Salt & Ashes: Poems From the Abyss

by Thanh Dinh

Salt and Ashes is a searing, poetic reckoning with love, loss, rage, and survival. In this devastatingly intimate collection, Thanh Dinh writes through the shattered glass of diaspora, queerness, and feminine grief—fusing memoir, myth, and lyrical philosophy into a gospel for the brokenhearted.

Structured like a symphony—Andante, Romanze, Scherzo, and Finale—each movement carries the reader deeper into a landscape where kindness can kill, memory becomes a wound, and love is both the altar and the knife. These are not quiet poems. These are the prayers of a girl who never got to be a girl. These are the unsent letters, the hallucinations of Ophelia, the last cigarette of a ghost who was once loved.

Haunted by historical violence and personal betrayals, the speaker refuses closure. Instead, she offers clarity through fire—insisting that tenderness can still bloom in ruins, and that longing, though brutal, is still holy.

For readers of Ocean Vuong, Sylvia Plath, Trịnh Công Sơn, and anyone who’s ever tried to rebuild themselves from smoke, Salt and Ashes is not just a poetry collection. It’s a resurrection.

Genres: Poetry, Literary Fiction

92 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2025

Reviews

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sealey Challenge 2025: 1/31

This was my introduction to Thanh Dinh’s work, though it’s not her first collection. What immediately struck me was the sharpness of her language which is biting, deliberate, and dark. The poems lean unapologetically into sadness, despair, and the darkness of the world around us.

These are not poems about healing in any conventional sense. Instead, they confront pain head-on, exploring what it means to live with grief, betrayal, and colonial violence. The collection suggests that not everything can be fixed, but even in our darkest moments there is a choice to live. That quiet, persistent resilience gives the work its emotional weight.

Though the collection is brief, it’s far from an easy read. I had to pace myself, taking breaks between some. Some poems felt intense and emotionally raw; others I revisited to re-read lines, take notes, and sit with what they stirred up. It’s the kind of book that demands reflection. It's a powerful and deeply affecting collection. I can see this might be one that haunts some readers and yet may confuse others. I'm thankful to be in the camp of the former!

Thank you to the publisher, Writerly Books, for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions shared in this review are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ rounded up to 3

I’m not usually a poetry reader, so this was a bit outside my comfort zone. Salt & Ashes is a lyrical and emotional collection that dives deep into heartbreak, loss, guilt, and the darker sides of love. The writing itself is often beautiful and full of emotion, but the tone stays very heavy and sad throughout.

Many of the poems read like journal entries or open letters, capturing moments of despair, self-reflection, and longing rather than telling a clear story. Some feel almost manic in their rhythm, like the poet is caught between anger and exhaustion, while others come across as quiet apologies to loved ones or to herself. There’s a haunting honesty in the way she writes about relationships that turn destructive, the weight of mental illness, and the exhaustion of carrying too much feeling.

There’s also a thread of political and personal frustration woven into her work, touching on identity, gender, and the tension between kindness and rage. The poems don’t always make their intentions clear, which made it hard for me to connect fully, but there’s no doubt that the emotion behind them is raw and real.

For readers who love deeply personal poetry that feels like stepping inside someone’s private thoughts, this will absolutely hit the mark. For me, it felt more like being handed someone’s diary—achingly intimate, but a little hard to find my way through.

ARC Disclosure: Thank you to the author, publisher, and BookSirens for providing an advance copy of this book. These thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brooke ☯︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"she is the fever dream you only encounter once in a lifetime on a blue moon. Dans la nuit, elle est femme devient fou
Broken and destroyed and rusty – you name it. She wasn’t born this way, she promised you that"

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it's a bit hard to categorise Thanh's writing, there is no doubt their poetry-essay-philisopical-poetic-writing poems and musing are splendid.

I'm not sure who'll agree, but to some degree some of Thanh's poems remind me of the poetry of Erich Fried, although some of her topics remind me of E. M. Cioran, some others of F. W. Nietzsche, both in topic and style.

