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Hope It All Works Out!: A Poorly Drawn Lines Collection

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The absurd antics, good-natured sarcasm, and misguided optimism of Mouse, Bird, Turtle, and Snail are inspiring and infectious, and a reminder that sometimes the best plan is to have no plans at all. The perfect book for comic lovers of all kinds, Hope It All Works Out offers a deep dive into the Poorly Drawn Lines comics of New York Times bestselling author Reza Farazmand.

On the surface, the animals in Poorly Drawn Lines are sophisticated, decadent creatures — Turtle sports a beret, Snail wears shades, Bird smokes cigarettes, and Mouse assumes a fighting stance when anyone challenges his emotional fragility. But lurking beneath their surface images is a surprising warmth and charming naivete that provides the perfect setup for Reza Farazmand’s unparalleled sense of humor. This author-curated collection of new comics and greatest hits showcases the unique and charming world of these small animals and the amusing gap between their tough guy images and animal innocence. Familiar to millions of readers of the Poorly Drawn Lines webcomic and FX animated series on Hulu, this book collection includes dozens of never-before-seen comics. 

Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2024

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About the author

Reza Farazmand

10 books154 followers
Reza Farazmand is a New York Times-bestselling author, comedy writer, and creator of the popular internet comic series Poorly Drawn Lines. He has published four books, including the graphic novel City Monster and the comic and essay collection Poorly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories, along with two followup collections: Comics for a Strange World and Poorlier Drawn Lines. His work has been featured in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Adventure Time comics, Buzzfeed, NPR, and on Comedy Central. He lives and draws in Los Angeles.

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5 stars
69 (41%)
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25 (15%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
2,592 reviews126 followers
July 27, 2024
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Hope It All Works Out is a comic book collection of short interactions are stories between Mouse, Bird, Turtle, and Snail with some guest appearances from other animals.
The book is a perfect blend of dry whit, sarcasm, and slice of life humour mixed with friendship and emotion. I'd never heard of these Badly Drawn Lines comics scripts, so I'm so happy I got the chance to read this as once I got into the humor and got used to each characters quirks, I really enjoyed it.
This is a simple, drawn comic book, but it works with the humour written within it perfectly.
Profile Image for Liz (Quirky Cat).
4,709 reviews73 followers
July 1, 2024
Summary:

Life is full of little oddities. The creatures/characters within Poorly Drawn Comics know that better than most people. Characters such as Turtle, Snail, Bird, Mouse, and more grace the pages of this collection, doing their best to get through the day. Usually, with a healthy amount of sarcasm on the side.

Review:

I've been reading Poorly Drawn Lines here and there for what feels like ages (I know, I need to be better at staying up with the comics), so I was excited to get my hands on Hope It All Works Out!

This collection is everything I had hoped it would be, witty, charismatic, silly, and heavily sarcastic. It's a nice break from reality, while still being oddly grounded (the adventures are never so entirely out there).

If you're a fan of wit, dry humor, or sarcasm, check out Hope It All Works Out! More importantly, if you're already reading Poorly Drawn Comics, these are totally new, so take advantage of them!

Highlights:
Slice-of-life
Comedy/Sarcasm
Webcomic

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
Profile Image for Audet Maxime.
71 reviews2 followers
June 15, 2024
Poorly Drawn Lines comic is as fresh as ever in this new volume collecting older but also never-before-seen adventures of Mouse, Bird, Turtle and Snail. If you like dry humour, those little critters are sure to leave you laughing page after page.
Profile Image for nerdy.bookdragon.
93 reviews13 followers
August 16, 2024
I haven't heard of this artist before, and finding this book was truly an amazing experience. The silly jokes reminded me of my boyfriend, and with some of the characters' certain behaviour I could relate WAAAAAAY too much, so it was a fun time and well spent. I even had to stop myself from reading it in one sitting, because I would have loved to spend even more time with it.
I would definitely recomment it!
Profile Image for Esi ✨.
128 reviews7 followers
September 6, 2024
I've enjoyed the Poorly Drawn Comics on Instagram for years now, and seeing a comic collection getting published made me so happy.

