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Ordinary Funny Tragic
A darkly sharp, wryly funny and entirely delightful novel about bad mothers, problematic families, forgiveness and finally - reluctantly - growing up.
'She was the most charismatic, most fun, most selfish person I have ever met. I used to think everyone thought that about their mothers. I was 25 before I realised that was very much not the case. A late bloomer. And now she's dead. For some reason I never entertained the thought that she was mortal, and now I'm 29 and I don't have a mother.'
Crimson's life has been indelibly shaped by her magnetic, clever, self-absorbed mother. First, when she was nine and her mother fell in love with another man and left her marriage (and her children) for him. And now, as Crimson is about to turn 29 and single-parenting a three year old son (with all the messiness, chaos and love that that entails), her mother has - inconveniently, dramatically - declared she is dying. Crimson doesn't quite believe it, neither does Marty, her brother. But, summoned to her bedside, they go, like moths to a flame. And her mother, it turns out, was not exaggerating. There is sickness, there is dying, there is a funeral. And most importantly, there is a will. A will that requests Marty and Crimson escort their mother's body home to her family - well, the rest of her family - in England.
Crimson and Marty are entirely unprepared for the melodramatic and eccentric family that awaits them. Nor are they ready for the grief that is coming their way like a runaway horse, or the fact that their lives are going to change ... which they will. They are also not prepared for the duck.
Sharp, spiky, dark, hilarious and irrepressible, Ordinary Funny Tragic is about learning to forgive the people you love most in the world for being flawed human beings. Just like you.
'She was the most charismatic, most fun, most selfish person I have ever met. I used to think everyone thought that about their mothers. I was 25 before I realised that was very much not the case. A late bloomer. And now she's dead. For some reason I never entertained the thought that she was mortal, and now I'm 29 and I don't have a mother.'
Crimson's life has been indelibly shaped by her magnetic, clever, self-absorbed mother. First, when she was nine and her mother fell in love with another man and left her marriage (and her children) for him. And now, as Crimson is about to turn 29 and single-parenting a three year old son (with all the messiness, chaos and love that that entails), her mother has - inconveniently, dramatically - declared she is dying. Crimson doesn't quite believe it, neither does Marty, her brother. But, summoned to her bedside, they go, like moths to a flame. And her mother, it turns out, was not exaggerating. There is sickness, there is dying, there is a funeral. And most importantly, there is a will. A will that requests Marty and Crimson escort their mother's body home to her family - well, the rest of her family - in England.
Crimson and Marty are entirely unprepared for the melodramatic and eccentric family that awaits them. Nor are they ready for the grief that is coming their way like a runaway horse, or the fact that their lives are going to change ... which they will. They are also not prepared for the duck.
Sharp, spiky, dark, hilarious and irrepressible, Ordinary Funny Tragic is about learning to forgive the people you love most in the world for being flawed human beings. Just like you.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 17, 2026
Ordinary Funny Tragic by Bridie Jabour
★★★★★
I’m about to cry! How did this book find me during a time I needed it the most?
A true confirmation about the challenges and beauty of motherhood. I love a book that doesn’t sugar coat motherhood. Children are relentless. Agree! I love how Crimson’s used the death of her mother to reflect on her own parenting strengths and weaknesses.
To be blunt, I’m not too sure about the love interest in this book. I appreciate Jabour leaving things vague in order for me to make my own judgment. But don't think the chosen love interest was the best fit for Crimson.
I usually get very lost with heaps of family members and characters in a book. But I connected and felt the characters personalities within the pages to constantly understand the relationship dynamics. I almost felt like I was apart of the family.
I throughly enjoyed this book. It has been one of my favourite reads this year.
Follow along my reading journey here on:
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Thank you @harpercollinsau for the opportunity to review this book.
★★★★★
I’m about to cry! How did this book find me during a time I needed it the most?
A true confirmation about the challenges and beauty of motherhood. I love a book that doesn’t sugar coat motherhood. Children are relentless. Agree! I love how Crimson’s used the death of her mother to reflect on her own parenting strengths and weaknesses.
To be blunt, I’m not too sure about the love interest in this book. I appreciate Jabour leaving things vague in order for me to make my own judgment. But don't think the chosen love interest was the best fit for Crimson.
