I have heard so much about this book, for so long, from so many people. It’s universally raved about and considered to be a must-read, particularly for fans of graphic novels and anyone interested in reading LGBTQ+ stories. And I can certainly see why.
This is the story of Alison’s relationship with her father. I was tempted to say it’s the story of her childhood, but it isn’t, not really. Her childhood comes into it, but only in as much as it relates to her father and the impact he had on everyone around him. She is unflinching in her representation of him – a man who was conflicted, exacting, angry, hard-working, secretive and ultimately ended up hurting pretty much everyone around him, but no more than he hurt himself.
Equally this is the story of Bechdel’s journey of self discovery – starting as a young girl who didn’t want to wear dresses, who preferred to hang out with the boys, and who had zero interest in hair styles or fashion statements – and continuing through her university days and her realization that she was attracted to girls rather than boys. This self-discovery is intelligently juxtaposed against her father’s life – a man who was most likely gay (or at least bisexual) but who was never allowed to acknowledge who he was openly, and who married, had multiple children, but who also indulged his desires outside of his marriage in ways that were harmful to himself, his lovers and his family.
Their experiences were so different, and yet there is this complex web of connection between the two. Bechdel clearly wanted desperately to understand her father, to feel understood by him, and to earn his approval and support. She unflinchingly faces the at times sordid, at times painful truth she discovers as she looks to learn more about this man who was so close and yet so remote throughout her life. It’s an epic journey through difficult terrain, it’s not a simple or happy storybook ending in the least. Her father died suddenly and tragically young, and he left behind him so many unanswered questions. Bechdel grapples with trying to figure out the answers to some of them, and trying to accept the questions that will never have answers, from his true feelings about her mother to the circumstances of his death.
This is an incredibly messy story, based on a messy family, and a messy father-daughter relationship. It’s complicated, confusing, and at times very dark. But through this book Bechdel seeks, if not answers, a bit more understanding and forgiveness. She unearths all this chaos, but also shares the moments of connection she had with her father. The way he would share his favourite books with her, and what she learned about him through this intimate offering. There are some beautiful moments of acceptance, empathy and love in all this tragedy, and it’s beautiful in its own, unique way. Definitely a must read if you’re interested in family epics, graphic memoirs or LGBTQ+ multi-generational stories. It’s not an easy read. But it’s definitely worth it.
In this graphic memoir, Alison Bechdel charts her fraught relationship with her late father.
Distant and exacting, Bruce Bechdel was an English teacher and director of the town funeral home, which Alison and her family referred to as the Fun Home. It was not until college that Alison, who had recently come out as a lesbian, discovered that her father was also gay. A few weeks after this revelation, he was dead, leaving a legacy of mystery for his daughter to resolve. – Goodreads
Book Title: Fun Home
Author: Alison Bechdel
Series: No
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Mariner Books
Released: June 5, 2007
Genre: Non-Fiction, Family, LGBTQ+, Memoir
Pages: 232
Date Read: November 3-6, 2023
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.08/5 (167,858 ratings)