Thank you to NetGalley and Cherish Editions for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

“The Broken Few” is a very personal and unflinching collection of poetry about mental illness, trauma and recovery that deeply resonated with me. I loved the writing style and how the author wrote about her struggles with mental health and would highly recommend this collection, but please note that the poems can be very heavy and potentially triggering at times.

Publishing date: 27.06.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Cherish Editions for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: Gnawing on my thoughts
The book left me: Feeling a little sad

Negatives:
Poems can be very heavy, those who has a tendency to relapse should be careful

Positives:
Very emotional and raw
Relatable subjects
Made me feel a lot

Features:
Poems that can span two pages or just a single line, subject matter that can get very heavy, themes of mental health and relationship (both positive and negative), raw emotions that will make you feel things

Why did I choose this one?
Poetry that explores emotions can be so touching and great. The title alone was enough to know this would be a spiral into emotion-land. The cover also speaks volumes to me and fits the subject matter great.

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Devourable. I ate this book up. It was almost like getting obsessed with something and not being able to stop engaging with it. It was hit after hit after hit.

What was the vibe and mood?
This collection is incredibly sad, depressing, and emotional. I would suggest those who are a little more sensitive to these things to take so caution before reading. I felt myself relapsing a little into old thoughts while reading, and I am not the most sensitive to these things out there.

Final ranking and star rating?
A tier, 4 stars. Great little collection. Made me feel things, and that's all that these collections need to do to get my approval. I would recommend this up down and sideways, but as mentioned, be aware of the heavy subject matter.

Beautiful collection of very raw and emotional poems. Some just one line, others a bit longer.

I blasted through this in one sitting but I probably could have taken a bit more time as I think the poems can be quite heavy.

I love the way the whole book was told as a story through poems.

The Broken Few by Mariss Ijaz is a raw and unflinching collection of poetry and prose that delves deep into the often-taboo subjects of mental health. The work bravely tackles anxiety, self-destructive behaviors, borderline personality disorder, hormonal disturbances, paranoia, and the impact of dysfunctional families, offering readers a candid exploration of these challenging topics.

Ijaz's writing is both poignant and stark, capturing the complexities of living with mental illness in a way that feels both personal and universal. The collection doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of mental health, and this honesty is where its strength lies. Each piece feels like a window into the author's soul, giving voice to experiences that are often silenced or misunderstood.

However, the intensity of the subject matter can make the collection a heavy read. The unrelenting focus on the darker sides of the human psyche may be overwhelming for some readers, and the lack of lighter moments or resolutions could leave one feeling emotionally drained. That said, for those who are looking for literature that reflects the reality of mental health struggles without sugar-coating, The Broken Few is a powerful and necessary work.

While the prose is sometimes uneven, with certain pieces resonating more than others, the overall impact of the collection is undeniable. Ijaz's ability to articulate the pain, confusion, and isolation that comes with mental illness is both compelling and deeply moving.

The Broken Few is not an easy read, but it is an important one. It provides a voice to those who often feel voiceless, and for that reason alone, it deserves attention. It’s a collection that will resonate with anyone who has faced similar struggles or who seeks to understand the inner workings of a troubled mind.

This was a beautiful poetry collection about mental health and relationships.
While not every poem spoke to me, most of them did make me feel things and I did highlight quite a few quotes that I related to a lot.
Sadly, the copy I got had bad formatting, which led to sometimes not being able to distinguish where a poem ended and the next one began, but I assume (and hope) this was fixed before publication.
All in all a really good collection of poetry that is well worth a read.

i.. wow. i have to just start by saying wow. the immense honestly, raw emotions, and truth in this book hit me in my heart in a way i didn’t know it would. this book spoke to me on a level deeper than any other. thank you, net galley for the arc. i absolutely adored every second, every word, every detail in this poetry book. i will absolutely be buying a copy for my shelf.

