Sea of Strangers

by Lang Leav

Sea of Strangers  by Lang Leav picks up from her previous international bestselling books including  Love & Misadventure , Lullabies , and The Universe of Us , and sets sail for a grand new adventure. 

This completely original collection of poetry and prose will not only delight her avid fans but is sure to capture the imagination of a whole new audience. With the turn of every page,  Sea of Strangers  invites you to go beyond love and loss to explore themes of self-discovery and empowerment as you navigate your way around the human heart.
 

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Mental Health, Love

215 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2018

About the author

Novelist and poet Lang Leav was born in a refugee camp when her family were fleeing the Khmer Rouge Regime. She spent her formative years in Sydney, Australia, in the predominantly migrant town of Cabramatta. Among her many achievements, Lang is the winner of a Qantas Spirit of Youth Award, Churchill Fellowship and Goodreads Reader’s Choice Award.

Lang has been featured on CNN, SBS Australia, Intelligence Squared UK, Radio New Zealand and in various publications, including Vogue, Newsweek, the Straits Times, the Guardian, and the New York Times. She currently lives in New Zealand with her partner and fellow author, Michael Faudet.

Reviews

[Jack Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most 3-star book I've ever 3-starred. The poems + short pieces of prose are charming and nice, but this is not a groundbreaking work or massively unique. Looking forward to reading more of Leav's writing!

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one felt rather childish. Nevertheless, it was good poetry to skip through.

Q:
In a sea of strangers,
you've longed to know me. (c)
Q:
Art and Books
Without a doubt,
I must read,
all the books
I've read about.
See the artworks
hung on hooks,
that I have only,
seen in books. (c)
Q:
Always
You were you,
and I was I;
we were two
before our time.
I was yours
before I knew,
and you have always
been mine too. (c)
Q:
I don't remember exactly, but the whole time I was dreaming, I knew you were mine. (c)
Q:
Souls
When two souls fall in love, there is nothing else but the yearning to be close to the other. The presence that is felt through a hand held, a voice heard, or a smile seen.
Souls do not have calendars or clocks, nor do they understand the notion of time or distance. They only know it feels right to be with one another.
This is the reason why you miss someone so much when they are not there—even if they are only in the very next room. (c)
Q:
Angels
It happens like this. One day you meet someone and for some inexplicable reason, you feel more connected to this stranger than anyone else—closer to them than your closest family. Perhaps because this person carries an angel within them—one sent to you for some higher purpose, to teach you an important lesson or to keep you safe during a perilous time. What you must do is trust in them—even if they come hand in hand with pain or suffering—the reason for their presence will become clear in due time.
Though here is a word of warning—you may grow to love this person but remember they are not yours to keep. Their purpose isn't to save you but to show you how to save yourself. And once this is fulfilled, the halo lifts and the angel leaves their body as the person exits your life. They will be a stranger to you once more. (c)
Q:
Codependency
There is nothing more nice,
there is nothing much worser;
than me as your vice
and you as my versa. (c)

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this isn’t your first time reading Lang Leav's work, you pretty much know what to expect off the bat. With the turn of every page, Sea of Strangers invites you to go beyond love and loss to explore themes of self-discovery and empowerment as you navigate your way around the human heart.

Though this collection has nothing new going on for it, compared to the two previous collections I read and reviewed (Lullabies & The Universe of Us), sometimes a familiar writing style is a comfort I tend to seek. And with the news of Sea of Strangers, I was surprised to find myself delighted for a new collection so soon after her latest, The Universe of Us.

Speaking of which, it was an exciting moment to realize that the stage I was in when I read her last collection is radically different from where I am today reading her newest release.

But I was a bit disappointed to find that the usual pages dedicated to Leav's art pieces weren't present this time around. But since I read an ARC, I'll keep an eye out to see if the final version differs.

This time around I also felt like hidden gems were spread far and few in-between, but with some digging around I found the ones I'd like to share next:



































Finally, this is the perfect opportunity to mention the song below that I've been listening to for three days straight without fail:


“But there is a light in the dark
And I feel its warmth
In my hands, in my heart
But why can’t I hold on?”

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 9th 2018



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This review and more can be found on my blog.

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indisputably Sea of Strangers is the best book of Lang Leav that has published so far. There are a lot of surprisingly remarkable poems and prose in this collection; some of these that catch my attention are Keys to the Kingdom, Witness, Reclaiming the Sky, The Fisherman, and Take Back Your Power.

If you are a fan of Lang Leav or just enjoys a good poetry book, then you must not miss the chance to check out this wonderful compilation.

