A review by katsmedialibrary
But You Have Friends by Emilia McKenzie

5.0

Emilia met her best friend C in 1999. They were still friends in 2018 when C died by suicide after an extended battle with borderline personality disorder. The author and illustrator Emilia takes us through the story of their friendship as well as what is left after one of them is no longer present.

In 2009, I met a friend who was undeniably one of my 'people.' We were still friends in 2015 when she died by suicide, though it was myself who had had brushes with suicide in the past, not her.

Needless to say, this graphic memoir hit close to home. It said all the things I wanted to say to everyone around me during the summer after my friend's death. But you just don't answer 'my friend killed herself' to a casual 'how are you?' 

Emilia's illustrations are simple and colorless but they aren't the driving focus of this story. You don't need them because instead you're seeing that special friend in your life, if you have one. The story that progresses is so specific to Emilia, and yet so achingly universal to those of us who have lost one of our people, to those of us who have struggled with our mental health, to those of us who have felt inadequate while trying to help a friend.

I feel so honored to have the opportunity to read this book. It is an opportunity for healing that I didn't know I needed. It is a breath of fresh air in a world where we still fear to put words to these experiences. Graphic memoir is such a special genre and But You Have Friends is an outstanding addition to it.

Thank you to IDW Publishing, Top Shelf Productions, and Net Galley for the ARC.
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