I really like the humor of it all and the simplicity of the art style works really well with it. That said, I wish there were some more lengthy comics in this book. Like, a more storyline forward mini adventure to differentiate the book from the online comics.

But in any case, this was a great collection and a fun, quick read.

DISCLAIMER: Ebook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Robin Pelletier.
1,249 reviews9 followers
July 11, 2024
This was a hilariously real look at life told through the lenses of different animals. The crow was my favorite… read it to find out why. The characters are a salty mix of existential crisis moments and tender moments of love and friendship. The drawings are rudimentary and basic, but hilarious. I really enjoyed this collection.
Profile Image for Emi.
75 reviews
June 17, 2024
Publishing date: 24.09.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Andres McMeel Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 

The book as a meal: Morning coffe and newspaper comic strips
The book left me: Feeling very good and comfortable

Negatives: 
More comics please
Some of the humor flew over my head

Positives: 
Fun and relatable topics
Cute artstyle
Quick read

Features: 
Animal protagonists, single page panels (some up to three), quick and concise messaging, relatable topics

Why did I choose this one? 
I have seen this artist's work before, and I knew I would enjoy this a lot. Love their work and love their humor. 

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able? 
My husband had to tear me away from these comics, I was utterly enthralled. 

What was the vibe and mood? 
Comforting, breakfast comic reading, "I felt a little sad and needed something silly"

Final ranking and star rating? 
A tier, 4 stars. Love this collection, adorable art and incredibly funny themes. I found myself relating a lot to these animals. Will recommend this 100% to everyone I meet. 

Favorite panels: 
Notebook
Been Thinking
To-Do List
Been a Fish
Need to Focus
Plan
Improve
All the Places
Think
In Thought
Make Friends
Doing Well
More Relaxed
History of Humans
Profile Image for Ana Sofia .
201 reviews
June 23, 2024
This collection of comics was even better than I expected. I've followed the author for years and when I found out they were releasing a full compilation of them I knew I had to read it.

We follow a mouse, a bird, a turtle and a snail as they navigate daily life, thoughts and relationships with dark humor and, at times, more insightful circumstances that you'd imagine. If you've ever felt unproductive, overwhelmed, lost and, well, depressed. This is the book for you. You will laugh at life absurdities and enjoy some empty thoughts you may have had before. Highly relatable and funny.

This is the perfect pick me up, a quick read that can be read in one sitting or enjoy one comic a day. A great gift for any person that likes existential jokes and random situations.
Profile Image for Christine.
1,189 reviews67 followers
September 26, 2024
What a delightful collection! I’ve been a fan of the author’s comics online for a couple years and was thrilled to nab an ARC to review just before release.

There are some exclusive comics as well as ones previously released online, and it’s a fun collection to pick up and put down and read bits at a time. I had to make myself slow down and pace it over 3 days instead of reading it all at once.

Full of witty humor, friendships, some occasional absurdity, and simply drawn charm, I had a blast reading this. I always love the moments where a tiny change like fists up or eyebrows totally changes the meaning of the comic. I recommend and would read another collection by the author. In the meantime I’ll continue following him online for regular charming comics!

I received an ARC copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Robyn.
1,889 reviews
August 13, 2024
ARC | So entirely my kind of humor | I was grinning my fool head off at so many, and then "I don't know you, man. I've got no context for your issues" just really got me, and I laughed over that and startled the cat. I know so many people who would love this, and I might need to go follow on social media. Until now I've just enjoyed when the comics randomly appeared in my feed. Not for youngsters, but older teens with a wry perspective on the world would appreciate it.

ARC provided free of charge, which did not impact my review

Profile Image for Angie.
348 reviews50 followers
September 14, 2024
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC.