I usually get very lost with heaps of family members and characters in a book. But I connected and felt the characters personalities within the pages to constantly understand the relationship dynamics. I almost felt like I was apart of the family.
I throughly enjoyed this book. It has been one of my favourite reads this year.
Follow along my reading journey here on:
TikTok
Thank you @harpercollinsau for the opportunity to review this book.
August 20, 2026
Ordinary Funny Tragic felt like an honest and vulnerable love letter to motherhood, family and complicated grief. At the same time, it was a masterful lesson in duality. The push and pull between what you envision or want and the actuality of life getting in the way. I don’t know how it simultaneously managed to be witty and comedic, while also being devastating and highlighting so many teachable moments. It had me laughing on one page and then wanting to cry on the next. At its core, though, this was a story about self-discovery, acceptance and forgiveness.
Jabour explores such a layered perspective on motherhood and allowing room for imperfection: grieving the disparity between the mother you needed and the one you ended up with; the way we inadvertently pick up characteristics or traits from our mothers; and, most of all, the reality of parenthood and the fact that no one really ends up being the perfect mother they had planned or wanted to be.
Despite its somewhat sombre topics, the inclusion of a duck heist, amusing banter and the quirky personalities of supporting characters brought a lightheartedness to the story. For whatever reason, I also kept imagining David and Alexis from Schitt’s Creek in the dynamic between Crimson and her brother Marty while I was reading. It was endlessly entertaining and hid a quietly fierce loyalty.
This was one of those books that I intentionally took my time with, wanting to carefully process every word and trying to prolong its inevitable ending. There were so many lines and passages that I just felt the need to sit with and am still thinking about.
Thank you so much to the Harper Collins Australia team for the gifted advance copy!
Jabour explores such a layered perspective on motherhood and allowing room for imperfection: grieving the disparity between the mother you needed and the one you ended up with; the way we inadvertently pick up characteristics or traits from our mothers; and, most of all, the reality of parenthood and the fact that no one really ends up being the perfect mother they had planned or wanted to be.
Despite its somewhat sombre topics, the inclusion of a duck heist, amusing banter and the quirky personalities of supporting characters brought a lightheartedness to the story. For whatever reason, I also kept imagining David and Alexis from Schitt’s Creek in the dynamic between Crimson and her brother Marty while I was reading. It was endlessly entertaining and hid a quietly fierce loyalty.
This was one of those books that I intentionally took my time with, wanting to carefully process every word and trying to prolong its inevitable ending. There were so many lines and passages that I just felt the need to sit with and am still thinking about.
Thank you so much to the Harper Collins Australia team for the gifted advance copy!
September 20, 2026
What a gem of a book - laugh out loud funny, insightful, smart and emotional all rolled into one. The characters are so fascinating and unique and I truly wanted the best for all of them
September 13, 2026
Ordinary Funny Tragic was such an interesting read. It was funny, moving and at times wonderfully peculiar, with the complex family dynamics really shining throughout the story.
I particularly loved the relationship between Crimson and Marty. Their reactions and interactions felt so genuine, and while I’m not usually someone who enjoys stories with children as characters, I absolutely loved the relationship that developed between Crimson and Seb. There was something really lovely about the bonds that formed between these characters, particularly as the story explored what it means to be family when families are complicated, messy and not always conventional.
I also found myself intrigued by some of the character names. Crimson, Haha and Villy are certainly not names you come across every day, and their uniqueness made me even more curious about how the story would unfold.
And then there was the duck. Quacky! 🦆 I certainly did not expect the duck storyline to unfold in the way that it did, but ultimately I came to see how instrumental Quacky was in helping build a bond between Crimson, Marty and their stepbrother Raj. It was one of those seemingly peculiar elements of the story that ended up having a much greater purpose.
Another aspect I found really interesting was the relationship between David, Crimson and Marty’s dad, and Finn, the man Villy left him for. Given their history, it was fascinating to see that there wasn't the animosity or bitterness I might have expected. Instead, they seemed to have developed this peculiar dynamic where they weren't friends, but there was an almost begrudging respect and understanding between them that I found quite compelling.