Whichever is true, or even if none of it is: I absolutely LOVE their stuff!

Why not the full 5-stars then, you ask? Because I feel like some of the writing in this little collection could be improved by some revisions. However, that does not take away from the fact that it is already pretty splendid as is.

If you're someone with a penchant for philosophical writing or thinking, you'll very likely enjoy Thanh's writing as well. If philosophy isn't exactly your cup of tea, you might want to stay away from it, though. I highly doubt there's much in it that'll resonate with you.

Whatever you want to call Thanh's writing style for their poetry, one thing's for sure: it's absolutely ruthless and about as authentic - and complicated - as poetry can get.

I know for a fact that Thanh will definitely stay high up on my list of [poetry] writers to keep an eye on.


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Transparency disclaimer: Receiving an eARC of this book via BookSirens did not influence my review in any way, shape, or form.

[Vals · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always struggle with poetry, because I tend to find most of it either too lyrical and metaphorical or too direct and nor enough lyrical. So, Thanh Dinh left me speechless with the perfect balance of her writing.

Navigating through the spectrum of human experience with a wonderful mastery of vocabulary, sentence structure, rhythm and layout, Dinh's poetry is utterly human and hauntingly moving. Throughout the entire book pain and hope lingered in me, constantly put there by what I was reading. I find it difficult to describe how "Salt & Ashes" moved me, but the permeant idea was that it wasn't making me crying, but weeping: everything about this book is poetic, even how it makes you feel. So, do yourself a favor and read this book, even if you're not really a poetry person, because everyone needs to read something so delicately painful at least once in their life.

I'm grateful to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for giving me the possibility to read this condensed expression of emotions from pain to hope.

[Damla · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I wish I could use words and sentences better to convey how those lines made me feel and how beautiful they are. Unfortunately, I’m just a reader trying to share her thoughts about the books she reads. For some books, you really need to read them yourself and form your own opinions, but I’m doing my best to express my feelings.

This is my second Thanh Dinh book, and once again, I’m amazed by her writing. I don’t often reach for poetry, yet I’m so glad I came across her work.

The book is divided into four parts: Andante, Romanze, Scherzo, and Finale. Each section is filled with raw and intense emotions. Through themes like love, grief, rage, survival, politics, and religion, Dinh delivers poems that are unflinchingly honest and emotionally charged. Every piece made me stop and reflect. These poems aren’t about healing in a conventional way, but about living with pain and carrying it forward. Not everything can be fixed, but you can still choose to live.

The tone may feel dark to some, which is something I personally love. Still, I believe even those who don’t usually read poetry will find something meaningful here. In my opinion, the author has the ability to put into words what many of us feel but can’t quite express. Her quiet anger, wrapped in soft language, stays with you long after reading.

I wholeheartedly recommend her books to anyone looking for something powerful, emotional, and deeply human.

I received this copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book looks beautiful. I love the cover and the title, and I was sure I would love the poetry itself. Unfortunately, I should not have judged the cover. Thanh Dinh's poetry is very explicit and direct, with plenty of references to other works, and it does not speak to me. Dinh has a melancholy tone, one of pain and suffering, but I prefer my suffering to be more subtle and hidden. I can see why other people would love this collection, but it just wasn't for me. (Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.)

[Rachel Axton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is stunning, sparse and haunting. A collection of short chapters, poetry, verse, thoughts woven around an idea, a thought, a memory. And through each of these, it feels exceptionally personal, like you are reading a person's most intimate journal.

While it is only short, I took time to read it. Some of the concepts demand the reader to pay attention, and I liked to consume each chapter and then let it sit with me. The end of Keigo, had such an effect..

'...but your name is forever here, carved deep in the tissues of my flesh, and on a silent night, you can hear my bones creak; in their breath, I can hear them say "That's it, just let yourself go." and perhaps it would make you happy to know that like Ophelia. I long to jump into the frozen ocean, only to taste the bitterness of your cigarette smoke vanishing into the Tokyo night sky like a broken dream'. p.23

The other overwhelming sensation when I read this though is sadness. It echoes of deep depression, suicide, and loss of love and hope and while the stories are all different, there is this loose thread, and a question that hangs evocatively in each chapter... why do we hold on to life, and to let go, is that a release and a freedom?