Such a feel good comic book with decently funny and relatable moments.
The artwork is simple, but that just adds to the beauty of it. There is no need to over-complicate things, and this book reminds you of that.
Some of the comics start to feel a little samesy after a while if you're reading this book in one go, so maybe break the reading up a bit to retain the charm :)
Profile Image for Kris V.
143 reviews75 followers
September 22, 2024
Sharp lines, witty writing. Enjoyed this artist’s work on Instagram, and so I knew I’d enjoy this collection. There’s a definite character development in each of the animals, so it’s fun to get to know them. I think Bird is my favorite; I dig his sarcasm, hehe. Thank you to McMeel Publishing for the review copy!
Profile Image for ashley and the never ending TBR.
320 reviews37 followers
June 16, 2024
This is a cute cartoon strip with a touch of humor. I thought the animals were adorable, and related heavily to some strips. These were my favorites:


1. Notebook
2. Ever Feel
3. Running
4. Another Mess
5. How’s Life
6. Over This
7. As A Kid
8. Be Mad
9. Doing Well
10. Unstoppable

I’m sure I’ll be seeing these on IG soon enough
Profile Image for Dakota.
62 reviews11 followers
June 22, 2024
This was so cute! The dry humor never misses its mark.
Profile Image for Courtney.
83 reviews1 follower
July 15, 2024
There will never be anything funnier then this comic.
Profile Image for Marnie.
53 reviews
September 18, 2024
Even if you're not familar with Reza Farazmand's name, you've probably seen his webcomic, Poorly Drawn Lines, floating around the internet. Hope It All Works Out has a similarly dry sense of humor. Farazmand's "poorly drawn" world is full of anxious, existential characters navigating life in all its weirdness. Rather than laughing out loud, these comics will make you nod in agreement or shake your head in amusement. It wasn't clear to me why some comics were titled and others weren't. This may have been done to distinguish multi-page comics from shorter ones, but I'm not sure.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Rachel Keith.
38 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2024
I preordered this book as a future gift to myself. Little did I know how much I would need it when the magic mail day came. All 205 pages in one sitting. Love.

This would be the PERFECT thing to buy someone who you know loves a laugh, but you don’t know that well. That coworker whose party you are showing up to as the first non work related thing you are doing and you’re thinking oh my gosh do I go serious or big or small or nothing - LISTEN - you go with this.

Also the perfect gift for people who are awesome and you know well.
And yourself.
I think your dad would love it too.
Profile Image for Dawn Michelle.
2,713 reviews
September 11, 2024
I follow this artist on Insta and was so excited to see he had this booking coming out. I am here to tell you, it is absolutely fantastic!! Some I have seen online [didn't matter, I still laughed/loved them], and many were new to me [more laughter and surprisingly, some deep thoughts about what was on the page], and honestly, this book just made me love Mouse, Bird, Turtle, and Snail [and their absurdity and hilariousness] even more than I already did and was just what I needed in my crazy life.

I highly recommend this to everyone!

Very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Reza Farazmand, and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2024
Reza Farazmand has a new book out September 24: a collection of comics about Mouse, Turtle, Bird, and Snail, which some readers will know as *Poorly Drawn Lines*. Bird is still furious, still smokes, and is wry about the state of the world; Snail remains cool and laid back in his dark glasses; Mouse is often deep in shallow but existential thought, and makes little sense, but in an earnest way; and Turtle is the smart one in a beret.

Farazmand always captures the state of things in a droll and relatable way. *Hope It All Works Out* will be fun for existing fans, but is also sure to win new ones (and will make a great gift for your friends).
Profile Image for Mackenzie Rickit.
271 reviews9 followers
July 31, 2024
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my opinions.

‘Hope It All Works Out’ by Reza Farazmand is a collection of comic strips that brilliantly captures humour and relatability. Having previously encountered some of these comics online, finding an ARC was a delightful surprise, and it certainly lives up to expectations.

Plot: ★★★★☆

The plot delivers absolute comedy gold, filled with sharp wit and amusing scenarios. Farazmand’s ability to turn everyday situations into laugh-out-loud moments is exceptional. The humour is both clever and engaging, making the book a pleasure to read.

Character: ★★★★☆

The characters in the comics are hilariously depicted, each with a unique and memorable personality. Their interactions and reactions are portrayed with a comedic flair that enhances the overall humour of the book. Farazmand’s characters are relatable and entertaining, adding depth to the comic strips.

