Review of Fade to Gray

[Eunice Geres]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fade to Gray" by Anthony Black.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Fade to Gray by Anthony Black is a collection of poems and artworks depicting the author’s views and philosophies regarding relationships, mental health, and society. This book deals heavily with the author’s battle with depression and his struggles while trying to conform to society’s standards.

I have always tried to shy away from poetry collection. I saw reading poetry as another homework wherein it tries to break my mind with metaphors I couldn’t understand. But there’s something about the book's cover and title that caught my attention. When I first looked at it, I felt like I was drowning and slowly disintegrating from everyone’s mind. The book instantly made a connection with me. So, I decided to give this collection a try. And it was the best decision I have made on that day.

There were several things I loved about this book. First, I would like to discuss the technicalities of the collection. I loved that the author did not write the poems in free-verse. The verses follow a rhyme scheme, such as ABAB, AABB, and ABCB. The tone of the overall collection is depressing, sad, and reflective. The author also wrote the poems in a narrative and descriptive manner.

Another thing I loved in this collection is the depiction of emotions. The author didn’t use exaggerated metaphors. Instead, the author used a broad and deep vocabulary to identify the emotion. The feelings are raw and straight to the point. I didn’t see the collection as homework because It was not difficult for me to read. The poems are not a puzzle to break. Every poem was a kind of emotion I have experienced. I also appreciated that there are sketches before every piece. The drawings set the mood and imagery for the poem. It also lets the reader see the author's inspiration when he wrote the poem.

There is nothing I disliked about this collection. There is even a specific poem that cemented my love for this collection. In that particular poem, the author talked about the woman he loves. For me, I see it as a declaration of love. It was so sweet and unexpected. I almost cried when I first read it. The author has gone through so much. I’m glad that he has a person giving clarity to him when everything is a mess. This poem is like the eye of the storm. As a reader, it gives me hope that there will be someone to anchor me in this world when I’ve had enough of the pain and suffering.

In conclusion, I would rate this collection 4 out of 4 stars. I loved everything about it, and I related to every emotion written in this book. It was exceptionally edited. It was not difficult to understand, and I loved the sketches. It was genuinely a heartfelt and emotional read for me.

I would recommend this to people who have experienced sadness and noticed the unbreakable system of conforming to society’s impossible standards. Those people are the ones who can deeply connect with this collection. On the other hand, I would not recommend this to people looking for another free-verse poem to post on Instagram. It is not like those mainstream poetry collections that call a single sentence a poem.

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Fade to Gray
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[Tarie07]

I'm not really a fan of poetry but any book dealing with real life issues like mental health are worth my while. I might give it a try. Thanks for the wonderful review.