Some Kind of Comfort

Once again, it was a privilege to be an Advance Reader for Gary Clark’s new book, Some Kind of Comfort. It’s totally different from his Interland books, which are a dystopian fantasy series. This one is real-life, sensitively dealing with issues that many teenagers have suffered or are suffering with. Charley is our protagonist. A sixteen-year-old girl with severe anxiety issues and ‘thought tangles’, her anxiety has caused Charley numerous problems as she has been growing up, but right now, they’ve hit what is hopefully the peak and she begins to deal with them. Admitted to a psychiatric unit for children and young people, Charley makes friends with a group of people who are on the same wavelength as she is and, slowly, with therapy and the understanding she needs, she begins her road to recovery. Gary Clark is an awesome author, and he has dealt with the topics in this book brilliantly. He delves into each character and we begin to understand why they have the issues they have and how they can be dealt with, with the correct help and support. There are poignant moments throughout the story, each described brilliantly, and we also realise how difficult it is to be the person on the outside looking in. Parents, siblings and friends are also affected when their loved ones are suffering from mental health problems. I rarely include trigger warnings in reviews, but I think in this case; they are warranted. Some Kind of Comfort includes issues of self-harm, severe anxiety, eating disorders, OCD and suicide. That aside, this book is well worth a read. Aimed at a Young Adult audience, it will just as easily be enjoyed by adults who may appreciate it from a position of parents and carers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Some Kind of Comfort and I’d like to thank the author for allowing me to be part of his Advance Reader Team.