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kelly_e's review
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
Title: Is This Scary?
Author: Jacob Scheier
Genre: Poetry
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: April 13 2021
Thank you to ECW Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
T H R E E • W O R D S
Profound • Challenging • Personal
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Is This Scary? is a collection of poems which travels deep into illness and suffering - both physical and mental. Poet, Jacob Scheier recounts his own experiences, as well as those of others, through a series of poems, and pushing back against the stigma surrounding illness. He challenges the mainstream notion of "triumphing" over illness in favour of illness being an ongoing journey; one which needs to be expressed, explored and honoured.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was originally drawn to this collection after reading the premise. As someone who has anxiety, and has lost a loved one to mental suffering, reading and advocating for mental health is something I am passionate about. For me, this collection of poems is necessary. Through metaphor and dark humour, Jacob Scheier has delivered a raw and honest portrayal of the cyclical nature of illness, exploring suicide, mood, medication and institutionalization, all while attempting to break down barriers and provide an alternative perspective on how society views and approaches illness. Poetry is such a subjective genre, that it's often hard to find fault or criticize. What I can say is I was unable to fully experience these powerful poems for all that they are for several reasons, but mainly the abstract language. I feel as though I could have put in hours of external research in order to gain a fuller appreciation, yet I didn't necessarily have the time to do so. The author's prose is so wonderfully constructed and offers a variety of styles, but this is just not my style of poetry. My personal favourites included "To My Friends Who Did Not Visit Me in the Mental Hospital", "Harold & Maude Revisited" and "Wanting to Not Want to Die". I cannot conclude my review without mentioning how the cover artwork is the perfect depiction for what the author is trying to relay - that everyone experience illness and suffering differently like the ink blot. People will see things differently, making it unique and
so deeply personal, and in that way it demonstrates the powerful grip it has and how it needs to be honoured and embraced.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• short poetry readers
• readers between abstract and contemporary poetry
• mental health advocates
• those experiencing their own mental health journeys
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
From God as We Understood Him
"In the fall of your relapse
I admitted to myself
and no one else, I miss
what I once misunderstood."
From Harold & Maude Revisited
"I want to
tell you
those were the first good tears
I've fallen in a year & I don't
know exactly what made me cry. It's something I like
about tears,
again--
they're so unreasonable."
Author: Jacob Scheier
Genre: Poetry
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: April 13 2021
Thank you to ECW Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review
T H R E E • W O R D S
Profound • Challenging • Personal
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Is This Scary? is a collection of poems which travels deep into illness and suffering - both physical and mental. Poet, Jacob Scheier recounts his own experiences, as well as those of others, through a series of poems, and pushing back against the stigma surrounding illness. He challenges the mainstream notion of "triumphing" over illness in favour of illness being an ongoing journey; one which needs to be expressed, explored and honoured.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was originally drawn to this collection after reading the premise. As someone who has anxiety, and has lost a loved one to mental suffering, reading and advocating for mental health is something I am passionate about. For me, this collection of poems is necessary. Through metaphor and dark humour, Jacob Scheier has delivered a raw and honest portrayal of the cyclical nature of illness, exploring suicide, mood, medication and institutionalization, all while attempting to break down barriers and provide an alternative perspective on how society views and approaches illness. Poetry is such a subjective genre, that it's often hard to find fault or criticize. What I can say is I was unable to fully experience these powerful poems for all that they are for several reasons, but mainly the abstract language. I feel as though I could have put in hours of external research in order to gain a fuller appreciation, yet I didn't necessarily have the time to do so. The author's prose is so wonderfully constructed and offers a variety of styles, but this is just not my style of poetry. My personal favourites included "To My Friends Who Did Not Visit Me in the Mental Hospital", "Harold & Maude Revisited" and "Wanting to Not Want to Die". I cannot conclude my review without mentioning how the cover artwork is the perfect depiction for what the author is trying to relay - that everyone experience illness and suffering differently like the ink blot. People will see things differently, making it unique and
so deeply personal, and in that way it demonstrates the powerful grip it has and how it needs to be honoured and embraced.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• short poetry readers
• readers between abstract and contemporary poetry
• mental health advocates
• those experiencing their own mental health journeys
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
From God as We Understood Him
"In the fall of your relapse
I admitted to myself
and no one else, I miss
what I once misunderstood."
From Harold & Maude Revisited
"I want to
tell you
those were the first good tears
I've fallen in a year & I don't
know exactly what made me cry. It's something I like
about tears,
again--
they're so unreasonable."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Chronic illness and Mental illness
institutionalization
More...