[Digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press. Thank you! -- This is a late review developed and edited from my reading journal.]

The poems of Escaping the Body are written with a beautiful, imagery-rich prose that, while nothing compared to the poetry of the early 20th century, is leagues better than what most modern poets publish. I flew through this book on my first read, as I often do with poetry books. Then I returned for a second, slower, more contemplative read. Each time, I enjoyed myself, especially once I started to capture the wonderful way the poet intertwined scientific concepts with spiritual matters.

This was a different read for me. It didn't fit the synopsis and I couldn't wait to finish. Not to say that this book wouldn't be enjoyed. I'm just not the target audience and it deserves to be with the right group of people.

#ESCAPINGTHEBODY
#CHLOENCLARK
#NETGALLEY

This collection of short, powerful poems dives deep into relatable fears and human struggles, all told through beautifully crafted metaphors and comparisons. Each piece feels raw yet thoughtfully written, making complex emotions feel both accessible and moving. It’s a quick read, but the impact of the words will linger long after you’ve finished.

#EscapingTheBody #NetGalley

This poems pack a punch that hit you directly in the gut. Raw, visceral and moving. I couldn't put it down.

"Escaping the Body" comprises a series of intricate and distinct poems that center on themes such as the body, love, and heartbreak.

I loved how the poems combined an almost scientific and biological dimension with more expressive and emotional language. This interplay created a fascinating juxtaposition that is entirely novel for me. The poems carry a genuine authenticity, each containing profound significance. I admit that a few of them posed challenges in grasping their essence, prompting me to engage in a few re-reads!

I love Chloe N. Clark's work and this collection did not disappoint. Her poems are beautiful and dark and atmospheric and always get me thinking. I wish more people picked up poetry.

I enjoyed this collection. Moving with interesting themes. In particular I connected with Missing Girl Found, A Breath Expelled, There is No Matter and Other Words for Wanting.

I couldn’t fully immerse myself into this collection of poems. I only found a few that truly resonated with me and the rest had no impact on my soul. Still beautiful though.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a free e-book copy of this poetry collection in exchange for a honest review. I loved this poetry collection so much. It was so moving and powerful. I can't wait to buy my own physical copy so I can mark it up. This poetry collection made me cry. I felt things so hard in this book & I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!

I deeply appreciate receiving a copy of this book to read and review however I struggled with this one. Which is so hard for me to say because I’m usually such a lover of poetry and horror this seemed like the perfect combo and was so excited to get it it. It just greatly fell short for me.

A great collection of poems! Chloe uses the silence, the observation, the relationship with the body to create a multiple landscapes of sorrow, melancholy, meditative states. It's a bit gothic, it's strange and a charming poems.

I was really excited for this title, but I think it is just not for me. I found it hard to get into, but that doesn’t mean that I would not recommend it. I think this book could be very powerful to the right audience.

It’s been a bit since I’ve read a poetry collection, and while I still consider myself newer to the genre, I recognize good poems when I find them. This collection is fantastic, and I’ll be seeking out more of Chloe N. Clark’s work. Every poem had something special about it, but there were definite standouts in the collection—poems that made me take pause and reread certain lines. There’s a lot of heart in these poems and while there are several different themes, they are all connected through human emotion.

This was such a beautiful and amazing read. Usually I'm not that much into contemporary poetry style, but this... This was magical. No, it felt real. I could feel the coldness of the trees on my skin and the desperate cries of the author's voice to be heard. The poems are chilling, powerful and also relaxing. And relatable, I could relate so much to some of those works.

Okay, so I am still a bit undecided on this one, hence the 3 star rating, sitting perfectly in the middle. While I read this very quickly, I sometimes feel like poetry is not necessarily meant to be read quickly - in fact, my favourite poetry book so far - Louise Gluck's The Wild Iris - took me more than two weeks to finish, simply because I took my time reading it, sitting with every poem for a few minutes before moving on to the next one, or returning to a previous poem every now and then.

I thought Clark's strongest poems in this collection were the ones where nature and natural imagery was at the forefront. Her use of imagery reminded me of Mary Oliver, even if their themes and use of language are ultimately quite different; still, it felt like Clark was more in her element in those poems, managing to be both poignant and dreamy at the same time. Some other recurring themes and metaphors, like the ones regarding space, for instance, were a bit lost on me; not a testament to her writing, but more so a matter of personal taste, as I struggled to connect with them in the same way.

That being said, I thought two of her strongest poems in the collection were "For someone who doesn't have to believe in monsters" and "Error Coding" - Error Coding especially just really hit a spot for me, and I definitely think I will be coming back to it again.

A very accessible piece of work. I think it could have benefited from a better editing process and it was somewhat lacking in originality but I suppose the issues Clark focuses on are so widespread that it is a matter fraught with risk of cliche as is. Nice enough with a few standouts. I think I'm perhaps just more of a fan of post-modern/ experimental work personally - for it's genre, it did fine

One of the better collections of poems I've recently read. I find it very hard to enjoy poetry books maybe because it is personal to the author and I don't connect. But did enjoy many including Melusine’s daughters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.

Not my favorite collection but one to look out for. It was lyrical this collection, with pieces that would leave you reading and re-reading phrases just because of how they sit with you. This collection is a challenge of surrealism that paints a greater image of the expansiveness of the body. It is a piece that often sways you but grounds you, sometimes for me losing me in the process. However, I liked it in its entirety.

Lyrical and free flowing, this is a collection to read and savor.

Escaping the Body rounds so much poignant topics. Some of the poems we're igniting but some are not. But I love how the author balances every voices of the poems.

Some of my faves are:
* The Undue Acidity in Your Veins
* Other Heights
* Other Words for Wanting
* We Imagined their Fossils to be Thunderbolts
* He was Always Almost Something
* We Who Vanish
* Abandoned Houses
*But Also this is Why the Robots Always Turn on Us
* Apocalypse  Scenario
* I was Planning on Learning to Breathe Today
* A Breathe Expelled
* Dissolutions

Thank you so much for the drc!

I should have known better than to request a book of poetry, but I was curious. I am at the point in life where I don't understand poetry, but I have not begun the process of learning. Sadly, I fear this book of poems was wasted on me.

I didn't hate it by any means. I have read one bad poem, and it is the basis on which I judge all other poetry now. That bad poem was not in this collection! I just didn't feel a lot or understand a lot of the stories. I liked the the one about the witch. I really liked the lessons from a sci-fi movie. But everything else kind of blurred together. Maybe I will come back to thing, and it will resonate more!