#Review: Mrs Funnybones Returns by Twinkle Khanna

When approaching Mrs Funnybones, a brief clarification feels necessary—particularly because the book is often and rather loosely described as a work of fiction. It is not. This is episodic, column-style writing that does not demand emotional investment, narrative immersion, or sustained memory. Its aim is straightforward: to entertain without exhausting, to make you smirk, nod, and quietly say the same. Drawing from familiar Indian middle- and upper-middle-class settings, the book functions as relief reading—self-contained, easy to dip into, and unconcerned with a cumulative arc or promised payoff.

Much of the humour unfolds within Khanna’s own household. Her husband appears as the man of the house, her son as the prodigal son, and her daughter—aptly labelled Ms Smart Pants—often becomes the point where wit and wisdom attempt, and frequently fail, to move across generations. These speaker labels create instant recognition, allowing readers to see fragments of their own homes reflected at them. Encounters with guests, quiet midlife anxieties, and the unspoken urge to have the last word recur across essays, lending the book a familiar, looping rhythm.

That rhythm also marks its limitation. The observations tend to revisit the same territory rather than expand it, giving the writing a repetitive quality. Yet this is softened by the book’s thoughtful layout, playful illustrations, and clean, conversational language. The transitions are smooth, the adages easy to relate to, and the tone remains steady and assured. Even when the ideas feel known, they are presented with enough ease to remain agreeable rather than wearing.

Taken as a whole, Mrs Funnybones Returns feels like a breath of fresh air—light, witty, and quietly reassuring. It does not attempt to transform the reader or offer grand insight. Instead, it holds up a mirror to the everyday circus most of us inhabit and, through gentle self-deprecation, invites us to smile at the small ironies of our own lives. In laughing at these familiar follies, the book offers something modest but welcome: a moment of recognition, a brief pause, and a shared chuckle at destiny’s sense of humour.

Find this book here.