[Review] - A Collection of Dreamscapes
A Collection of Dreamscapes
Christina Sng
I don’t read much poetry. I should, and I want to, but sometimes I find it hard to sit down and get into a book of poetry the same way I would with prose. Part of it might be an intimidation thing. I struggled with poetry throughout my education, and when I actually enjoyed it, that was soon stripped away by analysing it over and over and over. Being forced to then write poetry in university made it more difficult, and ever since I’ve sort of admired poets from afar, in awe of their abilities but rarely feeling like it was something I could fully engage with, even though I’ve attempted to do so a few times.
Clearly, I was reading the wrong poetry.
A Collection of Dreamscapes was, for me, absolutely perfect. The poems contained in these pages are all stories within themselves, some tying into those that come before and after, some are standalone poems, and all can be read separate from one another. However, the structure of the collection allows the reader to really engage with the poems as groups. They’re split into four sections, with each showcasing something different.
The poems are a mixture of dark fantasy and horror, with excellent use of imagery throughout. Sng conveys all the elements of prose in a format that can sometimes be difficult. There are strong characters, beautiful with horrific descriptions, and tight plots with plenty of action. I thoroughly enjoyed the fairy tale section. I am an absolute sucker for fairy tale retellings, especially with dark twists, and Sng takes these characters we know and love and gives them something extra, if she doesn’t completely create something different with them.
This is a collection full of strong women taking back control, of imagined war-torn lands, of tales that at times hit a little too close to home. These are poems about love and loss and death and family, and about the lengths humanity will go to for survival. Christina Sng’s A Collection of Dreamscapes is a poetry collection for everyone, whether you think you’re a fan of poetry or not. It’s definitely made me keen to check out not just Sng’s other work, but more in the horror poetry genre, too.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Collection-Dreamscapes-Christina-Sng-ebook/dp/B085F2ZM73
Grade: A
Review by Elle Turpitt
@elleturpitt
I received this paperback from publishers Raw Dog Screaming Press for review consideration.