One aspect that took me by surprise, though, was my emotional reaction to Villy’s death. With the chest rattle and everything leading up to her death, I thought I was being prepared for something that would completely devastate me. Even at the funeral, I expected to feel that emotional punch, but somehow it never quite landed as heavily as I thought it would.
I was, however, genuinely shocked by how Villy’s “waking” unfolded in England. That was not at all what I expected!
There were moments when this book reminded me of Whistler and Still Life, two books that absolutely wrecked me emotionally. I could feel Ordinary Funny Tragic edging ever closer to that territory, and for a while I thought it might completely destroy me in the same way. Ultimately, though, it missed that mark by just a fraction.
That said, this was still a great story with plenty to appreciate. I loved its exploration of complicated families, unexpected relationships and the strange ways people can become connected to one another. I also think this would make a fantastic book club pick because there is SO much here to discuss.
I particularly loved the relationship between Crimson and Marty. Their reactions and interactions felt so genuine, and while I’m not usually someone who enjoys stories with children as characters, I absolutely loved the relationship that developed between Crimson and Seb. There was something really lovely about the bonds that formed between these characters, particularly as the story explored what it means to be family when families are complicated, messy and not always conventional.
I also found myself intrigued by some of the character names. Crimson, Haha and Villy are certainly not names you come across every day, and their uniqueness made me even more curious about how the story would unfold.
And then there was the duck. Quacky! 🦆 I certainly did not expect the duck storyline to unfold in the way that it did, but ultimately I came to see how instrumental Quacky was in helping build a bond between Crimson, Marty and their stepbrother Raj. It was one of those seemingly peculiar elements of the story that ended up having a much greater purpose.
Another aspect I found really interesting was the relationship between David, Crimson and Marty’s dad, and Finn, the man Villy left him for. Given their history, it was fascinating to see that there wasn't the animosity or bitterness I might have expected. Instead, they seemed to have developed this peculiar dynamic where they weren't friends, but there was an almost begrudging respect and understanding between them that I found quite compelling.
One aspect that took me by surprise, though, was my emotional reaction to Villy’s death. With the chest rattle and everything leading up to her death, I thought I was being prepared for something that would completely devastate me. Even at the funeral, I expected to feel that emotional punch, but somehow it never quite landed as heavily as I thought it would.
I was, however, genuinely shocked by how Villy’s “waking” unfolded in England. That was not at all what I expected!
There were moments when this book reminded me of Whistler and Still Life, two books that absolutely wrecked me emotionally. I could feel Ordinary Funny Tragic edging ever closer to that territory, and for a while I thought it might completely destroy me in the same way. Ultimately, though, it missed that mark by just a fraction.
That said, this was still a great story with plenty to appreciate. I loved its exploration of complicated families, unexpected relationships and the strange ways people can become connected to one another. I also think this would make a fantastic book club pick because there is SO much here to discuss.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mothers are complicated. Being one doesn’t necessarily make your own any easier to understand.
And Ordinary Funny Tragic sits right in the middle of that mess.
Crimson is a single mum who has spent much of her life dealing with the fallout of being raised by a charismatic, selfish and complicated mother. Then her mother dies, leaving Crimson and her brother Marty to deal with the practicalities of death, a rather eccentric extended family and everything that comes with grieving someone you loved but didn’t always particularly like.
I went through stages of really liking Crimson and stages where she annoyed the hell out of me. But I think that’s also part of what Jabour is getting at. Crimson is flawed, sometimes frustrating and still figuring out motherhood herself while trying to make sense of the mother she had.
There’s something interesting in that. Becoming a mother gives you an entirely new lens through which to examine the way you were mothered, but it doesn’t necessarily give you any answers.
I also liked that motherhood isn’t treated as one universal experience. Every mother and child relationship in this book is different. There’s no neat definition of a good mother or a bad one, and the same woman can be remembered very differently by the people she raised.
The sibling relationship between Crimson and Marty was easily my favourite part. Their humour and banter bring some much-needed lightness to all the grief and family dysfunction, and their relationship feels genuinely lived-in.
