Fully Functioning Human (Almost) Review

She’s become Youtube famous from her videos and her online persona: chatty, personable, sex-positive and kind of woman-childish (I mean that as a compliment), she’s the role model Irish girls have needed for ages. And now she’s published a book- ‘Fully Functioning Human (Almost)’. There’s been a plethora of these kinds of books, that is the memoir slash life guide with a hefty dose of “how to adult” about them but Murphy’s is a strong voice. These books- take your pick from sex books like Hannah Witton’s ‘Doing It’ to Amy Rose Spiegal’s ‘Action: A Book About Sex’ to Bryrony Gordon’s ‘Mad Girl’ discussing mental health- have filled the gap left by the demise of the teen magazine. But actually, I think they’re better.

Murphy’s book is one of the best. The tone here is soothing and self deprecating. Murphy’s life is touted as extraordinary but actually most of her experiences are- in one way or another- relatable. She talks about growing up from the time of her parents’ divorce and takes us through her life till now. The message here is that nothing- not grief, depression, heartbreak, loneliness, unplanned pregnancy or anxiety- is insurmountable. Murphy is a good writer, the illustrations are a lovely touch and the lists are full of heartfelt and genuine advice.

A lot of these books have to put into context: there’s been a rise in the number of teenage girls and young women suffering from mental health problems, everything from eating disorders to anxiety and depression. It’s above my pay grade to speculate as to why but living in a social media surveyed world, where everything can be faked and everyone is having a better time than you are, probably hasn’t helped. Murphy knows this and she talks about the ways the internet has helped to shape her for both better and worse: opening up her mind to new worlds and distorting her expectations and feelings. It’s an informative and, at times, moving description of coming to terms with the world as it is. This is a book that a girl- of a certain age- would enjoy no matter where she was from but I think it’s especially relevant to young Irish women who haven’t been well served by the media. Here she shows that happiness is possible- if you take care of yourself, build your resilience up and practice healthy habits. A wise lesson to be learned.