Illustrations: ★★★★☆

The illustrations are beautiful, complementing the humour with vibrant and expressive artwork. Farazmand’s artistic style adds a visual charm to the already funny content, enhancing the overall reading experience. The illustrations are both detailed and expressive, bringing the characters and scenarios to life.

Engagement: ★★★★☆

The book excels in engagement, drawing readers into its humorous world with ease. The clever dialogue and amusing situations keep readers entertained and invested in the comic strips. The engaging nature of the book makes it hard to put down, encouraging readers to enjoy it in one sitting.

Readability: ★★★★★

Readability is outstanding, with clear and concise text that flows smoothly. Farazmand’s writing style is accessible and enjoyable, ensuring that the humour and storytelling are easily understood and appreciated. The book’s format and language contribute to its excellent readability.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆

‘Hope It All Works Out’ is a highly enjoyable read, filled with laughter and beautiful illustrations. The combination of clever humour, engaging characters, and appealing artwork makes it a standout addition to any collection of comic strips. It’s a delightful and entertaining read for anyone who appreciates humour and visual storytelling.


Reza Farazmand’s ‘Hope It All Works Out’ is a fantastic collection of comics that combines humour with beautiful illustrations. With its engaging plot, hilarious characters, and excellent readability, the book offers a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It’s a must-read for fans of comic strips and anyone in need of a good laugh.
Profile Image for Sirah.
2,066 reviews14 followers
July 29, 2024
Mouse is kind and adventurous but a little depressed.
Crow is always grumpy.
Bear is not very ambitious.
Snail is bad at planning.
Turtle has great fashion sense.
Bird doesn't ever think if he can help it.

There are other characters in this comic series, but I think you get the picture. These animals experience life in a variety of ways and discuss it with one another, almost always in a way that's both painful and hilarious. Although these comics aren't explicitly about mental health, happiness, or the meaning of life, many pages hint at the practical ways we interact with these concepts.

So it's thoughtful, and despite being quite simple, this is also one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. The characters have remarkably insightful things to say, often without realizing it. And even when they are being silly, they do it in a way that really tickles my funny bone. I've laughed out loud many times reading this book, and I cannot wait to share it with my friends and family. I know just enough pessimists and underachievers and people who are weary of toxic positivity that I'm sure I'll be sharing it for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Marie.
247 reviews31 followers
September 20, 2024
I received a copy of this ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this little book from the very first page! It's cute, funny, and relatable. I would definitely buy this book to have at home to share with friends and family. I see this book being a hit with a lot of people!
This little book follows the fun, silly shenanigans and relatable situations of a few animals.

This book claims to be a "poorly drawn lines collection," and while the artwork is simple, I wouldn't call it poorly drawn! I like how simple and easy it is to understand.

Despite how the cover looks, this book isn't tailored to children. You could skip the parts that have swear words (there barely is any, but there are a few) but children wouldn't really understand. Teenagers and adults would relate most to what this book consists of.


✨️Things I liked ✨️

》The characters are funny, and I love how they all have their own personality. Like how the black bird is always grumpy.

》The black bird almost always has a cigarette in its beak, and for some reason, he reminds me of Ricky from Trailor Park Boys. 😂

》There are so many good ones in here that I could see people using as memes! I know I definitely would! They're so relatable.
Profile Image for Dione Basseri.
1,019 reviews42 followers
September 25, 2024
Peak Millennial feelings. I’m sure that you can find these comics all over the Internet, at this point, but I most associate them with Facebook. It’s just…the right audience.

Now, the blurb of this book makes it sound like there’s some deep thoughts here. There decidedly are not. I mean, the closest it gets is discussing the animals being lazy or having imposter syndrome. This comic is highly adapted for those in their 30s and 40s, who really ought to feel like adults, but have never managed that level of being put together.

Now, I will say, I’m not so sure the value of the added content in this book warrants a purchase. There’s no real major bangers. Really, this book is most likely to be a last-minute purchase for someone you don’t know that well. Like, an office Secret Santa. 90% of the appeal of the comic is to share a strip and say something like “it’s me.” Not something you can easily do with a printed book.

