Author: Kathleen Glasgow
Publisher: Random House Children's
Genre: Contemporary
Release Date: April 9th
Pages: 416
Format: eARC via NetGalleyOrder your copy here.
*I want to thank to Random House Children's and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't effect in any way on my opinion on book*
How to make friends with the dark is a book about grief. It's a book about what it means to be left alone. It's about a girl named Grace (although she prefers to be called Tiger) and a giant hole inside her. This book will tell you how she became a friend with the dark.
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.(source:goodreads)
It's really hard to talk about this book. Not just because of spoilers, but because this book broke my heart. On multiple occasions I had to put this book down because it would make my cry, and I just couldn't go on. It's really hard to imagine what it feels like to be left alone in this world. That feeling, to be without a mother... That feeling creeped into me while I was reading this book. It's really important to have this kind of books. Books that deal with grief, books that shows young people that it's okay to feel sad and that they are not alone. This book made me cry, it made my heart ache and it left me heartbroken. But it also gave me hope, hope that sometimes, everything turns out how it's supposed to be. Sometimes, you learn to make friends with the dark.
"Life has this, life has that, and then something else comes along again, like a wave. We ride the waves. You go down, you go up, you go down, sometimes you just drift."
As I was starting this book, I had a hard time continuing it, because at the very start of the book, it broke me and it was hard to pick it up again. But, somewhere at the middle, I just couldn't put it down.
When it comes to writing style, it was exquisite! It was unusual, but it worked out so well! Also, I love how honest and raw Tiger's voice is. I must admit, I didn't agree with all of her decisions on her path to being whole again, but I could understand them.
Characters were really developed. Even the minor ones. I loved how we see that there are good foster homes but there also bad ones. Lala's character was so good! She is so kind, and caring, and she really loves kids. All of them. And whenever she talked with Tiger, you could feel warmth in her voice. Also, Teddy was an amazing character as well! She was stiffer than Lala, but I still loved her very much! When it comes to Georgia, though... You'll have to meet her, to see how foster home can be awful.
But when it comes to children in those homes... All of them broke my heart. It's so painful to me, everytime I think about it, how many kids are homeless. How many are left alone. And then, when they should feel safe, they go to foster home that makes everything even worse. It happens everywhere around the world, and I hope that will change one day.
Tiger didn't have a lot of friends. She had only one. Cake. Cake was a person who was always there for her. She was her support. And she is that all till the end. This is one more example of good female friendship in YA literature.
"Who would ever guess that it isn't your bones or your blood or your heart that keeps everything humming along inside you, it's your freaking mom, and when she's dead, it all disappears."
When it comes to male characters, we have Kai and Thaddeus. Kai is a first boy Tiger was in love with. He stole her heart. And her first kiss. She thought that will last. But he left her after he heard her mother died. And I must admit, I hated him for it. How could a person could do that? I think Kai is a perfect example how a person shouldn't act, never.
But Thaddeus was such a good character! I loved how kind and thoughtful he is, how he cares about other kids in Lala's home, even though he's adopted. He was a really good friend to Tiger, and I love that their relationship stayed on that - friendship.
And, at last, Shayna. Shayna is a really complex character. She is just a girl whose sister is left alone. And it's a sister that messed up her parents marriage. But nevertheless, she came. She was hard to love at the beginning, but with time, I really came to love her. I can't imagine how hard is to be a caregiver at 20 to someone who's only 16. But she managed to do it and I am so happy that we have sisters in this book that care about each other, even though they are thrown at each other. I loved how kind she was with Tiger and how protective they were of each other.
"Girl, you are in the shit and you will not be getting out soon. So here is how to make friends with the dark."
If you love books that have strong friendship, sisters that care about each other and amazing parent figures, than this is the book for you. In this book you will find well developed characters, amazing writing style and one and unforgettable Tiger, how will get under your skin forever. This book will break you, it will make you cry, but at the end, your heart will be filled with the hope that maybe someday every Tiger on this world will find Shayna. That every Tiger in this world will be loved and cared for. That they will not have to make friends with the dark.
Rating: 5 stars
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