Review: How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
SYNOPSIS:
Here is what happens when your mother dies.
It’s the brightest day of summer and it’s dark outside. It’s dark in your house, dark in your room, and dark in your heart. You feel like the darkness is going to split you apart.
That’s how it feels for Tiger. It’s always been Tiger and her mother against the world. Then, on a day like any other, Tiger’s mother dies. And now it’s Tiger, alone.
Here is how you learn to make friends with the dark.
REVIEW:
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
This book was just as dark and heavy as I anticipated. I knew going in after reading the synopsis that this book was going to weigh heavily upon my heart, and sometimes the world needs books like this. Sometimes we need to be emotionally gutted and that is exactly what this novel will do.
I really enjoyed how beautiful How to Make Friends with the Dark was. Haunting, poignant, and an accurate portrayal of how there isn’t a guide for grief. Sometimes the darkness swallows us whole, and we just have to give in and wallow before finding any semblance of light. And boy did Tiger wallow, I was drowning in her pain and anguish, there were several moments when I wondered if it would ever get better? Will her pain ever lighten? And watching the harsh reality of her life play out was both heartbreaking and moving.
There were just several things that I thought took away from the story, starting with the names. Tiger and Cake, while adorable, they are childish. I would have loved to see more mature nicknames as this book is centered around teenagers. Secondly, Tiger has a fleeting romance that happens but goes up in flames after her mother passes. I thought this took away from her grief and while I understand that lashing out does occur when you are going through grief, I don’t think this was the right way to approach it. I just didn’t care for the anger and outburst, it was an unnecessary distraction from the main story line.
In the end, there was a semblance of hope. And though it took a couple months, the pain does ease, it doesn’t go away but Kathleen Glasgow accurately portrays the struggles and constant reminders of the loved ones we lost. A must read for any teen struggling with grief and the loss of a loved one.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
