Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - How to Make Friends with the Dark

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How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

18 reviews

cpreeta6's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Please check the content warnings of the book before reading it. If you are feeling even a bit down, I would suggest not picking the book up.

Its a story about a girl who lost her only parent, her Mom, and how she deals with the world after that. She goes about her life finding herself alone, and then not. It's about found family, yet it is mainly about grief, and how different people deal with it.

Emotional. Packs a punch. The second person perspective made it hit harder than it should have.

A few things at the end feel rushed - I felt they were added as an afterthought... Just to add more pain and suffering in the character's life, or to introduce a few characters at the last moment.

Some thought provoking questions were asked, some tear jerking scenes. Can make you cry.

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hello_ned's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book broke me. Even though I was constantly crying, I couldn't stop reading this book.

Glasgow intimately describes the heart-break of grief and recovery. You're aimless, angry, sad, sick, embarassed, ashamed, anxious, and every other emotion under the sky. A lot of the emotions are "repetitive" but grief is repetitive. A lot of it is tears and pain and time moving so fast yet so slowly. I would say the pace of this book is very good and enjoyable, but quite fast in retrospect. Tiger goes through a LOT in about 2 months. Each time I wanted to stop, something big happened and I HAD to keep reading.

It was important to Glasgow to show how common pain is for children. Many children suffered through abusive families, drug abuse, disability, homelessness, discrimination... and they all carry that pain deep inside. Sometimes it comes out in "inappropriate" ways-- but really, how can grief be inappropriate? How can you get over it? What do you even do now?

All of the characters are so fleshed out, real, and imperfect. Each character is distinct and has their own voice and importance. Remembering characters is a really difficult thing for me, and that wasn't a problem here.

Ironically, for such a sad book, I have never audibly laughed and cheered so much when reading a book. I yelled out at work when

Tiger slapped the tooth out of Ellen and shoved Kai. I cheered even more when her sister came down to defend Tiger, turning the tables with the principle-- highlighting how little school systems actually take bullying seriously. Why is it always the kids fault when they act out against the relentless bullying and torment? And why do the bullies never get punished?

The main character isn't perfect, but life is shit enough already- let alone for a poor teenager who just lost her mum (and much more I cant spoil.) Tiger's down-to-earth humour and ability to laugh at herself and the situation she comes to call "the big suck" is endearing and warm. I just want to give her a big hug.

I have never (knock on wood) lost anyone close to me, but I was really enthralled in this life. I can imagine it was only a fraction of the pain people in her position feel.

This is one of those important books- a book that everyone needs to read and feel, and reread at different stages of their lives. It's something I'll be keeping on my shelf and carrying inside me throughout my life.

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antjes_reads08's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This was so a beautiful heartbreaking story!!💔😭

This book
is for the grievers
this book
is for the left behind
this book is for every broken heart
searching for a home!💖
Kathleen Glasgow

Now that you are loved, and that will always be someone for you!!!!❤️

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alanacicc's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Heartbreaking. I cried. I also cried even more during the author’s note.

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taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

How To Make Friends With The Dark by Kathleen Glasgow was beautifully written and all around heartbreaking. I fell in love with the characters quickly, and thought they were well flushed out throughout the book. I think this story captures the complicated feeling of grief, especially in an overwhelming situation. In their author’s note, Glasgow refers to the fact that we have to do better for children in these situations, and I couldn’t agree more. Seeing the difficulties other characters are going through alongside Tiger helps put into perspective the systems many of us are unaware of on a daily basis. I think this book takes on a number of really difficult topics, but it portrays them all in a digestible way. I feel as though we grieve alongside Tiger throughout her journey, as we learn more details and get pulled from situation to situation. If you’re looking for a book that will validate feelings of grief in numerous different forms, and make you cry page after page (in a good way) then this emotional journey is definitely for you. This book makes you think about the implication of words, and the memories you want left behind with those you love while helping you process feelings you might be experiencing yourself, have experienced in the past, or may experience in the future. Despite Tiger being young, and the additional struggles that come with that, the grief process feels genuine and natural for her character. I truly enjoyed it, despite reading it through blurry eyes with a box of tissues tucked beside me, so if you can stomach grief that’s not your own, very much feeling like it is your own, I would give this one a read.

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