How to Make Friends with the Dark - Kathleen Glasgow

A solid 8/10, not completely meeting my expectations, but providing a needed sense of comfort, nonetheless.

This book explores the aftermath of the death of a loved one, in this case, Tiger's mother. Tiger and her mother were Tiger's whole world, and now all she has is darkness that feels like it will tear her apart. I went into this book expecting it to be so heartbreaking that I couldn't keep reading. I think because it is clearly stated that her mother dies even before you start the book, it wasn't this way for me.

I loved the characters, each having such a unique personality and relationship with Tiger. When her mother dies, her relationship and the way she interacts with all of the other characters drastically changes, even how she acts around her best friend. This made the story feel extremely real to me. It would have been much easier for Kathleen Glasgow to leave Tiger's relationships the same. But instead, she chose to dive in to how something as life changing as losing your mother is going to affect every area of your life, not just a few. Executed to perfection, just this part of the book would earn a 10/10 for me.

I also really enjoyed the way the chapters were set up, as if there weren't any chapters at all but simply a story. It felt very realistic, as life doesn't have a solid structure, it is simply moments, and kept me flipping pages until it was over.

I think Kathleen Glasgow approached this topic really well. It must be a difficult feat in writing, and yet she conquered it, leaving the readers feeling as part of the story. Everything about this book earned it a 10/10, other than the lack of emotional response. Either my expectations were high, or this book was lacking, but it didn't leave me impressed, just comforted, so I give it an 8/10. Definitely a wonderful book, just not my favorite.