Book Review / "(mostly) good thoughts" by Elena Carter

(mostly) good thoughts by Elena Carter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved the previous poetry collection by this author and could not miss the opportunity to read what she has written next. “(mostly) good thoughts” by Elena Carter did not disappoint. The hurricane of emotions swept me off my feet, and there I was, swirling amidst myriads of thoughts, memories, flickers of my inner light, catching glimpses of the darkness, ever-present in the background.

When you grow older, it becomes clear that life is not a one-coloured canvas. It is a mosaic, and its pieces are not uniform. A shining white patch can take half of it, abruptly melting into obsidian black. Or the tapestry can be so miscellaneous that it’s impossible to follow when one bright hue changes into another. “(mostly) good thoughts” reflects this unpredictable diversity perfectly, with each next poem striking a different chord in readers’ hearts.

“one of the hardest things in this life is letting go…” Reading this, one might think that it’s about the bad things. To move forward, we must let go of what’s holding us back. When we think about it, most often we imagine something painful, something that felt like a burden or really was such. I’ve come to appreciate the ability to let go of the happy memories too. Sometimes the brightest, most joyful moments of your life can poison you for decades, oozing bitterness about the impossibility of reliving them.

“…sadness wrapped in twinkling lights…” This is another line that threw me into contemplating my own experiences. I am that person around whom most people who know me feel uncomfortable during the festive season. I understand and do not hold it against them. Yet, it doesn’t help with making it hurt less.

“Whether to build bridges or to burn them” is everyone’s personal choice. As it is up to each reader individually whether they read certain genres or not. But to everyone who appreciates poetry, I heartily recommend reading “(mostly) good thoughts” by Elena Carter. The author’s piercing sincerity is captivating, as is her ability to put into words the important things about which most of us think only fleetingly, trapped in the perpetual motion of everyday life.



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(mostly) good thoughts