Reviews List

We welcome reviews of recent (within the past year or so) or upcoming works in any genre and media exploring the intersection of art, faith, and spirit. This includes but is not limited to chapbooks, full-length publications (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and traditional nonfiction), anthologies, film, exhibitions, music, and performances.

Prospective reviewers are welcome to select a title from the suggestions below or to propose something not listed. Please send a query first to hello@vitapoetica.org and include a bio of yourself, two relevant writing clips, and, in order of preference, 1-3 title(s) you’re interested in reviewing. We will request a reading copy or media pass for your review (or reimburse your ticket, as applicable). Please understand that review assignments depend on availability and editorial needs.

*We’re especially looking for reviewers for these titles by Vita Poetica members and contributors.

Poetry:

My Dear Yeast - Melanie Hyo-In Han*

Dear Dante - Angela Alaimo O'Donnell

The Sentence - Morri Creech

Heresies to Live By - Veneta Masson*

I Close My Eyes and Almost Remember - Matthew J. Andrews*

Cain Named the Animals - Shane McCrae

A Season in Hell with Rimbaud - Dustin Pearson

What Is Otherwise Infinite - Bianca Stone

Begin with a Question - Marjorie Maddox*

Smoking the Bible - Chris Abani

Fiction:

I, Julian - Claire Gilbert

In Ascension - Martin MacInnes

Recital of the Dark Verses - Luis Felipe Fabre, translated by Heather Cleary

This is Salvaged: Stories - Vauhini Vara

Witness - Jamel Brinkley

The Twelfth Commandment - Daniel Torday

Harrow - Joy Williams

Nonfiction:

Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair (Poetry, Memoir, Criticism) - Christian Wiman

They Flew: A History of the Impossible (History) - Carlos M. N. Eire

The Mystics Would Like a Word: Six Women Who Met God and Found a Spirituality for Today (Religion, History) - Shannon K. Evans

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (Annotated Edition) - Edited and annotated by Gideon Rappaport

The Modern Saints (Art) - Gracie Morbitzer

The Creative Act: A Way of Being (Creativity) - Rick Rubin

Doorway to Artistry: Attuning Your Philosophy to Enhance Your Creativity (Creativity) - Esther Lightcap Meek

Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most (Philosophy) - Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz

Undone: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions (Devotional) - Philip Yancey & John Donne

The Half-Known Life: In Search of Paradise (Travel, Theology) - Pico Iyer

Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith (Art History, Theology) - Russ Ramsey

Music:

Seven Psalms - Paul Simon

Layers - Joel Ansett

Ordinary Ways - Jon Guerra

Film:

Wildcat (Drama, Biography of Flannery O’Connor) - Ethan Hawke

Bonhoeffer (Drama, Biography) - Todd Komarnicki

Holy Frit (Documentary) - Justin S. Monroe

Showing Up (Drama, Comedy) - Kelly Reichardt

Ordinary Angels (Drama) - Jon Gunn

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Drama, Comedy) - Kelly Fremon Craig

Living (Drama) - Oliver Hermanus

The Worst Person in the World (Comedy, Drama, Foreign) - Joachim Trier