A review by hsinjulit
Pillow Thoughts IV: Stitching the Soul by Courtney Peppernell

2.0

This is my first time trying Peppernell’s poems. I love her novel Keeping Long Island, which I am sure I talked too much about already. Unfortunately, I am unsure what I am feeling after finishing Stitching the Soul.

The first few sections of the book were somewhat depressing. Peppernell has a very soothing tone in her written words and the sadness manifests in all the lines. The book does take a happier turn in the latter half and becomes more therapeutic as I had initially thought the whole book would be. Some of the themes were repetitive, and oftentimes, I find the feeling glum and others cheesy. However, it was totally worth a read because there were still some great lines here and there.

“She is not confined by time
/ she is a running river
/ seeking freedom to flow through life unchained” How powerful is that?

Another nice touch in this book was the inclusion of Justin Estcourt's illustrations of foxes, a jellyfish, and occasionally an owl and the heart. The sketches made me smile.

I am glad I finally read Peppernell's poems but sad to say this collection was not for me.

I received an e-ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.