The Lines

by Eli Wilde

The Lines is a collection of poems for readers who enjoy themes of obsession, fantasy and isolation. Each poem combines with the others in the collection to form a story. This evocative anthology is about a nameless man who leaves Paris to return to London after breaking up with his lover. Travelling to Brighton by train each day, the man reflects about the woman he left behind and the life they once shared. Everything he sees and experiences while he travels the lines reminds him of her. Rain dripping down a carriage window; the smell of coffee as the porter wheels a trolley down the aisle; tall trees, leafless and grey, blurring past outside. As the story unfolds, the narrator morphs his own feelings into the imagined emotions of the people he encounters on his journey. Sometimes his fellow travellers weep the tears he cannot weep; sometimes they are hiding a secret, sometimes they die in his place.

Genres: Poetry

136 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2023

About the author

Eli Wilde started writing when he was very young and stopped writing while he was still young. He didn’t pick up a pen again until many years later. Now that he is telling stories once more, everything feels as it should.

Reviews

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading poetry. Most of the times I’m fascinated by the way the authors show us their inner self, their thoughts and feelings.

The first thing I loved was definitely the cover, beautiful and artistic.
Also I loved that the whole romance was queer, but sadly also quite toxic (in my opinion).

Even though I’m a lover of deep feeling’s, I just couldn’t connect with the poetry in this book.

[Danai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for a honest review.

First of all can we appreciate the cover please? I know this doesn't have to do with the content of the book but Wilde's covers are always so beautiful.

" How I mean nothing to you" is the second poetry collection I've read from Eli Wilde. After reading his "La Petite Mort" ( a GREAT book, Id absolutely recommend) I couldn't possibly pass up the chance to read more of his works. Sadly this one was a bit disappointing to me.

"How I mean nothing to you" examines the reality of toxic relationships. There are good poems in there, however I did have to skim some, which I found incapable of tagging at my heartstrings and capturing my interest. Also this is more so of a personal preference but his use of the word "fuck" in one or two of his poems would make me remove a star from the book regardless. Not to be prudish ( I do not mind profanities whatsoever in most of my books) but regarding both the genre of poetry and the themes of the collection, profanities immediately took me out of the book.

Unlike La Petite Mort I actually wouldn't go out of my way to actively recommend this to people.

Would however be extremely open to reading more of his works!

[Sabi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the attempt of the author to be this open to the readers.

Maybe the themes just didn't connect with me. I was ready for a romance but it became almost... too much. Too much romance. Too much toxicity and stuff.

[Shea ☾⚂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

My annotations:
- I feel like they’re trying to be like symbolic and stuff but I don’t get it, idk what’s going on in this right now.
- Lots of knife and gun and cutting references and i don’t understand them
Quotes:
- (until you speak) nothing is ever real for me until I share it with you,
- ( the lines) How her eyes look at nothing as if nothing is all she sees in me.
- (reading) now and then your features change as the words within the book spark response. - I want to get to know you once you close the book and I stop reading.
- (sadness and beauty) If I allowed it to consume me maybe I’d lose my mind.
- (still life) waiting for you to cut, to cut, and cut again.
Annotation: Lots of knife and gun and cutting references and i don’t understand them
- (the first cigarette of the day) were full of light yet wild as the night.
- (quirk) I don’t love you Yet, I cannot live without you.
- (once) Even when you are not with me your effect transcends emotion.
Vocabulary:
- myopic,
Lacking imagination foresight or intellectual imagination
- augers
1. a tool with a helical bit for boring holes in wood.
2. a tool with a large helical bit for boring holes in the ground.
- polyphonic
Producing many sounds simultaneously
- retrograde,
Directed or moving backward
-unremitting,
Never relaxing or slacking, incessant
Thoughts: I read it, got nothing from it. Wasn’t my cup of tea, I just didn’t understand it but I’m also young and haven’t experienced much so for someone who has experienced something similar to the author, they might love it and feel seen; however the only one I liked was the one called Reading

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Thank you to Netgelley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. This does not influence my opinion.