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading a poetry collection from Lang Leav. I had previously read Lullabies and loved it. I’ve also read her novel, Sad Girls, and thought that was just okay.

Basically, I loved this collection. Her poetry is just so beautiful and I love that some of her poems even rhyme (which you don’t get all that often in contemporary poetry). Her poems are a wonderful blend of contemporary and classical poetry which I think makes it very special. There is an effortless quality to them which I love.



This collection had the theme of water/sea/ocean and I liked that the poems touched upon that without being too much. Not every poem incorporated that theme, but a good chunk of them did. I liked that she didn’t go overboard with that theme, because that sometimes happens in poetry collections and it makes them boring.

I had so many favorites. I’ll list them below:

-Where It Hurts
-Strength
-Writing
-A New Day
-Poetry and Prose
-The Mermaid
-More to Me
-Letter by Letter
-Crazy Love
-Who You Love
-Love What You Love
-Misunderstood
-Writer’s Block
-A Letter to My Love
-Love Poetry
-We the Poets

As you can see, I connected with a lot of her pieces.

Overall, this is a beautiful and enchanting poetry collection!

[Shaelin Bishop · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5
Sadly this was much too vague and melodramatic for my taste. It felt very insubstantial, each poem or piece was just a very obvious truism. The poems had a pretty juvenile structure, and the prose pieces seemed like something that could have impact within a larger fiction or CNF piece, but on their own just feel like melodramatic diary snippets. There was almost never any specificity to image or situation, just descriptions of feelings that felt so vague they were too broad to say something meaningful. It did feel like the poems were trying (too hard) to say something profound and enlightening, but in trying to be relatable they neglected authenticity and specificity.

I'm throwing it a 2 star as a round up because I reserve 1 stars for books whose reading experiences are akin to suffering, and though this was vacant and technically weak, at least it was quick and easy to read, and there were a handful of poems I thought were semi okay. I guess the whole tumblr poetry thing just isn't for me (god I'm so jaded). The cover is super aesthetic though, so that's something.

[Julia Sapphire · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

-I really enjoyed this one and its one of my fav collections by her
-I thought it was a solid collection with lovely poems
-I really liked how this had a theme of the sea, the ocean and water

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Finished my first book for 2018. In Lang Leav's new poetry collection, Sea of Strangers is about love, breakups and healing. These topics are common from her previous collections and delivers each prose with emotions. Gladly she explores inspirational and empowering poems. It's refreshing and I like it. Overall, this is good but cliché (Especially about breakups. Majority of them are monotonous)

[Jakob J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Surveying the section and sandwiched between one Larkin and one Longfellow that’s been there for years are copious copies of seven Leavs. I give every author I can a fair chance, but this shelf is in need of a sundering overhaul.

Sloppily assembled platitudes do not amount to poetry, regardless of target demographic.

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Nov 2018 edit]

As it turns out, the end of the year found me sad enough for Sea of Strangers. Sad for all the reasons, not just the right ones. And I enjoyed every masochistic moment of Leav's poetry.

****************************

Sea of Strangers is currently not working for me. Maybe I'm not sad enough, or maybe I'm too sad for all the wrong reasons. I cannot take the lose I feel from Leav's poetry right now.

This isn't going to my did not finish shelf. I'll put it on hold until I'll get into the right mood for poetry.

[disco · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Had Me Once

You had me once—
wild and willing;
you wanted a lover
who took you to the edge.

Wasn’t it I—
who gave you that feeling?
A love that danced
upon a ledge

Then came another
who offered you safety—
and you chose to be
with her instead.

[cors · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm running behind my reading challenge so I'm reading poetry. lol

[Haley Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

are you happy to let it linger?
does it never cross your mind?
the world that slipped through our fingers—
i think of it all the time


reread, rating didnt change 🤝

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had not heard of this poet before. This was one of four books From Hardie Grant that I won. It’s always a joy to find a new author or poet. This is a simply expressed, heartfelt collection of poetry and thoughts, much of it about love or loss. Some are only one or two lines in length. Others are longer, maybe three or four stanzas. I tended to do as I usually do with poetry, read a few at a time and sit and reflect on them rather than reading the whole book in a sitting or two.
These are simply written, often delicate, poems and prose often about love and loss. Some are only two lines e.g. Shelter
My father was a house,
my mother was a home.
I particularly liked the title poem Sea of Strangers, Reclaiming the Sky, Where it Hurts, With Anyone Else. Poetry and Prose, Strings and Ad Infinitum
I quite like short poems. One of my favourite poets is Andrew Lansdown., who uses imagery in fresh ways. I guess that is what I often found missing in this collection - imagery. To me that is an essential ingredient of poetry. So while these make pleasant reading to dip into, I found them at times lacking depth.
Some seem no more than thoughts or perhaps maxims for living.
From Everyone
When you don’t have the whole attention of someone,
You find yourself begging for it from everyone
With thanks to Hardie Grant for my parcel of poetry and prose books by Lang Leav. I will leave the other books for a little while before reading more from this writer.

