In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive

Another beautiful collection of poetry from Clementine von Radics. She explores love, heartbreak, mental illness, abortion, loss, abuse and, ultimately, survival.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free poetry collection!*

I quite liked most of the poems in this collections. They deal with mental health, love, loss, social interactions, relationships and family. They are well written, the layout is interesting and the honesty in which issues are presented is raw yet rewarding: you can survive, life can be good.

One of the best parts was this 'poem' about abortion:

"To the protester outside of the clinic who called me a murderer
If I could have have kept her, if she'd have been born a girl, I would have called her Jane. As in Austen. As in my sister's middle name and my grandmother's before her. I would have taught her to be kind. To be good. To love the Beach Boys even and especially after Brian got weird. I know you don't want to hear this. Prefer to think me faceless and bloodstained, another statistic on cruel, thoughtless women. But like everyone else, this was never going to be my choice until it had to be."

4 Stars

I read a copy of ‘In a dream you saw a way to survive’ through Netgalley.

Firstly the cover to this poetry collection is beautiful and enough to entice anyone. I also liked the layout of the book itself.

As a collections of poems I felt they were very good. They were raw, highly emotional and real. I also appreciated that they covered a range of topics including mania, love, infidelity and alcoholism.

As a young woman I felt I could identify with many of the poems.

This poetry was incredibly emotionally raw and diverse yet there seemed to be something a missing from about a 1/3 of it. I would still recommend it.

Nice collection of poetry from an author I had not read previously. I enjoyed the cover art and the many topics covered.

In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive is one of the most beautiful poetry collections that I’ve read in ages. I was drawn in from the first page and had a very hard time putting this book down. The author has a voice that is honest and skill with creating gorgeous prose.

The author tackles a lot of deeply personal subjects: surviving infidelity, dealing with manic depression, the gradual decline and death of a family member, of surviving domestic abuse; each one themed around survival. So many of the subjects hit close to home for me, especially the topics about the struggle to move past infidelity as it is a subject that I have been struggling with this past year. Finding that I wasn’t alone was a deep comfort to me, and the author approaches these subjects with both empathy and transparency, I didn’t feel that I was being preached to unlike many works that try and broach these sorts of subjects.

I also felt that this collection was exactly the right length too. Lately I’ve been feeling that many of the poetry books that I’ve picked up were overlong and extremely repetitive. This collections struck a good balance from piece to piece, each one was memorable and were different even when discussing the same topic. I feel already that this will be one of my favorite books I read this year and is easily one of my favorite poetry collections that I’ve picked up.

I thought this would be one more collection about heartbreak but even though it starts looking that way I think it's mainly a poetry collection about healing. Yes, most of the first part is about a failed relationship and its aftermath but we can also read about womanhood, loneliness, mental health and just the plain art of being alive. I'm especially a fan of "To the protester outside of the clinic who called me a murderer", "For Vincent Van Gogh, patron saint of psychotic manic depressives " and "The Last Poem" that was able to close the book in a hopeful, even happy note. Worth also noticing the cover, that was the first thing that made me read this book. Thank you to Net Galley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC.

I always say that my brain is such a chaotic place to be in, and this book had shown me it's not just mine. This book is pure brilliance that I could not put it down.

<b>In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive</b> is a collection of poetry by Clementine von Radics. The blurb of the book delivered 100%. The collection mainly talks about loss, heartbreak, abuse, mental health and healing.

This is my first collection by the author that I have read, and I am happy that I did. Everything was written with raw and full emotions. It does not sugarcoat anything because it was written how the author had wanted the reader to understand it.

My favourites from the collection are about the abuse, mental health and surviving. It surely hit home. I also want to mention that I absolutely adore the book cover. It's so beautiful and eye-catching. The only thing that was keeping me from giving this a 5 star was I felt like there's something missing– like there's a gaping hole somewhere inside that needs to be filled. Maybe it could have been longer or maybe it's just the way it is, but overall I liked it. I definitely would recommend.

I was really excited to read something by this author. She did some work with Amanda Lovelace that was amazing. Loved the cover. Her words were wonderful. Would recommend. Also look forward to reading more from Von Radics.

Can we talk about how incredibly gorgeous this cover is? Because wow, what a beauty. The words inside were incredibly beautiful as well.

Poetry tends to be very hit and miss with me, especially collections that are incredibly personal for authors. Those stories are, of course, always important to tell. But I've come to realize that my enjoyment of poetry boils down to two things. First, how well I understand said poetry. Because if I'm being completely honest, sometimes it flies right over my head. And second, if I can relate to it. I've found that most of my favorite poetry, like the quote featured above, is poetry that I can relate to.

In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive was beautifully constructed. I related to a lot of the subjects throughout the collection. Some of the subjects tackled in this collection are mental health, domestic abuse, loss, survival, infidelity, and ultimately healing. The whole collection was infused with raw emotion and managed to make me feel that way while reading.

I would definitely recommend this collection, though I wish it had been a little longer.