It’s also a very easy read. I finished it in a day. There are bigger ideas underneath it about motherhood, grief, forgiveness and family, but it never becomes particularly heavy. I probably wanted a little more depth in places, but sometimes you also just want a book you can pick up and absolutely fly through.
Without spoilers, one particular relationship was fairly obvious to me from early on. I kept waiting for the book to prove me wrong and… nope. Exactly where I thought we were going.
And the ending? I’m still not entirely sure.
Initially, I thought it was a little bland. I wanted a bit more oomph after everything that had happened. But maybe that would have been the wrong ending for this book. Maybe the nice, relatively uncomplicated ending was the point. Life goes on. Families remain messy. Nobody suddenly has all the answers.
Not a book that blew me away, but a nice, feel-good read with complicated mothers, messy families and some genuinely funny sibling moments.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
And Ordinary Funny Tragic sits right in the middle of that mess.
Crimson is a single mum who has spent much of her life dealing with the fallout of being raised by a charismatic, selfish and complicated mother. Then her mother dies, leaving Crimson and her brother Marty to deal with the practicalities of death, a rather eccentric extended family and everything that comes with grieving someone you loved but didn’t always particularly like.
I went through stages of really liking Crimson and stages where she annoyed the hell out of me. But I think that’s also part of what Jabour is getting at. Crimson is flawed, sometimes frustrating and still figuring out motherhood herself while trying to make sense of the mother she had.
There’s something interesting in that. Becoming a mother gives you an entirely new lens through which to examine the way you were mothered, but it doesn’t necessarily give you any answers.
I also liked that motherhood isn’t treated as one universal experience. Every mother and child relationship in this book is different. There’s no neat definition of a good mother or a bad one, and the same woman can be remembered very differently by the people she raised.
The sibling relationship between Crimson and Marty was easily my favourite part. Their humour and banter bring some much-needed lightness to all the grief and family dysfunction, and their relationship feels genuinely lived-in.
It’s also a very easy read. I finished it in a day. There are bigger ideas underneath it about motherhood, grief, forgiveness and family, but it never becomes particularly heavy. I probably wanted a little more depth in places, but sometimes you also just want a book you can pick up and absolutely fly through.
Without spoilers, one particular relationship was fairly obvious to me from early on. I kept waiting for the book to prove me wrong and… nope. Exactly where I thought we were going.
And the ending? I’m still not entirely sure.
Initially, I thought it was a little bland. I wanted a bit more oomph after everything that had happened. But maybe that would have been the wrong ending for this book. Maybe the nice, relatively uncomplicated ending was the point. Life goes on. Families remain messy. Nobody suddenly has all the answers.
Not a book that blew me away, but a nice, feel-good read with complicated mothers, messy families and some genuinely funny sibling moments.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2026
Ordinary Funny Tragic by Bridie Jabour
I requested this one because of its interesting cover art: pink socks with kitten heels propped up on the back of a sofa in front of a picture wall, which felt contemporary, fun, and stylish. Additionally, the blurb describes Ordinary Funny Tragic as "A darkly sharp, wryly funny and entirely delightful novel about bad mothers, problematic families, forgiveness and finally - reluctantly - growing up."
I both loved and hated this book. I didn't like a single character, but I enjoyed it overall. The flawed, frustrating main character, who comes from a character of 'main characters', deserved sympathy at times, but at other times you want to give her a good shake; for example, the death of Crimson's mother starts rounds of competitive grieving.
Ordinary Funny Tragic has themes of flawed, complicated humans and their families; written in a full millennial voice.
In fact, I think this book called me old.
Thumbs up.
Side note: I had the ebook for Ordinary Funny Tragic by Bridie Jabour, so no multitasking for this one. Although it will also induct you into a duck cult. Praise the duck.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #OrdinaryFunnyTragic #NetGalley
#harpercollinsaustralia @bkjabour @harpercollinsaustralia
I requested this one because of its interesting cover art: pink socks with kitten heels propped up on the back of a sofa in front of a picture wall, which felt contemporary, fun, and stylish. Additionally, the blurb describes Ordinary Funny Tragic as "A darkly sharp, wryly funny and entirely delightful novel about bad mothers, problematic families, forgiveness and finally - reluctantly - growing up."