[Nadia Awadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I usually review poetry with my own CRINGY POETRY, but I will spare you the pain this time.

This is a collection of poems about love and I can't relate. Obviously. I can only relate to poetry about suicide and emo-angst. I mean...Positive thoughts: here we are. But the writing is pretty good and it actually RHYMES.

I don't recommend it for single people though. But if you just had THE MOST HEARTBREAKING LOVE STORY that has colleen hoover shaking from fear then by all means....go for it!

Anyway, this is my review so....yeah.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Lang's poetry, ever since I can remember knowing it existed. I used to read her work over and over as a teen, getting lost in how emotive and haunting it was. When I saw that she was releasing a new collection, I couldn't wait to read it, and was so grateful to get my hands on it. She's been sitting on some of this work for a decade, but man, was it worth the wait.

Greet the world with no expectation.
Love as though you have never been hurt or betrayed.
Let go of the ones who take so much from you
yet offer nothing in return.

This is how you take back your power.

Lang writes of love and loss, grief and healing, power and weakness, and she switches flawlessly between poetry and prose. Her words are full of impact across every single page, and unlike many poets I enjoy, I never find her writing to be repetitive. She is confident and wise in much of this collection, offering gentle mentoring that we all need from time to time.

If you're a fan of poetry, if you're someone who's loved and lost, or even if you're just looking for a book to make you feel, the emotions that Lang describes are universal, powerful, and her delivery is perfection. I highly recommend picking this collection up.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these were pretty good poems, and I even wrote down as some to reference at future dates. Overall though, again, not overly impressed with the modern style of poetry so WHY DO I KEEP DOING THIS TO MYSELF.

[Prashasti · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Dare
Spread your wings—now is the time,
to dare, to dream, to reach for the sky.
This is the moment you will soar;
if you want it now—you can have it all.

Others will look upon your grace,
and their bitter hearts will cry in spite;
the best parts of you—they’ll try to take,
to dim the brilliance of your light.
And as your tender courage wanes,
something whispers to you—wait!
Look them in the eye and say—not today,
I will not let you guide my fate.
This is not the day when you’ll concede,
you have more strength than you could know.
This is when you will—if you believe,
show them just how far you’ll go

[Maram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first poetry collection I read. I heard about Lang Leav and decided to read her book. I think that her writing is very beautiful and lyrical. I enjoyed reading this but I wasn't interested in the love poems and they weren't my favourite (this is not the author's fault it's just personal preference).

I related to some of the poems which were great and I felt that many poems were encouraging too. After reading this I think I am interested to read more poetry.

Here are some of my favourite poems in this book:
☆ Sea of strangers
☆ Shelter
☆ Into existence
☆ Where it hurts
☆ Writing
☆ From everyone
☆ My place in the universe
☆ Shield you
☆ The one thing
☆ Goddess
☆ Call to action
☆ Revenge
☆ Strings
☆ Misunderstood
☆ To dare
☆ We are the poets

My favourite poem is where it hurts, it is very relatable and that feeling could never be described as well as she did.

[Saif Saeed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like Milk and Honey but better but I just don't think I'm into this style poetry or poetry in general really. It was nice but I still feel like every book of poetry I have that reads this way is not worth the amount of paper its printed on. Just release the full text on Tumblr, that's your target audience anyway.

[Althea ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

// RECEIVED AN ADVANCE READER COPY FOR A REVIEW //

“if i have learned anything this year, its that I won’t ever be ready for what life throws at me."


the poems are pretty much bittersweet with a touch of nostalgia. and if not that, something that you can relate to on a level so deep the mariana trench got jealous.

officially my favortie lang leav poem book even though most of the poems are still about love as per usual. thank you and goodbye.

[Anali · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So why do you keep
looking back
at the one thing
that can
undo it all?”

[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't the biggest of Lang Leav's first poetry collections, but this one … this one was so much better than everything I expected. I went into this collection thinking it would be nothing exceptional, just an average poetry book, but I was wrong? I liked it a lot? It hit home? I'm emotional right now.

This collection is full of inspirational little poems, delicate teeny tiny poems, there to make you realise you're not alone in your feelings. More than once I found myself thinking, ‘This is exactly what I needed right now.’

