Words tumble out, with no pause;
From the pen, my anelace,
That I hold so graciously,
(In awe of its majesty, its power)
In my hand.
They form thoughts, hopes and musings;
Reflect my soul, my entire being,
And spread across the page,
Like scattered constellations
Across the sky.
First I’d like to say thank you so much to Ankita aka Anky for giving me a copy of her poetry book, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In a Nutshell: While I thought this read was simplistic, it showed a lot of passion and heart. Anky leaves her heart on her sleeve through her free-verse poetry.
What I Loved: While I don’t read much poetry usually, I can’t decipher different types of poetry, I still liked how this novel didn’t feel heavy-handed, despite being about love, heartbreak, friendships, losing loved ones, sexual orientation and prejudice. Anky knows how to add in a part of her own self in a short chapter, rather than draw it out in a long one. Some pieces about friendships and heartbreak affected me the most because — while I’ve never experienced that kind of pain from a significant other — I can still relate because I’ve felt that way, basically backstabbed and let down by people who supposedly loved me.
Also, the touches of prejudice and discrimination against her as an Indian woman were interesting. Because while I have experienced situations as a Black woman, I still have no idea what it means to have those similar experiences as an Indian woman. I’ll never know, because I only have a small percentage within my own mindframe. That’s why books are important; even if it’s just poetry.
What I Wanted More of: I think I wanted more exposure of the ideas that Anky had, through her poetry. Like she would begin with a good concept of a story within the prose, but then it would just end. Or another story would start in the middle of the prose, which sometimes left me wanting more of that material before the next one.
Writing Style: As I’ve said before, Anky writes with her heart on her sleeve, wide open. She knows how to draw you in to live in her eyes and speak with her voice. Even though there is a sense of loss of translation in some parts, I can still understand the premise of what she writes about. Her style is both expressive and lush at the same time, it doesn’t feel like time moves when you read her work.
Final Thoughts: Anky’s book is full of heart, soul, passion, heartbreak and friendship that anyone can relate to. She knows how to tell a compelling story through her experiences, and her poetry speaks for itself.
Have you read Scattered Constellations? Comment below and let’s discuss!
