There Is a Door in This Darkness

A gentle book about grief, healing, friendship, and staying connected during difficult, isolating times

Bewertung am 25.06.2024
Bewertungsnummer: 2230438
Bewertet: Buch (Gebundene Ausgabe)

I'm sure this book hits quite differently when you're a US citizen, but even as a European keeping up with the US news some moments hit too close to home, especially with the upcoming election. This book is rooted so firmly in reality that I wouldn't recommend it if the topics of the pandemic or the US political climate are uncomfortable for you, as they are an integral part of the story. Still, there are moments of magic, woven into the reality of November 2020. I enjoyed the non-linear storytelling, switching back and forth between the main character's present and her past, showing her growing friendship with her two best friends and her close connection to her three great aunts that are at the heart of the book. Kristin Cashore is so good at exploring different kinds of relationships and at creating main characters that aren't perfect but that you are still rooting for. I saw so much of my own grouchiness in Wilhelmina, my need for peace and quiet and my tendency to get overwhelmed by too many people, so her behaviour, while quite rude in places, was always understandable to me (and acted as a bit of a mirror). While overall not my favourite Cashore book (Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue are still tied for that spot), this was a lovely story that I am sure I will revisit in the future.