I still wasn't overwhelmed by a poems mostly about love, but all the other ones were simply amazing and beautifully written. That's definitely something you cannot take away from Lang Leav : her writing style is gorgeous and pertinent.


Ask the sun to relinquish
the sky to the moon.

Tell the moon to rise
with a fierce
unyielding vengeance.

Remind her it is now
her time to glow.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[alheyam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spread your wings — now is the time
To dare, to dream, to reach for the sky ..

[Mary ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8/5 stars

Don't let them tell you that your pain should be confined to the past, that it bears no relevance to the present.

Something to listen to while reading this ♥

Sea of Strangers is a poetry and prose collection about love, heartbreak and healing, a gathering of thoughts and dreams and experiences on paper, meant to give strength and hope. Yet, I wasn't able to connect with most of the poems in this, something that quite saddened me, as I found some of the metaphors the author used beautiful and quite touching.

There were some poems and prose pieces that really resonated with me, though ♥ These were:
♥ Reclaiming the Sky
♥ Where It Hurts
♥ Take Back Your Power
♥ The Things She Asked
♥ Two Worlds
♥ Strings
♥ Love What You Love
♥ To Dare

In general, it is a collection that touches parts of your mind you don't expect it to, but it was not one that I could mostly relate to, as I haven't had most of the experiences mentioned. I do recommend it though, because it is nonetheless good and it gives you some kind of inner peace like the sea on a calm, windless day ♥

Until the next review, keep being your wonderful selves ♥
~Mary

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 4 stars **

Opening Line

“It has been almost a decade since I wrote the poem Sea of Strangers.”

I love Lang Leav. Every time I'm about to read one of her books I select a mellow playlist on my iPod, make a cup of tea, and prepare myself for the raw emotions her poems always manage to draw out of me.

"It is the mark of a great poet to write words that feel as though they have stood witness to your most intimate memory of love."

Sea of Strangers was yet another compilation of poems about love, loss, heartbreak, and sadness. I know to expect this from Lang and unlike others it doesn't bother me. However, Sea of Strangers just didn't do it for me compared to all her previous works. That's not to say it wasn't a good read, I have about over 20 tabs in my copy that I bought. It just didn't vibe with me like her other poems in Love & Misadventure, Lullabies, Memories, or The Universe of Us.

Here's a list of some of my favourites from Sea of Strangers: ♥
Sea of Strangers
New Beginnings
Keys to the Kingdom
You Had Me Once
Witness
Reclaiming the Sky
Moving On
Into Existence
Where It Hurts
Take Back Your Power
Anything for Love
Falling into You
Meant to Be
September Love
Love Hurts
Sandcastle
Poetry and Prose
Goddess
More to Me
Letter by Letter
Too Far In
Borrowed Love
The Irony of Love
To Know
Transcript of Your Heart
Love What You Love
Whole Again

[hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sea of Strangers filled with life hummings, the stretch and beauty of love, a testament to the power of words.

"Sometimes I am caught between poetry and and prose, like two lovers I can't decide between."

Rhythmic and playful narrative with pretty intertwined phrasing mostly on self love and discoveries, relationship and one's happiness, on loss and acceptance, fragment of thoughts and fraction of realisation.

"You are as far and near as memory. As distant as the sun, as close as its light on my skin."

I love the proses more it feels like a beautiful melancholic short story-- some were bittersweet, some were lovely, some making me cringing and some hitting you at the right spot. Contemporary and classic, quite encouraging and delicate. Giving this 3.5 stars.

"First he showed me a china plate and I said, hunger. Then he showed me a dead bird and I said, fallen. Then he showed me a picture of you. I closed my eyes and said, broken."

[Reem Ghabbany · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Greet the world with no expectation.
Love as though you have never been hurt or betrayed.
let go of the ones who take so much from you
yet offer nothing in return.
This is how you take back your power"

"Today I feel small-looked down on and disregarded. My thoughts are of little importance. My words have no bearing on the wight of the world. I am tired of being taken for granted. if only I could get back a fraction of what I give. but my efforts go unnoticed. and my soul keeps wishing to be noticed, to be valued; to be understood"

I love Leav's style of writing and how simple and sweet it is. I hope she'd write about topics other than love. Poetry can be about other things. I rated it 3 cause it doesn't deserve more in my opinion. most of the poems were okay

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!
Lang Leav is fantastic.

[Jenny Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a quick read, one sitting. The prose sounded like snippets of her diary that were often just a few sentences long. There were a lot of entries about heartbreak and a few that were just good advice. I particularly liked the ones about new beginnings, moving on, and taking back your power.

Meant to Be

If they were meant to be in your life, nothing could ever make them leave. If they weren't, nothing in the world could make them stay.