I came across Clementine von Radics when I bought a ticket to see Sabrina Benaim this coming April and was so excited to see one of von Radics' books on NetGalley!
"In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive" is a beautiful collection of poetry about mental illness, heartbreak, and healing. I am looking forward to reading more of von Radics' work and seeing her perform in April!

Some of my favorite poems in this book are:
-The Fear
-To the Protestor Outside of the Clinic Who Called Me a Murderer
-You are Flying Home Today
-A Conversation Between My Therapist and the Mouth that Sometimes Belongs to Me
-Bitter
-Notes on the Term Survivor
-You are on the Floor Crying
-Carrie A Nation
-Mantra
-On Punching the Dude Who Tried to Pull Me Out of the Pit
-For Vincent van Gogh, Patron Saint of Psychotic Manic Depressives
-It Was a Thing I Knew for Certain
-The Last Poem

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A strong collection of personal poetry about dark moments mostly in relationships. Brave and powerful words by a poet I was unfamiliar with but who I will now seek out.

This collection really caught me off guard as it pulls no punches. I found the poems, which cover a number of topics, downright brutal in their honesty.

Will stay with me a long while, and I'd definitely hunt down more of Clementine von Radics work on the back of this.

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

“No one else can decide
What your tough looks like.”

As early as now, I can tell that this book’s cover design will be one of my favorites this year. It’s just so gorgeous! This collection is as dark as it is beautiful. It’s all about pain, survival and healing. A lot of the pieces talk about heartbreak and betrayal. It offers a nuanced exploration of life mistakes and life choices. It is equal parts maddening and inspiring.

Be prepared when you start this journey for you may find both destruction and salvation, but most importantly it may just help you discover your own definition of survival.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This was my first introduction to Clementine von Radics' work. I absolutely adore poetry, loved this cover, and asked to read for this book immediately. I'm still processing some of the poetry, because it is very. . . confrontational (in a good way). There are a number of poems that I could share easily with my students (and probably will). Other poems hit me a little too personally, as poems should. This was a fantastic first view of von Radics' work. I look forward to reading more.

Oh how I really loved this. This book really stood out amoung most modern poetry nowadays (which I love and am trash for). It wasn't as simplistic as most things are now, everything had a much deeper meaning and it is definitely a book I would go back and reread again because I'm sure I'd get even more out of it each time. The writing was beautiful and really had me feeling very connected to the emotions behind the poems, which can be so hard to find for me. The flow was SO GOOD, each poem just seamlessly flowed into the next and that's always something I'm looking for. Highly recommend if you're looking for a poetry collection that's a bit diffe5rent but just as good.

This is a beautiful collection of poems inside a stunning cover!
I couldn't say that I could relate to all of the poems, but there were many that touched me deeply, and I could feel with the poet - and that's in itself a huge thing. Most of the poems were strong ones that dealt with deep feelings and serious life situations, like cheating, love, abortion, and most of all, mental illness. They showed what it's like to wake up every day with a struggle within yourself... how it feels when your own body and brain do everything to work against you. And still it is possible to exist, to live - to survive. To have good things in your life, too.
This book of poetry is an honest and authentic lesson on fighting one's self - to live.

3.5 stars

** Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book. **

I have loved Clementine Von Radics's poetry ever since I read <b> A Mouthful of Forevers </b> and started carrying a copy of it with me on every trip I took. There is something about the author's writing that reaches out and clenches a fist around my heart. Something so real and powerful. I love that her writing handles survival in all its messiness and doesn't shy away from the aftermath of it.

<b> In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive </b> is a collection of poems about love, abuse, sexuality, and -above all- survival. It takes the reader on a journey that shows all the different shapes survival can take, and then leaves them with the message that there is more to life than just surviving it. I really enjoyed reading this book and taking this journey with the author.

This powerful collection does a great job of exploring von Radics' story while also speaking to deeply human experiences - love and heartbreak, grief and growth - in a way that really resonates. It's short, but it's not light. Simple turns of phrase in von Radics' hands can have an enormous impact. This is my first of their work, but it definitely inspired me to seek out more.

This collection is powerful. This is not a collection for the light hearted. It deals with several strong topics including rape and abortion but ending with beautiful love poems. This book made me stop and rethink so many things, made me question even more and really left an impact on me. It is not an easy read but one that you shouldn’t miss out on.

It's an interesting and sometimes raw poetry collection about mental health, love, loss and other topics. Even though I enjoyed some poems more than others, I would recommend this collection.

Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to read this arc.


I was intrigued by the description of the book stating vulnerability, rawness, and more. I think I had unrealistically high expectations for this book based on the blurb alone. Many of the poems were beautiful and loving. Some left me expecting more. I can’t say this was my favorite poetry book, BUT you can feel some emotion through her words. I may check for other books by this author.

“What a short life the bullet has compared to the wound”

I absolutely adored every poem in this collection. The poet uses themes that are universal; love, loss, fighting to survive, regret, mental health and different form of abuse. These themes are personal as well and speak to many people, myself included. Some of the poems are heart-breaking and I had to step away from reading them. I could feel the poet’s emotion with every line. These poems were a pleasure to read. These are the kind of poems that speak to me, I love to read them, listen to them and write them.

