You Will Get Through This Night

Starred review from March 19, 2021

Howell (The Amazing Book is Not on Fire) has written a book that could be read in tandem with Matt Haig's The Midnight Library. With the same themes of choice, fate, and decision-making, Howell's book offers practical guidance on handling life's toughest experiences, both in the immediate moment and in the short- and long-term aftermath. The author discusses breathwork, grounding, and mindfulness and recommends that readers learn these strategies before they need them so that they're second nature during a crisis. He offers useful ways to recover in the physical body following an experience that causes stress or anxiety, and provides ideas for working within different healing modalities to ensure that trauma is recognized, addressed, and dealt with in highly individualized, evolving ways. Exercises on developing empathy and compassion for the self are featured throughout. VERDICT Bold, raw, and powerful, Howell's book--which also draws from his own experiences--becomes one thread of a narrative about finding hope and healing. It doesn't ever feel too positive, simplistic, reductive, or one-dimensional. Like his previous books, this one will find a wide audience.--Emily Bowles, Lawrence Univ., WI

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