Strange Animals

Strange Animals is a collection of poems by Emily Vanderploeg that explore themes of language, ritual, death, and identity, featuring strange animals that challenge and disrupt the author's and reader's experiences, leading us to look at the world through the experiences of animals as people and people as animals.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2022
Publisher: Parthian Books

Strange Animals is a captivating collection of experiences woven together by the author's journey from her childhood home to a new life across an ocean. As she travels to various cities and embraces a newfound maturity, she reflects upon the end of youth and the transformative journey it entails. Throughout her travels, strange animals emerge in the poems, challenging and disrupting both the author's and the reader's perspectives. These enigmatic creatures prompt us to contemplate life in curious new ways, asking questions that force us to see and look at the world from different angles.

Born to Canadian grandparents of Dutch and Hungarian descent, Emily Vanderploeg delves into profound themes of language, ritual, death, and identity in her poems. The collection begins in a close and intimate space, creating a sense of familiarity and intimacy. However, as the author and the poems embark on their journey to Wales and other destinations, both physically and emotionally, they rupture this intimate space, inviting us to explore the world through the experiences of animals as people and people as animals.

This exploration culminates in a sequence of poetry that resembles a Tarot deck, leaving the reader with a fortune told but also raising more questions than answers. Vanderploeg's poetic language is rich and evocative, drawing the reader into the emotional and physical landscapes she describes. Through her vivid imagery and thoughtful observations, she invites us to see the world through the eyes of strange animals and to recognize the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Strange Animals is a testament to the power of poetry to transport us to new worlds, challenge our assumptions, and inspire us to see the world in a fresh and profound way. It is a collection that will resonate with readers who seek to explore the complexities of human experience and the profound connections between humans and the natural world.

Weight: 134g
Dimension: 148 x 210 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913640705