I Don’t Have a Happy Place, playfully subtitled “Cheerful Stories of Despondency and Gloom,” was written by author Kim Korson and will be released April 14, 2015 by Simon & Schuster
As promised, the novel follows a character who walks the line between constant negativity and sarcasm while simultaneously entertaining with her curious phobias, nostalgia-inducing references, and witty monologue.
The beginning of the book sets the tone for why the protagonist –or is she more of an anti-hero?-might be riddled with negativity. Her home life is unusual and she witnesses a traumatizing event, however her attitude seems to have been inherent prior to the trauma, which leaves the reader wondering, “Why?”
As the story progresses, sometimes linearly, other times not, we learn more and more about life as a pessimistic Jew in Canada from the 70s to the present. What really hits the reader is the lack of stereotypes. She isn’t the constantly happy stereotyped Canadian, nor does her life revolve around the fact that she is of Jewish descent. Religion is referenced, the language occasionally used, and traditions are mentioned, however none of these references dominate the plot.
There are a few instances in which the prose are so collected and beautifully composed that valid points are made and certain truths are realized. In these moments of pristine clarity and depth, the reader is forced to take a look at their own life and question some of their decisions. Do they want to continue on the path they currently take? Do they want to relate to someone who rarely enjoys a moment of happiness? Are they okay with living in a particular way?
As nostalgic and entertaining as I Don’t Have a Happy Place is, the reader reaches a point where all the negativity and the character’s lack of progression becomes tiresome. Will Kim ever get the help she obviously needs? Will there be any kind of resolution to her chronic pessimism and mild depression? Will there ever be a moment in her life when she feels joy and isn’t embarrassed or ashamed of it? Is there a point to this book beyond sharing what life is like as a perpetual downer?
Spoiler Alert!
As famously quoted in Tropic Thunder, “Never go full retard,” or in this case, never go full-pessimist. By the time the reader gets to the last 40 pages, it becomes painfully obvious that the author is running out of time to provide some sort of introduction to a satisfying conclusion.
A satisfying conclusion would have been some way for Kim to reach a point in her life where she finally says that enough is enough and that she wants that elusive happiness that she’s spent the majority of her life criticizing. Instead, she chooses to embrace the fact that she’s not going to be happy and basically says, “suck it” to her readers.
As a personal preference, one can only say that it is her life and she will live it as she pleases, however in the world of novels, it only leaves the reader feeling cheated.
Not every story has a happy ending, but it becomes tiring to read passive-aggressive, pessimistic, sarcastic writing with only the briefest of moments where happiness is grudgingly allowed entrance.
Had she allowed herself to bask in the joys of dropping the negativity, I Don’t Have a Happy Place would have come to rest at a solid 3 stars, however the constant pessimism, the so-so storyline, and the lack of resolution leaves the reader tired. At roughly 70% into the book, the reader realizes that they are only continuing to turn the pages because they want to see how it all wraps up, then is left disappointed. Upon reflection, the reader realizes that the final 30% of the story felt more like a chore and that there would be no second reading of a book that might better be titled Kim’s a Downer: Mostly Stories of Despondency and Gloom.