That said, it’s entertaining. A fun perusal. But not a pick for someone you KNOW well. And, well if it’s a pick for yourself…well, you know yourself better than I.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Josh .
15 reviews
June 23, 2024
I would like to start this review by praising the illustrations in this book. It is well illustrated; it is simple, clean, and good to look at. Excelled in that area. In terms of the content, it is well written, and the dialogs between the characters are very good and humorous. However, for me, half way through the book, I got quite bored with the dialogs; there are multiple parts where I did not care that much about the characters and their topics. There are certain sections as well where I can relate to what they are talking about, and in there, it did  grab my attention again. I just hoped that this book would grab my attention from the beginning until the end; unfortunately, it did not. However, this is a subjective experience. What did not work for me might work for you. Overall, this is a good book. 3 solid stars. I recommend this.


Appreciation: Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book. 
Profile Image for Ingrid Stephens.
565 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2024
Hope it all works out is the collection from the Poorly Drawn Lines comics of New York bestseller Reza Farazmand.

A collection of silly, sarcastic, and misguided optimism of its characters, Mouse, Bird, Turtle, and Snail.

My favorite has been Mouse, who is ready to fight anyone who challenges his emotional fragility. Underneath the anger and sarcasm is a sweet dose of warmth and naivete.

I was not familar with this comic or its popular webcomic and animated Hulu series before reading this, but I am a fan now.
I enjoyed this collection immensely and recommend it to all who like their comics with a little salt and sugar.

The collection will be released September 24, 2024

Thanks to @netgalley and Andrew McMeet Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Profile Image for Daira.
55 reviews3 followers
September 25, 2024
Like many, I have been seeing these short comics by Reza Farazmand floating around the internet, be it catching posts by the author or just seeing panels shared by friends. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to sit down and go through more than 200 of these in one sitting (coincidentally, during a nightshift at work).

And I have to say, it did not disappoint! Even having gone through such a number of these tiny comics, I still found them entertaining, both the ridiculous ones, and the ones that hit a bit too close to home. Perhaps especially the latter - it's sort of genius how in only 2-3 panels author manages so sum up and deliver on so many universal experiences, making me, as a reader, feel immediately a little less alone. All in all, an enjoyable and super quick read!

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Susanna.
Author 50 books91 followers
June 14, 2024
These comic strips are the highlight of my social media feed when they pop up, so I jumped to a chance to read a whole book of them. And it turns out, they work in quantity too. The laconic insights into life through the eyes of Mouse, Bird, snail and Turtle are funny and poignant. Other characters make appearances too, like some cats, the snake king and the mountain expert. And although it’s called Poorly Drawn Lines, the simple illustrations in full colour work well in conveying a whole range of emotions—unless you’re Bird, of course. Will recommend this for anyone who needs a good chuckle or a new perspective to their problems.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bethea Scovic.
323 reviews5 followers
July 18, 2024
I’ve seen some of these cartoons online and found them to be pretty funny so, I was excited to read this book. The comics address the realities of life’s imperfections in relatable ways. Some of them are laugh out loud funny while others are just okay. I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book like I thought I would. There was a lot of swearing in the comics and it seemed a bit much to me. I also wasn’t a fan of the titles for each new panel. If a comic is really good, it will be self-explanatory and doesn’t need an introduction. I’m sure there are others who will love this comic collection as is, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for honest feedback. 2.5 stars
Profile Image for Patti.
312 reviews2 followers
July 2, 2024
When the world is trash and it feels like everything is happening all of the dang time - which it is and it does - sometimes you need to pause for a laugh or two
Enter this book (which even has an ‘everything keeps happening’ set of panels!)
Some of these laughs are so relatable it hurts, and others are just a nice distraction. Either way, give yourself a minute to unplug and enjoy yourself.
All that *gestures at everything* will still be there, but at least you took a breath. And those relatable comics will make you feel less alone about the stresses and horrors!
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the arc
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews

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