Review by Frank Plowright

A pleasing first discovery about A Quick & Easy Guide to Healthy Relationships is the broad scope covered. This isn’t just about relationships between two people, although that features, but concerns all sorts of relationships an individual has with the wider world.

Mariah-Rose Marie dispenses advice under eight chapters starting with boundaries, then moving through conflict, family, partners, friends, work, communities and healing & forgiveness. Fundamentally everything distils down to treating other people the way you’d want to be treated yourself, but this isn’t as obvious as it might be to a fair number of people who lack any self awareness. Marie therefore explains the necessities for those who are well-intentioned enough to look at the book, but perhaps aren’t as well attuned to the signals others give off as they might be. In explaining boundaries it’s noted this doesn’t just mean physical boundaries, but perhaps not expressing an opinion on a matter if it’s known to be offensive to someone else in the conversation. Religion is an easy foot in mouth moment.

Some chapters recap the content of earlier Quick & Easy guides. Is it necessary, for instance, to be given labels for all forms of attraction when discussing relationships? Especially as the characters are all drawn as humanoid animals, so making diversity implicit. However, as with the other chapters, the fundamental advice is practical and sound. It’s perhaps of greatest value in making people consider how they might be taken advantage of in the workplace, where a removed view of the environment can be invaluable.

The cartooning prioritises clarity, but isn’t without whimsical little moments. In places Marie can step away from the discipline to provide vibrant illustrations, and younger readers will be drawn to the varied activities before the smart advice.

Ultimately, Marie is producing a wish list. When it comes to conflict, for instance, it’s rare that rationality and process over-rides anger, but at least if we’re educated to consider circumstances more, then outcomes might improve. She’s also aware that some situations offer no easy escape route, and backs up advice and explanations with a hefty resource section to end the book.

All in all, we’d be happier if we got on with more people, and this offers a solid starting point.