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The Smallest God Who Ever Lived: Poetry of heartbreak, identity, and divine obsession
A Collection of Fragmented Wounds
by Thanh Dinh
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is a searing, poetic journey through the fractured edges of the human spirit. In this haunting and lyrical collection, Thanh Dinh explores the soft devastation of grief, the raw intimacy of longing, and the fragile beauty of perseverance in a world that rarely offers sanctuary.
Rooted in existentialist thought and aching vulnerability, these poems trace the quiet violence of living—of loving deeply, of being forgotten, of holding on to hope when everything else is slipping away. Dinh’s verse lingers in the silences, finds grace in the broken spaces, and breathes light into the darkest corners of the self.
At the core of this collection is the idea that we become gods in our survival—not grand or omnipotent, but small, trembling gods of memory, emotion, and love. The voice here is both wounded and reverent, What does it mean to keep going when the world keeps burning? This is not just a book of poems; it is a prayer for the lost, a ballad for those who’ve endured, and a gentle anthem for those who still believe something soft and sacred remains.
Written with the emotional depth of Ocean Vuong and the fierce clarity of Sylvia Plath, this book is for anyone who’s ever broken and rebuilt themselves in the quiet. These poems do not pretend to offer answers—they offer companionship. A mirror. A hand reaching out.
“I wrote this for the days I needed saving and no one came.”
This edition also includes an exclusive first chapter of Dinh’s forthcoming novel Kill My Darling—a dark, hypnotic narrative of obsession, addiction, and the unraveling madness of toxic love. It’s a gripping preview of what comes next from an unforgettable voice in contemporary literature.
by Thanh Dinh
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is a searing, poetic journey through the fractured edges of the human spirit. In this haunting and lyrical collection, Thanh Dinh explores the soft devastation of grief, the raw intimacy of longing, and the fragile beauty of perseverance in a world that rarely offers sanctuary.
Rooted in existentialist thought and aching vulnerability, these poems trace the quiet violence of living—of loving deeply, of being forgotten, of holding on to hope when everything else is slipping away. Dinh’s verse lingers in the silences, finds grace in the broken spaces, and breathes light into the darkest corners of the self.
At the core of this collection is the idea that we become gods in our survival—not grand or omnipotent, but small, trembling gods of memory, emotion, and love. The voice here is both wounded and reverent, What does it mean to keep going when the world keeps burning? This is not just a book of poems; it is a prayer for the lost, a ballad for those who’ve endured, and a gentle anthem for those who still believe something soft and sacred remains.
Written with the emotional depth of Ocean Vuong and the fierce clarity of Sylvia Plath, this book is for anyone who’s ever broken and rebuilt themselves in the quiet. These poems do not pretend to offer answers—they offer companionship. A mirror. A hand reaching out.
“I wrote this for the days I needed saving and no one came.”
This edition also includes an exclusive first chapter of Dinh’s forthcoming novel Kill My Darling—a dark, hypnotic narrative of obsession, addiction, and the unraveling madness of toxic love. It’s a gripping preview of what comes next from an unforgettable voice in contemporary literature.
- GenresPoetry
90 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 9, 2025
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is a collection of raw and honest poetry from Thanh Dinh that rips open the raw and real emotions experienced and felt by the author. Many of these poems were relatable to challenging times, gotten through alone by myself too, and these hit hard. I found myself taking my time with this book and rereading poems several times before moving on to the next.
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is a collection of raw and honest poetry from Thanh Dinh that rips open the raw and real emotions experienced and felt by the author. Many of these poems were relatable to challenging times, gotten through alone by myself too, and these hit hard. I found myself taking my time with this book and rereading poems several times before moving on to the next.
May 15, 2025
“I wrote this for the days I needed saving and no one came.”
I think I needed these poems at exactly this moment in my life. Reading this book by Thanh Dinh was the best decision I’ve made in recent months, maybe even years. I needed to feel something deep and real, and this collection delivered that with an intensity I didn’t expect. The poems are raw, loud, tender, and beautifully written. I read them slowly, letting the words settle, trying to absorb everything.
I don’t often reach for poetry, but I’m so glad I found this collection. It came to me when I needed it most, and I think it will stay with me for a long time. I recommend it with my whole heart.
I received this copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I think I needed these poems at exactly this moment in my life. Reading this book by Thanh Dinh was the best decision I’ve made in recent months, maybe even years. I needed to feel something deep and real, and this collection delivered that with an intensity I didn’t expect. The poems are raw, loud, tender, and beautifully written. I read them slowly, letting the words settle, trying to absorb everything.
I don’t often reach for poetry, but I’m so glad I found this collection. It came to me when I needed it most, and I think it will stay with me for a long time. I recommend it with my whole heart.
I received this copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2025
Interesting collection of poetry, something between poetic musings and poetic journaling, and a few poetic short stories, with one final short story at the end.
I found most of it well-written and enjoyable to read.
It might be wise to caution potential readers that most of the poetry in this collection is rather complex and requires a profound knowledge of literary classics, mythology, religion, and philosophy to fully understand - or perhaps even notice - the symbolism and references heavily present in a lot of Dinh's poetry (and poetic prose).
