Content warning- this book contains discussions of suicide ideation, suicide attempts, self-harm, and mental illness.

This book perfectly describes the ways in which we see only the outside perspective of a person struggling with mental illness and just how incorrect those views can be. Seeing the friendship and story develop between two childhood friends, one of whom struggles immensely with depression and suicide ideation, the other, struggling to understand how her friend could struggle so immensely when she has friends, popularity, and good looks. This book will challenge readers to check-in on their "tough" friends, their friends who appear to have it all. It will support the grief that comes along with not being able to save a friend from themself.

Marking this as DNF, as the illustration and narrating style is not for me. The synopsis sounded good, but meh, not worth it.

But You Have Friends is a story written from a unique perspective: From the point of view of a woman--the author--whose close friend commits suicide. The point in this story is not the depression or even the suicide itself, but the friendship Emilia shared for many years with her friend. As usually happens, they eventually developed separate lives, and Emilia failed to take seriously enough what is clear to her and us now, that she was seriously intending to end her life. So we need books about suicide, how to support suicidal people, and this book does speak to us about that, but it also speaks to the guilt, shame, anguish--and for a long time, the grief--of a loss through suicide. The process for Emilia. I found it simple in a way, not too ambitious in scope, and ultimately moving. And positive, though cautionary in some ways, too.

This book really opened my eyes to the friendships that evolve from so much trust. In the end you learn of the feelings of grief, yet reflect on the past to get where you are at this very moment. It is hard to put into words when someone is mentally unstable but does not show it. Many do not see the affects of mental disease. "But You Have Friends" is just one example of many trials of depression in someone you love.

I don’t think it’s in my place to rate this. Paying homage to a friend that has passed. This graphic memoir follows Emilia and Charlotte’s friendship over the years through many ups and downs. It was a great way to keep her memory alive and keep the great stories alive. My only feedback is I wish graphics had a bit of color to them, but other than that great graphic novel.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed this graphic memoir. I appreciated the note at the beginning letting me know that this was not meant to be a treatise on grief or a biography of a lost friend, but instead just a vision of their friendship. It was hard for me to not make personal attachments to Emilia and Charlotte - we are about the same age and love all the same bands. I really loved Emilia's glimpses into her friendship with Charlotte and feel privileged to have been let in to something so special. Though this is certainly not a guide on how to deal with death, I do think it is helpful to see people dealing with the same things that you have.

This is what I needed to read after losing my best friend to suicide. I wish I had this in the months after it happened. I wish I had it to read and reread and reread and reread during the worst grieving days. But I have it now and that's cool as fuck. Very thankful to the author for making this.

Summary:

Emilia and Charlotte were the best of friends from the moment they met. They had so much in common and grew closer growing up together. That is until the unthinkable happened: Charlotte died in 2018 after struggling with depression for years.

Everything in But You Have Friends is Emilia's tribute to her late friend. It's a collection of their memories – a way of immortalizing and sharing these moments with the world. This way, her dear friend and those memories can live on.

My Review:

Wow. Get ready to be hit in the feels. Honestly, But You Have Friends would have hit hard had it been a work of fiction. Knowing that it is all real, with real people, struggles, and memories, makes it more impactful.

I love and respect Emilia McKenzie's brutal and beautiful honesty in this graphic novel. This must have taken so much courage and passion for writing. I give her all the credit in the world for sharing her friend's story. Thank you.

While this is a highly emotional read, it is also powerful. I am so happy to have had the chance to read it.

Highlights:
Graphic Novel
Highly Emotional
True Story

Trigger Warnings:
Death of a Friend
Depression
Suicide

This was a touching reflection on friendship and grief. It hit a bit too close to home for me, so I may revisit after some time.

Must be special for the author but I guess it was ok. I’m not judging their friendship but the overall book. Since she has decided to share this story with the world I had this idea in my mind that the author would share the ways that worked for her while she recovers from the loss but there wasn’t anything like that. It’s a short read with less than 120 pages but it wasn’t an easy journey. So please check the trigger warnings before you start reading.

Emilia writes openly and honestly about losing her friend, Charlotte, to her battle with mental health.

She reflects deeply on her friendship with Charlotte. The feelings of regret and self-doubt about whether she was a good enough friend and if she could have done more for Charlotte. She walks us through different stages of life where the friends collided. Whether they were relying on phone calls or spending days together, Emilia's recollection of their friendship was beautiful.