This poetry collection was very emotional, open and raw.
I enjoyed reading most of it, though some poems read like they were only random split up sentences instead of poems, they also didn’t fit together concerning their rhythm.
If you are not open to reading about sex and cutting, this book is not for you. There was a lot of focus especially on the cutting, which is described in graphic detail (which is not bad, I just want you to be aware).
This book is about love and getting over it – or more like not getting over it despite seemingly moving on, at least to the outside world.
Only was it acknowledged that the relationship probably was not healthy. While knifeplay itself is not unhealthy or bad between consenting adults, the described relationship to me definitely seemed unhealthy and maybe co-dependent. I would have liked to see some more reflection on that, but I don’t know in what mental space the author or character is right now, so it’s just a personal preference.
All in all a good collection.

[bowiesbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I Mean Nothing To You by Eli Wilde is a collection of brutal poems about the physicality of love and how one must continue on after it is lost.

The poems tell a story of two lovers who feed off of each other and the narrator, who clings onto her. After she leaves him for Paris (and other men) he is left to pick up the pieces of himself that she has shaped.

So often poetry books about love and the inevitable heartbreak that follows end in a more hopeful tone about finding yourself and the purpose in life without your loved one. So, it was quite refreshing that this book didn't and ended on perhaps a more realistic (in some ways and in others not so much) tone.

I liked the theme of skin and bone and cutting. I do believe that books and poetry in particular should be up to interpretation from the reader, so in that nature I think I saw this theme as less literal and more metaphorical. To be in love is like a blade to the heart and to the lose feels like you are being ripped apart. That is what these poems described to me.

Overall, it was a quick and meaningful read - be wary of reading it if you are currently heartbroken!

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 1 out of 5]

The epitome of the male gaze.

I couldn't wait to be done with this book. Towards the end, every time I turned the page, I was hoping that it would be the last poem I had to read.

The book's own introduction had me expecting something deep and romantic, but it was just lots of sex and cutting and fetishization. Of course, this is just my personal interpretation and overall, I just didn't connect with any of the poems.

I hate to give non-fiction/something so personal and abstract a low rating, but this really wasn't my cup of tea. I would much rather read instapoetry.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial for the Netgalley ARC.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of poems I’ve enjoyed from author Eli Wilde. Here again is a complete narrative set in the medium of poetry. In this poetry composition you will find the excitement and intoxication of meeting someone new, of thoughts about them as they inhabit your life and their thoughts about you, of the pain and anguish of a break-up, the depression of thinking about what they are doing now and seeing them in strangers that you pass still wanting them even though they are no longer yours. If this were written as a book you would say it is a dark story around dealing or not dealing with mental problems and with the male character possibly being a manic depressive. One thing I will add, I’m glad it appears that the female in this relationship escaped from this psychotic man and his seeming obsession with blood and the lines of cuts. For anyone to need these I only find sadness. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

[Bookish_Spren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the gifted e-book.

A poetry book that is based on a man that is going back home by train and is constantly thinking about his lover that he left behind.

This book was perfect to read during a rainy day! Love the angsty and longing of the poems, but they were also pretty dark. It was very easy to read, I didn't have to go back and reread a poem to make sure I understood it. I couldn't stop reading it until I finished the book. I highly suggest taking your time with it even if its hard to put down. Its a poetry collection that I will be rereading again because I liked it that much.

My favorites were:
-Taste
-Inflection
-Unintentional
-Mistake
-Listen Now
-Bodies lying in the Sand

This was my first book by this author and I'm looking forward to reading more from him.

[Charley Henly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of poetry, including themes of love, sex, heartbreak, mental health, and self harming. Please do take note of this before reading if these themes could be a trigger for yourself.

I enjoyed this collection, it was short and sweet! But raw and passionate at the same time…

I kind of hate reviewing and rating poetry, as I personally struggle with it at times, and it can be difficult for me to connect with the author and their poems! However, who am I to say that it is good or bad? Poetry is a collection of memories, feelings, thoughts… and just because I can’t connect with them sometimes, definitely does not mean someone else wouldn’t!