The only thing I found pretty weird, and what also felt like some kind of after-thought to me, was the ending with a short story, which was full of symbolism but lacked any kind of poetry or even poetic undertones. But then again, there are also some micro-shorts strewn throughout the whole book, although the rest of them made more sense to me than the last one. But that might be just a me thing.
All in all I am very glad I gave this DRC a chance and can say for certain I am looking forward to reading more (poetry and poetic prose) from Thanh Dinh in the future.
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Transparency disclaimer: Receiving a DRC of this book via BookSirens did not influence my review in any way, shape, or form.
I found most of it well-written and enjoyable to read.
It might be wise to caution potential readers that most of the poetry in this collection is rather complex and requires a profound knowledge of literary classics, mythology, religion, and philosophy to fully understand - or perhaps even notice - the symbolism and references heavily present in a lot of Dinh's poetry (and poetic prose).
The only thing I found pretty weird, and what also felt like some kind of after-thought to me, was the ending with a short story, which was full of symbolism but lacked any kind of poetry or even poetic undertones. But then again, there are also some micro-shorts strewn throughout the whole book, although the rest of them made more sense to me than the last one. But that might be just a me thing.
All in all I am very glad I gave this DRC a chance and can say for certain I am looking forward to reading more (poetry and poetic prose) from Thanh Dinh in the future.
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Transparency disclaimer: Receiving a DRC of this book via BookSirens did not influence my review in any way, shape, or form.
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July 10, 2025"If we had the chance to live, the sonabitch would have been alive."
This collection doesn't offer a lot of hope, which left me thinking a lot about why that bothers me. It's not the author's responsibility to offer a silver lining, I suppose, but I think it's also clear that's what I prefer at this point in my life. In this collection's commitment to its nihilism, it explores themes of religion, relationships, and continuing to try. When it was a hit, it hit hard for me. Without exception, I found the paragraph-style poetry the most powerful, and "The Death in the Garbage Truck — Interlude" and "The Promise — Prelude" are definitely the poems that will stay with me. Overall, unfortunately, this collection had more misses than hits for me, but it's something I know that I would have loved in my early twenties before I started really figuring things out.
I did find the punctuation quite distracting throughout the reading experience, especially looking at the choices of em dashes and commas where they didn't, to me, make sense with the pacing and stories. On the flip side, I thought this author did an absolutely killer job with endings. Each poem felt like it had a satisfying conclusion, some of which made me read the poems back a few times to really appreciate the journey to get there.
For these reasons, I don't think it's fair to give this book an overall star rating. It varies greatly for me from poem to poem and with stylistic choices, and I feel like this would be a fantastic read for a particular audience. If you're feeling lost and pointless and looking for a poetry collection that makes you feel seen, I'd recommend this one. I'd recommend it even more if you're looking back from a secure place in your own future at a past where nothing ever seemed it would get better.
With love and thanks to Writerly Publishing for the ARC!
This collection doesn't offer a lot of hope, which left me thinking a lot about why that bothers me. It's not the author's responsibility to offer a silver lining, I suppose, but I think it's also clear that's what I prefer at this point in my life. In this collection's commitment to its nihilism, it explores themes of religion, relationships, and continuing to try. When it was a hit, it hit hard for me. Without exception, I found the paragraph-style poetry the most powerful, and "The Death in the Garbage Truck — Interlude" and "The Promise — Prelude" are definitely the poems that will stay with me. Overall, unfortunately, this collection had more misses than hits for me, but it's something I know that I would have loved in my early twenties before I started really figuring things out.
I did find the punctuation quite distracting throughout the reading experience, especially looking at the choices of em dashes and commas where they didn't, to me, make sense with the pacing and stories. On the flip side, I thought this author did an absolutely killer job with endings. Each poem felt like it had a satisfying conclusion, some of which made me read the poems back a few times to really appreciate the journey to get there.
For these reasons, I don't think it's fair to give this book an overall star rating. It varies greatly for me from poem to poem and with stylistic choices, and I feel like this would be a fantastic read for a particular audience. If you're feeling lost and pointless and looking for a poetry collection that makes you feel seen, I'd recommend this one. I'd recommend it even more if you're looking back from a secure place in your own future at a past where nothing ever seemed it would get better.
With love and thanks to Writerly Publishing for the ARC!
June 18, 2025
4.5/5
Thanh Dinh’s poetry in The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is honest, emotional, and deeply personal. Three poems stood out to me: I Hold Death in My Arms Like an Old Lover, Reading Virginia Woolf, and Living is About Killing Everything.
Each of them explores heavy themes—death, survival, loneliness, healing—with rawness and care.
In I Hold Death in My Arms Like an Old Lover, death is almost human: someone you speak to, someone you once loved. It’s sad but strangely gentle. It makes you think about all the people we forget, and all the pain that doesn’t make it into history books.
Reading Virginia Woolf is a tribute to how words can save us. It reminded me how reading can make you feel less alone, how it can bring you back to yourself when you feel lost. It’s about finding the will to keep going, even in the middle of quiet sadness.