For me, the illustrations were lacking in this book. When it comes to a graphic novel, I feel that the drawings play a huge role in setting the scene and even carrying the plot of the story. We rely on the character drawings to show emotions and also to differentiate between the characters. Although I had no trouble differentiating between the characters, I didn't feel that the illustrations added anything to the story. The lack of colour was not necessarily an issue as it does fit the tone of the book. But I would have liked to see more details and character development through them.

Overall, if you have experienced the loss of someone you love, whether it be a friend or a family member, this book is a loving hug. Emilia makes you feel less alone by sharing her and Charlotte's friendship and her grief after losing her best friend.

Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Emilia Mckenzie's "But You Have Friends" is exploration of the grief and loss she felt when her best friend committed suicide. Charlotte was her closest friend and confidant, from when they were teens to their 30s. When Charlotte dies, Emilia becomes unmoored - floating around, lost in a world without her closest friend to anchor her. This is the story of their friendship, and then the loss of that relationship.

This one hit me right in the feels. A loving tribute to friendship and loss.

Thank you, NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for EARC in exchange for honest review.


This made me tear up and it would because it’s a story about grief and trying to find the will to go on without that person you were so close with and the struggles of wishing you could have done more. I would put this more towards 3.75 stars only cause i wish their was more story line with C, herself. I loved the friendship and the characters very much & felt the love and pain these two shared.

I’d love to see Emilia and C’s story if it was turned into a romantic relationship, too. Because it gave that impression that their friendship was more.

[Trigger warning: loss of friend, suicide, depression]

This book is a commemorate of the friendship of the author Emi and her late friend C.

The art style and the way the story is presented isn’t the book’s strong suit, that for sure. it was flat and lacking a lot, and sometimes you couldn’t distinguish between the characters. But well, that doesn’t seem important next to the message this book holds. Yet, the book wasn’t for me, I’m sure both the ladies are amazing people. it’s such a tragedy, and I hope everyone involved are doing well regardless. But I just wasn’t connected to them at all, so i have no feelings towards this book, unfortunately.

Trigger warnings: suicide, nudity(just once).

I loved this book. I admire the courage it must have taken the author to write it, she is extremely strong after all the hardships she had to go through.
I enjoyed the memories and moments she recounts of her friend. Through her writing she will live on in some way in our memories.
I have lost people in the last few weeks and it is hard to move on. This book allowed me to cry, to know that I was not alone and that it was okay to hurt.
It will surely remain a book that I will read from time to time when I feel the need!

This was a spare, sad book. I really appreciated a look at grief around the death of a friend because I didn't think we see that very much. That said, I didn't feel like I got a good feel for either of their personalities. It was almost too spare.

But You Have Friends is a graphic novel memoir by Emelia McKenzie. Emelia met her best friend Charlotte, referenced commonly as C in 1999. The two became close friends in school after often feeling like outcasts. In 2018 C lost her battle with her mental health and died by suicide. Emelia to cope with her grief eventually wrote this memoir to commemorate their friendship of 20 years. Living with mental illness is not easy, but it is also not what defines us to our loved ones as seen by the story that Emelia chooses to share about C. There is always hope. There is always someone who cares. But it’s also important to know it’s not easy either.

This book is so important and a beautiful testimony to a clearly beautiful friendship.

My sincerest thanks to NetGalley and Top Shelf Productions for this ARC.

I started reading this book right after finishing CosmoKnights, which is a very colorful adventure story full of exciting sci fi fight scenes... That was a mistake. This graphic novel has no color and the panels are almost all the same shape and size. A very stark contrast, which made it harder for me to appreciate this book in the beginning. I did like it, though. It felt very personal and real. And I got very emotional reading it.

My favorite book niche is graphic memoirs. I am glad to see the trend in recent years in addressing difficult life topics through this medium. This book fits that description to a T.

One of my criticisms of this genre type, and it applies here, is if there’s no color being used, it is extremely important to differentiate characters. Sometimes it is hard to tell who exactly is being depicted in a frame. Is this a new person or a person we already know who has slightly changed appearance over time or is making a face we haven’t seen them do yet? Especially if they’re minor characters, err on the side of not introducing too many which adds to the confusion.

I would love to know more about C. She sounds like she was an incredibly compassionate person and just the right kind of friend.