This was a very relatable collection of poetry. The proms drew you in and made you feel seen. Especially if you have struggled with mental health issues or addiction before. I was really captivated by how the poems were written and how easy they were to follow. They definitely make you feel less alone. And I very strongly think that these poems will help people.
Thanks to netgalley and Cherish Editions for the arc.

I adored this author's poetry. I found many if the poems within this collection were ones I could connect with and relate to. From toxic family dynamics and wholesome found family relationships, this poetry book is perfect for readers with similar life themes.

I honestly love poetry that is accessible and this book was brilliant for that.

It covered a lot of mental health disorders in a very respectful way I thought. I have GAD and found those poems particularly relatable

Many of these lines/poetries were really good, emotional and touching.
I would recommend reading this for sure.

"I don't think people understand how distressing it is to live with an illness that gives you answers to questions you didn't ask and questions to answers you don't have."
-generalised anxiety disorder.

"just because someone's battle scars are self-inflicted does not make them any less valid."

A lot of these felt like one-line MySpace updates- very Tumblr coded. However, some of the lines could have been woven into longer form potery and would have been effective. But as it is, it feels unfinished. Most of the 'poems' are one line/two lines a d don't feel like poetry. Most of the prose is quite waffle-y and unedited. It feels like the whole things needs to have a few more drafts but the premise is there (?)
There was one that stood out for me - "Those rare moments..." On page 17.
I also thoroughly enjoyed that monies will be donated to several mental health charities - would possibly suggest helpline numbers to be included due to the heavy nature of the context.

This book was an emotional roller coaster ride for me. It was very relatable to an extent to me. Reading this brought literal tears to my eyes. I finished this off in a day, but had to take breaks since it was so overwhelming for me.
The writing style was raw, in a good way. There were diary entries as well, so it's just not poetry. The language is simple as well, so a beginner might also find it interesting to read.
Please beware before picking this up, it contains distressful elements such as suicide, depression, insomnia and anxiety.

An honest and raw depiction of mental health that needs to be shared with the world. While incredibly emotive and relatable this book may help those who have not experienced mental illness to understand some of the emotions and different ways that symptoms affect daily life.

I liked this collection, even though it was quite negative. There should be more books on bpd and autism for females. Such raw prose that really spoke to me.

Please read it, even if you don't like poetry, it's just honesty from a fellow bpd sufferer, and so important.

Take care of trigger warnings, though, as it does get quite dark.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.

This poetry collection is memorable more because I could relate to most lines, recalling certain moments when I was at my lowest and couldn't find the words to describe it.
Isn't it beautiful that someone somewhere can write things that speak to your situation without even knowing you?
This is what I thought when I read this, for example "no one knows how close I was that night," to remind me of the longest night I had- of the anxiety of decision making, or even the "diary entry from 2017" in which it declares 'I'm a drama queen,' and all I could do was nod and laugh out loud.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

This poetry book was so so so relatable in terms of mental health and the struggles with anxiety, depression, self harm and suicidal thoughts and the role that other people have in our mental health. I often find it hard to find a poetry book that I relate too a huge amount but this one I really related to the majority of the poetry in here!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this poetry book

For me, this book was an emotional read because I could relate to the emotions as well as the thoughts, this poetry book talks about borderline personality disorder in the lines giving a glimpse into what goes on inside our heads and emotions.

Suffering from depression. Anxiety, OCD, ADHD and Borderline personality disorder are difficult and we go through more emotions and self-doubt as well as numbness than most people on the earth which is exhausting

Being able to relate to the poetry made me love this book.

A beautiful and emotional collection of poems that cover some very important and heavy topics. It felt deeply personal and made me feel seen

The Broken Few is a deeply emotional and personal collection of poetry. This book hit very close to home for me and I believe many other readers will also relate.

I'm not the target market for this book, so please don't take my review too seriously.
I rarely read poetry.
I have no anxiety or mental challenges.

As a result, I struggled to connect with this 149-page book.

I was hoping for some more insight into the solutions to mental health problems.
Instead, these poems felt like a cathartic rant.

I recommend sampling it before buying to confirm it's what you're looking for.