So I recommend any poetry lovers to give this a go, as it could be a new firm fave of yours🫶🏻

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

I was really pulled in by the cover of this book! It was beautiful and interesting and really made me want to know what was on the pages :>

While I thought the author has a talent with words, as I was reading I kept finding myself feeling as if I was reading the same poem over and over again. I wish there had been a little variety in the poems.

It was definitely something with dark themes and I think if you are looking for gloom and doom that doesn't let up, I think you'll really enjoy the ride these emotional poems take you on.

[Cash · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for making this available..

I enjoyed the artwork on this, that’s what got me interested but as soon as I started to read I lost interest..

Although the author is trying to portray their emotions and feelings on what they went through in a relationship/break up, this didn’t not feel that way at all.

These poems almost felt like an obsession and lust not love or true feelings. I didn’t understand anything the author was feeling..

[Kacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is not the type of book I usually read, I enjoyed it more than I expected! It showed raw emotion and I love when an author can use their words to make the reader feel those emotions, and Eli Wilde did that in this book. The cover is absolutely beautiful and that is what drew me to read it!

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Achingly raw. Emotionally brutal. The author has perfectly captured the emotions and obsessions of the end of a relationship. The formatting is an interesting poetic device; for me, it made this book slow going, forcing me to slow down and
consider
e
a
c
h
an
d
e
v
e
r
y
word.
Thank you to the author, for once again, providing me a copy of this book. This review is my own.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: sex, self-harm, alcohol, blood

A lot of the poems in this book do have a darker theme, but they are all super interesting. I did like how the poems seemed to be interrelated. It seemed like the romantic poems were all written about the same woman, which was super cool.

[Kasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely described obsession and pain pretty well. However, it wasn’t for me- a little too dreary,
With no section on anything happier.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poetry was interesting. I loved the rawness to the story. How I Mean Nothing to You shows absolute love and absolute heartbreak to what seems to be a toxic relationship.

[Claire Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw, emotional, intimate. These are just some words to describe the pain shown in this collection of poems.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice read! Definitely some beautiful poetry. I loved how the author told the stories throughout the poetry!

[Joan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank You Eli Wilde

This collection of short poems forms a melodramatic heart-wrenching free style of poems. It's a solid 3.5 quick read. It makes you think about the ones that got away in pass.

[Charley Henly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of poetry, including themes of love, sex, heartbreak, mental health, and self harming. Please do take note of this before reading if these themes could be a trigger for yourself.

I enjoyed this collection, it was short and sweet! But raw and passionate at the same time…

I kind of hate reviewing and rating poetry, as I personally struggle with it at times, and it can be difficult for me to connect with the author and their poems! However, who am I to say that it is good or bad? Poetry is a collection of memories, feelings, thoughts… and just because I can’t connect with them sometimes, definitely does not mean someone else wouldn’t!

So I recommend any poetry lovers to give this a go, as it could be a new form fave of yours🫶🏻

[Emma Irving · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐️

This book is definitely among the more interesting poetry collections I’ve read. This collection follows a man as he journeys by train away from Paris and his lover that he can’t seem to leave behind.

I really enjoyed how this book, instead of dozens of unrelated poems, is composed of related poems to make up a story of heartbreak. I’m a sucker for a story so I liked that component.

On the other hand, it was VERY emo with lots of mentions of cutting and blades, blood and yearning. I liked the poems at the beginning, with more of a story, more than the ones at the end which I thought started to sound like the repetitive pinnings of a teenage rebel in an MCR shirt.

All in all, though, I found this to be an enjoyable read for anyone looking for a poetry collection with a story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[emily .ೃ࿐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i received this book in exchange of an honest review.

i enjoyed some of the poems but most of them weren't for me. i couldn't get into the writing style, therefore i had to take breaks in between reading. the poems content mostly consist of kissing or something related to that and that just wasn't for me (as i mentioned earlier). some readers will probably enjoy the poetry but i wasn't one of them.