I found it emotional and unsettling, but in a beautiful way.

I am very glad I read it. Even though at times I felt maybe not smart enough to fully comprehend all of it.

If you are experiencing anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts, remember there are people you can talk to - Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Thanks so much #NetGalley and #VictoryEditingNetGalleyCo-Op for the ARC.

[Cavak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreamlike, at times, yet steadfast on focusing on what lies within trauma and suffering. Harshness that can shake foundations with a single stanza. Simple words that cut deep to unearth heartfelt knowledge and compassion, in a different beat than the norm, especially in the Western literary canon. My kind of poetry that I can read in a day. Wonder how they would sound like read aloud.

Although it says queerness is included, I'm surprised that I didn't spot too many poems reflecting that trait. Or maybe the metaphors for them flew over my head. Probably won't be a hit with anyone who is deeply religious. I can already hear the criticisms about select poems. I would've liked a deeper dig into metaphors and imagery. The narrative was muddled at times when it came to describing the horrors of war. Which war (it pains me to wonder), as there was a curious and deafening lack for the abyss of it.

It's still a worthwhile read for me though.

I'm grateful to have read Salt & Ashes. I had no idea who Nam Cao was before reading Dinh's poem dedicated to him, and I looked up the dictionary for a few other terms I was unfamiliar with off the top of my head (like hiraeth and pedagogy). And it's a surprising introduction to another writer I hope to read more from. Looking forward to that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nicholaus Patnaude · Rating 4 out of 5]

These oft-clipped poems possess a bewitching quality, as if they were whittled from a scarred memory. One poem contained a curious reference to a Vietnamese writer named Nam Cao whose work, it seems, has not yet been translated for English readers. I did stumble upon one translated short story by him; it made sense why his themes of alienation and dissociation and his direct yet indirect style might be so admired by Dinh that one poem is named after him (“Reading Nam Cao in the Dark” I think it is called). These are dark poems containing multiple references to Sisyphus, Hamlet, Bukowski, Joan of Arc, and Hemingway but they are also quite personal, providing snapshots of the eternal but often frayed familial bonds, and strangely life-affirming, holding up a broken mirror and seeing a way through it while acknowledging the debris, emotional baggage, and ghosts refusing to be left behind.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Thanh Dinh's "The Smallest God Who Ever Lived," so I was very excited to read "Salt & Ashes." Unfortunately, this book didn't resonate with me the way "Smallest God" did. I will not say I didn't like "Salt & Ashes," there were some beautiful lines and truly moving thoughts. One line I have already returned to several times says "Remember that only in the aftermath of the quake,/ You can feel the Earth move"

"Salt & Ashes" tells a different story from Dinh's other book, coming from different experiences. I believe it is a deeply personal narrative from Dinh, and I appreciate her honesty and vulnerability. She reminds readers that sometimes we have no choice but to accept what life hands us: "And there comes a time when people learn/How futile living on pure imagination can be--" The truth is often painful to hear, but if we want to fully experience our lives, we have to listen.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the first collection of poetry a little bit more. However if I had read this one first, I would certainly give it 5 stars. In these poems, people struggling with their relationships to identity, heritage, mental health, alienation, and heartbreak could find a simple joy in being understood by someone who shares similar experiences and emotions, who felt a bunch of heart-wrenching emotions and still stood, offering comfort to others through their poetry. These powerful and emotional lines convey a sense of desperation, yet remain filled with hope.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poems shows a strong Ltgbq+ voice. The book shows the need for love is universal and understanding is always a struggle. The short brief look into life and love in the authors life and how it affects her view of life, and the world.

[Sweetmusicwoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you BookSirens for the opportunity to read this beautiful book of poetry. It was unique and beautiful, and just the right book for me.