Boy, do I have some Big Feelings about von Radic’s latest work In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive and smacking three GR stars on this collection is a bad way of conveying how I feel about it. So, no quick synopsis here— sorry.

In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive is a two-part collection that synthesizes some tough material into a well-curated examination of survival, trauma, heartbreak, grief, and hope. Von Radic runs the gamut of common themes explored in contemporary poetry so when I began reading the collection, I worried that they wouldn’t have anything new to say. Ultimately, Part I did not distinguish itself to me. Part II, on the other hand, PART II.

Von Radic’s voice is smart, toothy, and dripping something delicious in Part II, but the prosody of the poems in Part I never hit the same lyrical stride as later ones. In particular, I’m still thinking about “The poet refuses to see what can be plainly seen” hours after I finished the full collection.

In this ancient and blooming place, longing did not exist
until Zeus grew jealous, splitting each person in half with a
blade of lightning, and that was the birth of loneliness and
fucking and longing and birth.
This is how we learned to search for each other, to clatter our bodies back into a single thing.

Von Radic’s imagery and thoughts are so potent and fresh. They upset the inertia that I feel around contemporary poetry. Only a few poems in Part I hit me in the same way such as “A conversation between my therapist and the mouth that sometimes belongs to me”.

But what do you call the
children? Is this the way a
wolf becomes a dog? Listen.
There was once a terrible
snow and I ate despite,
I made soup from my own
bones.

Von Radic is a force and I look forward to what they write next. In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive, without a doubt, is something I would encourage you to read. I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review, but the collection will be released soon on 04/09/2019.

Clementine von Radics’ (@clementinevr) In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive is a slim collection of poems that cuts to the quick of infidelity, codependency, bravery, and healing. In one of the most powerful pieces, “To the Protester Outside of the Clinic Who Called Me a Murderer,” von Radics explains the decision to have an abortion. In another, “Notes on the Term Survivor:”, she faces the truth of what it means to endure an abusive relationship. Of them all, I think the 5-lined “Confession:” is my favorite. This is a powerful collection.

I was not a fan of Clementine's original collection, Mouthful of Forevers, but was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in this collection. The poems were raw, relatable, and memorable.

“No one else can decide,
What your tough looks like”

This book is gorgeous from the cover to the words. The poems are deeply relatable for me and made me feel a lot of capital F Feelings. The mark of a great poetry collection for me is if they make me cry and this one had me there. I highly recommend you check this collection out and I can’t wait to break into more of von Radics works.

To date, this is my second Clementine von Radics book! I fell in love with her earlier work, Mouthful Forevers. And so with latest one!

Author’s voice from then and now, of course, had changed immensely! It was divided into two parts, when I began reading I had a hard time hitting the right tones of the voice. As to the experiences were not of mine personally nor I could connect with yet. It took me time to fully hit and felt emotions as to where and where it is all coming from; that was what I thought with the first part. As for the latter part, I liked it better! I felt the lyrical change and flow of the verses. Plus the good balance between the longer pieces and the short ones is something to note of. It does not come as overwhelming nor underwhelming to one.

However, among the pieces from part one, A Bird Flew is my favorite. It took my tears.

It had impacted me more, the picture it paints the reader is louder and clearer by the page I held on. What I love most about the collection is the bravery it shows me; topics of abortion, sexuality, and talking about one’s mental health must have been therapeutic and difficult for the author and for me as it is, and with the stigma it surrounds, especially from where I am from is such a hard and taboo topic to be talking about with the wrong person. It has helped me in such a way to connect (not outright but in ways).

I would be keeping my eye out for another Clementine Von Radics work for sure!
Trigger Warning/Content: abortion, mental health, divorce.

In a Dream You Saw a Way to Survive is a poetry collection about love, cheating, abortion, loss, abuse and consists of two parts.

"You spend years building a home
just to watch it destroyed in seconds."

This is the first poetry collection I read by Clementine von Radics and I liked it. There were some beautiful poems I could relate to and I liked that Clementine was really raw and honest.

"My healing is ugly.
My edges cracked and uninspiring.

But still, they are my edges.
Still, I am healing."

There were some poems that were okay but I could still feel the emotion behind her words. I cannot wait to read some of her other poetry collections!

"I’m saying I loved a man for years
thinking he was the bandage
only to realize he was the wound."

Favourite poems:
Storm
You aplogize for your mistake
The Fear
Ever the optimist
Post-term
To the protester outside of the clinic who called me a murderer
Bitter
A bird flew
Notes on the term survivor
You are on the floor crying
For Vincent van Gogh, Patron Saint of Psychotic Manic Depressives

It was delightful to read through this book despite the topics being mostly about depression + a bit of mental illness, and loss of love through being cheated on. The poems were very touching too.

Some of my favorites:

"What a short life the bullet has
compared to the wound."

"I belong more to my own survival
than to you
and the fiction of permanence."

And my most favorite one:

"I'm saying I loved a man for years
thinking he was the bandage
only to realize he was the wound."

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital version for an honest review. And apologies for posting this late because I was busy with uni.