Stewart has a very reflexive tone throughout this collection, accompanied by the usage of repetition to create strong imagery and musicality to soften its blows. However, there’s this quiet serenity around each and every piece, even the most emotional ones, which I appreciated. Stewart writes with what I can only call quiet resilience.

I enjoyed how this book follows a cohesive theme or, at least, a cohesive main symbol and metaphor, so each poem feels connected — we’re never stranded, being allowed to connect to the poet and their worries.

Overall, I was very pleased with this collection and I want to read more from this author.

"But peace is in remembering that / A small but consistent benefit / To even a few lives at a time / Adds up"

This was a pleasant enough read. "Short and sweet," some might say. *These Scars Spell Antheia* is a collection of poems primarily focused on the author's experience as a woman in the U.S. Navy and reckoning with what it means to exist and care for others in Trump's U.S. I found the structure of these poems to be simple and easy to read; I especially enjoyed how the section titles aligned with the book title. (I also quite liked the title font of the poems; it was very pleasing to the eye.)

That being said, I do not feel that the author has quite found her voice with this collection. Most of the poems felt relatively generic and did not explore the emotions and topics being presented beyond surface level. A strong authorial voice is so important in poetry because it elicits connection between the author and reader; unfortunately, I felt that connection was lacking in these pieces. Additionally, some pieces did not seem to have a tangible focus and I was hard-pressed to find meaning in them beyond flowery words. Overall, there was potential in the writing and themes, and I would've loved to see some of these poems explored on a deeper level.

The pieces I most enjoyed were To Protest, Questions For Another Day, Beneath the Full Moon, For My Mother, Finding Home, That Mundane Peace, and What is a Phoenix. The dedication was also lovely: a poem in and of itself.

While this collection was not for me, I believe this would be of interest to people new to reading poetry, as well as fans of Atticus and Rupi Kaur.

Stewart's poetic memoir, These Scars Spell Antheia, follows her journey from her experiences in the US Navy to finding inner peace. The memoir is divided into three sections which follow the title: Scars, Spell, and Antheia. Stewart's writing is moving, inspirational, and causes readers to reflect on their own lives and values.

Scars highlights the initial disillusionment with her past and marks (scars) which remain, and it begins the author's questioning of her past and where her future is headed. Highlight poems from this section for me included "Keep Afloat", "I Remember", and "This Country I Served", the latter two of which provide political commentary on the current state of the US.

Spell is a section of the memoir that emphasizes multiple complex facets of womanhood, from generational female trauma, to motherhood, to feminism. The poem "Let Us Build the Audacity" was a highlight of Spell for me, but overall this was my favorite of the three sections.

Antheia wraps up Stewart's journey to inner peace, providing reflection on previously discussed topics and an emphasis on new beginnings (in the form of motifs like plants, forests, etc). “Every.Day.Rebellion”and “The Voices” were highlights in Antheia.

Throughout the whole memoir, there are recurrent themes of the ocean, dichotomy of positive and negative emotions, ghosts/haunting, political divide, advocacy, feminism, and starting anew, all of which come together to form this moving, reflective piece.

Many thanks to Golden Bridges Publishing for this ARC.

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This poetry collection took me a while to get into as the first few felt quite basic and generic. However, once we got into those touching on a more political topic and those on Stewart’s Navy career I felt more like I was getting more personal and connected. Some personal favourites were ‘This Country I Served’, ‘Let Us Build the Audacity’, ‘The Ends Did Not Justify the Means’, ‘I Remember’, and ‘The Haunting’.

Favourite Quote:
“Let us build the next generation of
daughters
Who don't stop to wonder where the
Audacity can be found
Because it is in their bones”

Stewart's second collection is filled with poetry that uses direct language, relatable themes, and a straightforward conversational style. Each poem is very consumable and tied up nicely. The overall collection is a quick read. Stewart's poems are akin to a Rupi Kaur or Morgan Harper Nicols style. Star ratings are nearly useless when it comes to poetry, as the art form is so subjective. If considering the style in which Stewart writes, this is a solid 4 star read. If you are not a fan of contemporary poets with short and lyrical style then this is not the book for you. I felt the most connected to Stewart's work in the middle and later half of the book. The political and feminist poems spoke to me the most. I recommend visiting Stewart's Instagram where you can hear her read some of the poems aloud. Hearing the words in her rhythm and cadence added depth for me. I will definitely be checking out her previous collection. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for the digital ARC.

A Thoughtful Memoir Told Through Poetry

These Scars Spell Antheia is a reflective collection that explores identity, resilience, and the emotional weight of past experiences. I appreciated the intention behind the author’s journey and the themes she chose to highlight, especially the focus on healing and personal growth.