A friend in the dark by Pascal Ruter

Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406372601
(Age: 12+) The novel A Friend in the Dark is a sweet story that makes its readers evaluate their prior knowledge of blindness and becoming blind. Written in a way that makes you wonder about the universe and all that is around you, A Friend in the Dark is captivating and thoughtful. The story revolves around Victor who lives with his dad (an antiques trader), and is a failure when it comes to school and being social. He is good friends with a boy called Haisam, and while Haisam (the Honourable) is a genius (who plays chess every day with his father, and is believed to be all powerful and all-knowing according to Victor), Victor, himself, does what he can to scrape by and not cause trouble. This all changed one day when a classmate starts to take notice of Victor, and he suddenly (and as a surprise to everyone) gets a decent mark at something he has no clue about, particularly, maths. Where did this knowledge come from? Why is his classmate Marie taking much more notice of him that she usually does? Maybe there's something deeper going on here than a classmate taking pity on a peer who is dismal in the academic setting . . .
The book A Friend in the Dark is written in a soft way that allows readers to understand the mind and thoughts of Victor. The style of writing, perspective, and themes in this book are like the preferred writing style of John Green and his young adult novels; true love, mystery, and a strong first-person perspective. This novel would be well suited for teens and young adults (12+) because of the character development, concepts, and themes. This book gave a different light to some concepts and developments that others may find relatable in life; whether it's school, social life, family life, or even medical issues, this book is warm and easy to read with its relaxed and characteristic narration style. A Friend in the Dark is definitely a friend for those who love to get lost in a fictional world.
Sarah Filkin