Review: "After the Ashes" by E.V. Nova

After the Ashes by E.V. Nova
Published June 2023 via Harbor Lane Books
★★★

These ashes burn bitter: After the Ashes is a quick collection of poetry focused on the painful end of a relationship.

I'm of two minds about Instagram-ready poetry—on the one hand I appreciate that it's accessible, designed to fit in a wee square and to resonate easily with many. you smoke me out into the open with your pretty words / and promises, / then snuff me out with your lies (loc. 52*), writes Nova. But I also tend to find myself disappointed when poetry doesn't make me work for it. I want richness of metaphor and imagery, for a poem to wrap me around its little finger and then discard me with a flick of its wrist. We get some of that metaphor and imagery here, but it's hard to dig into it and really let it spiral when so many poems are two or four or six lines long.

Stylistically, then, not a great fit for me, but will likely appeal to readers of Rupi Kaur, Claire Ellis, etc.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

*I read an ARC, and quotes may not be final.