I both loved and hated this book. I didn't like a single character, but I enjoyed it overall. The flawed, frustrating main character, who comes from a character of 'main characters', deserved sympathy at times, but at other times you want to give her a good shake; for example, the death of Crimson's mother starts rounds of competitive grieving.
Ordinary Funny Tragic has themes of flawed, complicated humans and their families; written in a full millennial voice.
In fact, I think this book called me old.
Thumbs up.
Side note: I had the ebook for Ordinary Funny Tragic by Bridie Jabour, so no multitasking for this one. Although it will also induct you into a duck cult. Praise the duck.
#booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf #OrdinaryFunnyTragic #NetGalley
#harpercollinsaustralia @bkjabour @harpercollinsaustralia
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Crimson is approaching thirty, single-parenting a three-year-old and dealing with the inconvenient news that her mother is dying. I feel like the title kind of captures this one perfectly. Some parts funny, some parts tragic and unfortunately, some parts just a bit ordinary. Sprinkled with millennial humour, in-jokes and sarcasm, Crimson and Marty are a great duo, while the addition of Crimson’s son Seb definitely had me chuckling out loud. Jabour has perfectly captured the feeling of your late twenties, and the duck heist is obviously hilarious.
Despite its playfulness, this is ultimately a story of grief, which I think was handled with care and nuance. Crimson faces the impossible reality of knowing someone close to you will die and not being able to do anything about it, simply having to move towards it and through it the best she can. There’s also something really interesting in the idea of reckoning with the past and forgiving someone once they’re gone.
I do think this one fell off a little in the pacing for me. At times, I wasn’t quite clear on where we were headed or why, and there were a few too many disjointed bits. Overall, Ordinary Funny Tragic is still a really enjoyable read that balanced its subject matter well. Funny, moving and a bit chaotic.
Despite its playfulness, this is ultimately a story of grief, which I think was handled with care and nuance. Crimson faces the impossible reality of knowing someone close to you will die and not being able to do anything about it, simply having to move towards it and through it the best she can. There’s also something really interesting in the idea of reckoning with the past and forgiving someone once they’re gone.
I do think this one fell off a little in the pacing for me. At times, I wasn’t quite clear on where we were headed or why, and there were a few too many disjointed bits. Overall, Ordinary Funny Tragic is still a really enjoyable read that balanced its subject matter well. Funny, moving and a bit chaotic.
September 6, 2026
What a delightful book!
Crimson and her brother Marty have always considered their mum, Villy, as a part-timer. After leaving their father for another man, she opted to leave them too, in their eyes; to go ahead with life with her children as an afterthought.
But when Villy dies, Crim and Marty are forced to reconsider the choices that she made. To confront the reality that perhaps she hadn't been a bad mother after all and that their lives hadn't been all that bad.
Full of humour, love and reflection, this was a really entertaining and engaging read.
Crimson and her brother Marty have always considered their mum, Villy, as a part-timer. After leaving their father for another man, she opted to leave them too, in their eyes; to go ahead with life with her children as an afterthought.
But when Villy dies, Crim and Marty are forced to reconsider the choices that she made. To confront the reality that perhaps she hadn't been a bad mother after all and that their lives hadn't been all that bad.
Full of humour, love and reflection, this was a really entertaining and engaging read.
September 29, 2026
At times I wondered where this story was going, I was enjoying the ride, I just couldn't get a sense of what it was about. The themes of motherhood and grief ebb and flow. By the end I appreciated where we'd gone. The social commentary isn't too in your face, and the characters are consistent. I listened to the audiobook version and it made for wonderful easy run listening.
September 5, 2026
enjoyed the fun writing and wry sense of humour. loved the duck.
Read
September 15, 2026I loved this!
September 15, 2026
5⭐️
Just adored this. So funny and relatable. There are dark and sad elements, but they’re dealt with in a sensitive and realistic way. Well worth your time
Just adored this. So funny and relatable. There are dark and sad elements, but they’re dealt with in a sensitive and realistic way. Well worth your time
September 17, 2026
Loved this book!! Only losing a star as I think the ending was a bit flat, but otherwise I thought this was great!!
September 19, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews