression:
No one wants to feel so desperate that they end up in a psychiatric ward being asked to rate their mood on a scale of 1-10 as they watch their laces being yanked out of their shoes and taken somewhere out of reach. But these were all things that happened to me because I was depressed.
For other young women who are struggling with some of the same issues, It's All Absolutely Fine will be therapeutic and empowering. Elliot wants the reader to recognize that depression isn't just a matter of being in a bad mood, bipolar isn't just mood swings, and you can't tell by looking that someone has an eating disorder.

The odd thing about the book is how hilarious she is when writing about some pretty grim experiences and feelings. Mental health is complex and, for some people, very fragile. Elliot's work is entertaining for anyone, whether or not one struggles with mental health issues. But more than that, I think it can be therapeutic for those who are depressed, bipolar, have body image problems, are self-destructive, deal with anxiety, etc., especially if they are women in the teen-to-twenty-something demographic.

Elliot succinctly describes her battle:
I forget that I'm a capable human who just happens to have a very thinky brain, and see myself instead as this awful, ineffectual lump of idiot. It's a very horrible and isolating place to find myself. And like all these things, it's an uphill battle developing insight into what's going on and in trusting that insight enough to harness it positively.
She has harnessed her self-awareness positively for the great benefit of her readers--as well as for a few laughs! Carry on, Ms. Elliot. You're doing great work.




Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

I received this book through NetGalley. Because it was under the "comics and graphic novels" category, and because of the description, I thought this was going to be a humor book. Instead, it is about the author's mental illness. I felt like I left this book with a better understanding of what it feels like to live with mental illness. I was a little disappointed with the cartoons. I was hoping they would be more funny than they were. A few were good, the rest were kind of meh to me.

I understand Ruby Elliot has an online following. So read if you are a fan. If you haven't heard of her, then read at your own risk.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ruby Elliot (or Ruby Etc as she's more commonly known) is a legend on tumblr. She makes the most interesting humorous mental-health related comics, I've been following her for years because they hit close to home.
This book is exactly that, her typical style or mental-health related comics, interlaced with her typical wittiness and relatability. She also has written a few passages that talk about her mental-health, and again they're witty and relatable. But best of all, the art is amazing.
It took me one sitting to finish this one, I really wanted to see what was next.

If you have the chance to read this book - do it. I promise you won't regret it.

It's All Absolutely Fine is one of those memoir graphic novels that, if you are a little bit of human, makes you empathise and feel deeply for the author. I am not sure if I had come across Ruby's art before (I probably have), but reading her book and seeing her art has been inspirational and motivating and educational. She tackles depression, the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, anxiety, eating disorders, introversion, frustrations at the thing that is life so very well and expresses it perfectly through her art and, also, her words.

I felt for her through her journey and often I related with her frustrations. It was relatable and easy to see my own struggles in her comics and I am so glad to have read this book. Thank you, thank you, Ruby for this. I can only finish this review with the same words:


What did you do today?

Managed.


Recommended to anyone dealing with mental illness and/or is frustrated with the world and adulthood. 5/5 stars for hitting home.