Genre: Poetry
Published: Central Avenue Poetry, September 2024
My Rating: 4/5 stars
<i>”it's strange
all the things
you forget about
when you can't find
the scars
to prove they happened
anymore”<i>
Here’s a fun fact about me: I don’t like 21st-century- “tumblr-style”-poetry. Miss me with your Rupi Kaur’s and Amanda Lovelace’s please… Yet Small Ghost is an example of very rule having its exception. I actually really enjoyed this little ghostly collection.
Trista Mateer explores themes of depression, mental health and coming of age in our modern world filled with wonders and challenges. Depression has been explored through many metaphors throughout fiction, and Small Ghost is a simple but striking one. I’ve lived part of my life as a Small Ghost, and maybe you have too. In that case, you will for sure find something to relate to in here.
Trista Mateer has something that many other “Tumblr-style” poems lack for me; there’s sense of rhythm to them and they paint a picture in my mind. That picture is supported and enhanced by the beautiful layout of this new publication. The poems are surrounded by little drawings and surrealist pictures of our titular ghost. While the drawings in the original 2015 edition were just cutesy, the pictures in this collection give off a bit of a vintage-gloom-vibe, that matches the poems well.
It will depend on the person which version you prefer. For me, the new images really worked wonderfully and made this collection a feast, both verbally and visually.
Many thanks to Central Avenue Poetry for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
You can find this book here on Goodreads.
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