Review: Too Dark to See by Chloë Heuch

Too Dark to See is not just another story about a teenage girl grieving her mother, although it is that too. At its core, this is a story about love and all the different kinds of love; familial love, romantic love, as well as the love that comes from our friends.

The novel follows our protagonist, Kay, as she tries to navigate the world after the tragic death of her mother. It encompasses a whole range of firsts for Kay, as she has to move to a new town, navigate teenage friendships, and grow up a lot faster than she perhaps would have otherwise. Whilst reading, it was often difficult to remind myself that Kay was only fifteen and sixteen years old throughout the span of the story. This is what makes Too Dark to See unique when there are so many contemporary YA stories out there that contain similar themes of grief. Heuch has masterfully written how grief can affect a person in a way that they cannot even see it, making this a book well worth reading.

This book’s writing style has a mythical, fairy tale-like quality to it. The reader feels almost detached from the story yet connected to it all at once. It is an odd feeling, but one that I think makes sense when you read the book. It is just another way that the author conveys the grief-filled emotions of Kay to readers.

I particularly loved when Kay meets and forms a bond with Siôn, for he is like a kindred spirit to her. He has also been through a lot, but he shares the peace that he has found in nature with Kay. She then discovers hope and purpose in the wildlife of the world that has taken so much from her in a really beautiful way.

This book is at times hard to read, but all-in-all, it is a special read that I highly recommend.

Niamh O’Donnell