Funny Story

Miles Nowak becomes Daphne’s roommate when their exes get together and Daphne needs a place to stay. Initially, Daphne sees Miles as a pot-smoking loser since that’s how Peter characterizes him. However, before long, Daphne realizes Peter is wrong. Through their forced proximity, Daphne sees that Miles is a kind, open-hearted person with a steady job at a winery. Though they initially bond over their shared heartbreak and a desire to emotionally punish their exes by creating a fake relationship, Daphne and Miles soon realize they have physical and emotional chemistry. Miles’s dashing good looks and mysterious tattoos catch Daphne’s eye, but his ease with social situations is most alluring. She says, “[Miles is the] kind that’s disarming enough that you don’t feel nervous talking to him, or like you need to show your best angle” (29). Having always seen herself as socially awkward, Daphne enjoys how she feels with Miles.

The more time Daphne spends with Miles, the more she learns the depth of his character. Deeply connected to his community, Miles brings warmth and positivity to everyone he meets. When Daphne meets Julia, she learns that he’s also a devoted older brother who’s sacrificed his comfort at times to protect his sister from their emotionally abusive parents. When they finally act on their physical attraction and fall headlong into a romance, Miles’s and Daphne’s pasts threaten to derail their future. Miles’s attempt to help Daphne deal with her father becomes a fateful misunderstanding, and she reads his disappearance as just another abandonment. However, once Daphne learns the truth, she knows that Miles is fighting for her heart and can trust him. By being emotionally available and willing to respect and value Daphne as a complete person, Miles demonstrates that men don’t need to be as hypermasculine as Peter. Proving that opposites attract and can work, Miles emerges as the ideal match for Daphne in this season of her life.

Peter is Daphne’s ex-fiancé. He dumped her and abruptly canceled their wedding when his childhood best friend, Petra, declared her love. Peter’s betrayal leaves protagonist Daphne heartbroken and lost in a town where she has few relationships other than those connected to Peter. However, Peter’s actions catalyze Daphne to examine her life and consciously choose to live for herself and not for the acceptance or love of a partner. Daphne uses a fake relationship with her roommate, Miles, to make Peter jealous. Though he’s with Petra, Peter doesn’t want Daphne to be happy without him and tries to sabotage their relationship by making Daphne think Miles is hiding a secret about his family. The more distance Daphne gets from the relationship, the more she realizes that she only fell for Peter because of wounds from her father: “Peter was the exact opposite of my dad, who was occasionally a doting father but rarely a present one” (57). Though he has movie-star good looks, Peter is selfish, and life with him is too controlled and predictable.

Peter’s plans backfire when Daphne’s fake relationship turns real, and she falls in love with Miles. Peter’s false accusations force Miles to face his past and reconcile with his guilt for failing to protect Julia from their parents. After Peter and Petra break up, he crawls back to Daphne, confident he can win her back. Though Peter remains static, Daphne has undergone a dramatic transformation, and she knows Peter is no longer the partner for her. Though Peter shatters Daphne’s heart and their breakup threatens to prevent Daphne from trusting anyone again, ultimately, the end of their relationship is the beginning of a new life for her, one in which she can show up as her authentic self.

Ashleigh is Daphne’s co-worker at the library, and throughout the story, she transforms from a casual acquaintance to Daphne’s best friend. Ashleigh is beautiful but firm and blunt when necessary. Daphne says, “She’s the person that our septuagenarian branch manager, Harvey, deploys when difficult patrons need a firm hand” (22). Overhearing Ashleigh proclaim she needs a night out, Daphne takes a chance and offers to go out with her. Like Daphne and Miles, Ashleigh and Daphne are opposites in many ways. Ashleigh is a mother; she is opinionated and outgoing. However, her personality contrasts with Daphne’s in just the right ways, and the two hit it off almost immediately. Confident and secure in herself, Ashleigh inspires Daphne because she is not afraid to pursue what she wants. Ashleigh is not just a charismatic side character; her uncompromising personality helps Daphne transform her life and become a trusted friend.

Along with Miles’s Sunday outings, Ashleigh exposes Daphne to new experiences in the town. Moreover, she introduces her to other people by inviting her to the poker club, further widening Daphne’s social circle. Soon, Daphne, Miles, and Ashleigh spend time together, forming a tiny family that helps Daphne feel less alone. Since she is a single mother in her 40s, Ashleigh doesn’t have time for shallow friendships. She demands that Daphne be willing to be transparent and vulnerable so that their friendship can work. Her insistence that Daphne share her baggage shows her intent to form a serious friendship, not just a casual acquaintance. Though her upfront nature at first makes Daphne uncomfortable, it’s just the push she needs to take a risk in forging a new friendship. Her blossoming connection with Ashleigh sometimes makes Daphne nostalgic for her lost friendship with Sadie. However, after Daphne and Ashleigh hit a rough patch and then make amends, Daphne learns that not all friendships fail, and she gains the courage to reach out to Sadie and begin repairing their friendship.