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eli Wilde's book of poetry titled How I Mean Nothing To You is a visceral ride through the breakup of what I perceive to be a very toxic relationship. It's interesting, because while I have not experienced these particular feelings, I found it easy to empathize with the author as he processed his darkest thoughts and desires. If nothing else, this is a good lesson in the diversity of relationships. We will find a way to get our needs met. Thank you Eli Wilde and Netgalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Tony S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and it totally needs a trigger warning. Though the cover is beautiful the content is very dark. With sexually content and multiple references to cutting. It is a brutal read and if you like your poetry light and nice this is not the book for you.
I certainly would not recommend it to anyone that gets triggered by this kind of content and I hope it gives a warning on the cover.

[Kate Bystrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eli Wilde’s collection of poetry is an enjoyable journey, accessible (rather than ‘high’ or dense) and simple to digest. Easy flowing from page to page, which is how much each poem spans, The Lines tells the story of the speaker’s past and the woman who is still part of his* present, if not physically. It’s brooding, like watching rain patter against the window of a train that’s carrying you along without any input on your part (which is where the speaker seems to be doing his brooding, a good analogy for life bearing him along despite his fixation with a woman and a time that have escaped his grasp).

The poems move from lighter, happier memories to those that are more sensual and at times sexual, eventually arriving at a sort of solitary, resigned, sad obsession. They become increasingly introspective as the speaker seems to give himself over to his misery, torturing himself with the knowledge that he 'no longer exists for [her]' – there is a poem towards the middle of the book that describes a woman speaking with him on the train, at which point he tries to convince himself that he’s moved on, but has to admit the futility of him even trying to before the last line of the page.

Throughout the collection there is a melancholic air, a vagueness or surreality that comes with remembering, with present events only reminding the speaker of what he no longer has and thus ricocheting his thoughts back into his past. The poems themselves are rely on brevity and the empty spaces around the lines ("The Lines") add to a feeling of hollowness. The language doesn't try to complicate things and the imagery isn't cryptic – you don't really need to decode the work to get at what it is trying to show you.

The Lines (train lines, linear experience, temporality – the inability to exist in one ideal moment as everything is always fleeting) is an enjoyable read to be taken, ideally, in a single sitting. The poems build upon one another and you’re gradually absorbed into the speaker’s mindset, the futility with which he yearns for what he barely had.

Definitely worth a visit if the theme appeals to you and if you’re looking to be borne along on another’s journey.



*The poems are actually told in the first person and I don’t think a specific gender is stated

Thank you to Eli Wilde and Goodreads for sending me this book through Goodreads' First Reads. Review originally posted on: www.thelittlecrocodile.com

[joy’s reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ⭐️
not entirely what i was hoping it’d be

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one, but I was disappointed. Too many redundancies, too many poems that didn't really say anything. Wilde is fixated on kissing, as I'd expect a 13-year-old girl to be, not an adult male. Because of the subject, this collection could should have been a lot sexier.

However, Wilde does have talent. He just needs to let it off the leash more. I liked the concept; that was why I bought the book after I didn't win it through the First Reads program. As other reviewers have mentioned, the pieces are accessible, understandable. The collection is a quick, easy read.

Anyway, I selected a few poems that stood out more than the rest:

"Morning Fog"
"Allure Velvet"
"Spidery, Amorphous"
"What She Did to Me"
"Endings"
"Everlasting, Without Asking"

I leave you with this:

as if your voice is a calling
and your silence a bitter end - "Affects Profound"

[Anna Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been drawn to anguish-laden poems, so I particularly enjoyed this collection. Delivered with an apothegmatic brevity, and modest in their aims, Eli Wilde's poems are beautiful in the glory of their pain.
Fragmentation and fusion appear in the visual arts of the work, allowing the emotionally charged feelings to mingle with the thought provoking imagery accordingly. As always, I was impressed by this poet's way of shaping phrases into cogent emotions in the form of literary snapshots; as through a pane of glass. 'The Lines' is a summation of love lost with a demonstration of contentment.

[Zhara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading The Lines, poetry for me is personal. With this collection it was a story of love found and lost. We were given good memories, and sad times. But also as we rode the train, and met more characters as he people watched. This poetry is to me a short story, written in a way I can enjoy snap shots of time.