Kiss of Broken Glass

Self harming is quite common amongst young adults. I self harmed for well over a decade starting around the age of 12, and I had already attempted suicide 3 times by this age. Self harming actually saved my life as it gave me an outlet for my severe depression.

This book is honestly a horrid take on it and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who thinks that maybe it'd help a child in their life or if they're wanting to understand more on the topic. Self mutilation is a first or last resort to escape from feeling emotional/mental anguish, and not usually the result of a group of girls doing it just because they think it's cool. It is a cry for help and if a group of kids say they're doing it for the heck of it - I'd take that with a grain of salt as people who indulge frequently with self harm (cutting, burning, harming themselves in some physical manner) are doing so because it gives them reprieve.

Not to dismiss peer pressure, but peer pressure is at its most effective when you're already struggling mentally with some issue or another and you want to fit in to absolve other personal issues. No one would jump off a bridge unless they thought the bridge would solve their problems. Kids especially have a hard time at thinking forward in life, not seeing future consequences and want relief in the moment. Further making that bridge jumping appealing. Bridge metaphor aside I felt this author was not skilled enough to make this a nuance subject on peer pressure, and or feeling lost as a teen and how one may go down that path of self harm outside of “but these girls told my kid it was cool to cut!”

Yes lady, the girls introduced your kid to self harm, but nature/nurture is a consideration as to why a kid would continue with self harm if it - seemingly - brought them no relief. I'm just not sure what the author was wanting out of this book to be written. Did they want to know what societal issues and pressures of young adults go through to lead them self harming? Did they want to just shame other parents into not being aware of their own children and what they're up to behind the bleachers? Did they want to provide solace to the young readers who pick up this book who self harm themselves? It was all over the place and my take away was just that the author wanted to put her frustrations into words with no greater purpose.

When tackling a subject as critical as self harm or suicidal ideation I do feel it is the authors obligation to go beyond personal experience/bias and provide a narrative that allows for a reader to feel cared for in the end.

I have never understood cutting, and probably never will. I feel it's important to know it exists, however and this book sheds new light on the topic: competitive cutting (yikes!) When Kenna is Baker Acted into a ward for 72 hours she is forced to take a good look at herself. Here is what I loved about the book: Kenna's growth is mature and well written. Is it realistic? I don't know. If this book can help even one kid facing an addition of any nature, then it rocks. I could have done without the hint of romance, and would have liked more of Skylar (perhaps her story would make a great companion novel?) Mostly, I'd like to see this in the hands of moms. I didn't know it was this prevalent, and it is a topic that I have discussed many times with my own teen girls (both of whom have friend who have cut).

Read for April, a novel in verse.