And Living is About Killing Everything is brutally honest. It talks about how living isn’t always beautiful—it’s hard, tiring, and full of quiet battles inside your own mind. But there’s also a strange hope in it. The poem made me feel seen.
Thanh Dinh’s writing is not about pretending things are okay. It’s about saying the hard things out loud—and somehow, in doing that, making them a little more bearable. This book made me feel, think, and sit quietly with my own emotions. I’m grateful I read it.
Thank You Net Galley for ARC
Thanh Dinh’s poetry in The Smallest God Who Ever Lived is honest, emotional, and deeply personal. Three poems stood out to me: I Hold Death in My Arms Like an Old Lover, Reading Virginia Woolf, and Living is About Killing Everything.
Each of them explores heavy themes—death, survival, loneliness, healing—with rawness and care.
In I Hold Death in My Arms Like an Old Lover, death is almost human: someone you speak to, someone you once loved. It’s sad but strangely gentle. It makes you think about all the people we forget, and all the pain that doesn’t make it into history books.
Reading Virginia Woolf is a tribute to how words can save us. It reminded me how reading can make you feel less alone, how it can bring you back to yourself when you feel lost. It’s about finding the will to keep going, even in the middle of quiet sadness.
And Living is About Killing Everything is brutally honest. It talks about how living isn’t always beautiful—it’s hard, tiring, and full of quiet battles inside your own mind. But there’s also a strange hope in it. The poem made me feel seen.
Thanh Dinh’s writing is not about pretending things are okay. It’s about saying the hard things out loud—and somehow, in doing that, making them a little more bearable. This book made me feel, think, and sit quietly with my own emotions. I’m grateful I read it.
Thank You Net Galley for ARC
August 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A brutally honest poetry collection, these poems live in the intersection of atheism/agnosticism, anger, grief, heartbreak, and nihilism. Though I don't live in all those places, these poems brought an odd sort of comfort in feeling less alone in those feelings and beliefs I do occasionally dwell in.
While I felt the story at the end, "He falls first, she is destroyed by choice," was out of place in a poetry collection, the rest of the poems spoke volumes to my spirit. A list of my personal favorites follows:
"The Dark Side of the Moon" - My absolute favorite of the collection. I have the softest of spots for Laika and her doomed space journey
"Living is About Killing Everything" - I loved the inclusion of scientific facts about cells with the more emotional material. It was a beautiful juxtaposition of logic and emotion.
"My Therapist" - a breakdown of therapy language and hope it can hurt instead of help sometimes.
"Don't Try" - an oddly hopeful poem about how being human is to try, even when failure is inevitable.
A brutally honest poetry collection, these poems live in the intersection of atheism/agnosticism, anger, grief, heartbreak, and nihilism. Though I don't live in all those places, these poems brought an odd sort of comfort in feeling less alone in those feelings and beliefs I do occasionally dwell in.
While I felt the story at the end, "He falls first, she is destroyed by choice," was out of place in a poetry collection, the rest of the poems spoke volumes to my spirit. A list of my personal favorites follows:
"The Dark Side of the Moon" - My absolute favorite of the collection. I have the softest of spots for Laika and her doomed space journey
"Living is About Killing Everything" - I loved the inclusion of scientific facts about cells with the more emotional material. It was a beautiful juxtaposition of logic and emotion.
"My Therapist" - a breakdown of therapy language and hope it can hurt instead of help sometimes.
"Don't Try" - an oddly hopeful poem about how being human is to try, even when failure is inevitable.
December 14, 2025
The poems in this volume are heartfelt with many references to interpersonal angst, the nature of God, and more. The verses speak to genuine pain and sense of unsettled being in a world that is both vastly international and intensely local, which I appreciated. I was less sure of the execution, though. I don't think the work offers much that is new or original in theme or form, if that's the kind of thing that's important to you in reading poetry.
Personally it was the attempts to write working-class and "gangster" voices (The Death in the Garbage Truck cycle and the novel sample at the end) that grated the most for me. Maybe I just wasn't the right audience or I'm the one who's ignorant, but it just kinda felt flat and try-hard. I also noticed a handful of references to Atlas shrugging that stuck out in such a short volume--no idea if the references are meant to be positive toward the (in)famous book or not, but they did stand out in memory.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book for free through BookSirens, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Personally it was the attempts to write working-class and "gangster" voices (The Death in the Garbage Truck cycle and the novel sample at the end) that grated the most for me. Maybe I just wasn't the right audience or I'm the one who's ignorant, but it just kinda felt flat and try-hard. I also noticed a handful of references to Atlas shrugging that stuck out in such a short volume--no idea if the references are meant to be positive toward the (in)famous book or not, but they did stand out in memory.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy of this book for free through BookSirens, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2025
This collection bleeds of deep thoughts, loss, and heart. The prose poetry in this collection is the loudest and strongest with the lyrical storytelling. I struggled with this collection in the aspect I wanted a louder meter and assonance from them. The subjects about relationships with family and how we deal with broken connections stir up the raw emotion I love about poetry. Where do we begin questioning the human condition if we do not even understand our own?
Dive into a collection speaking from the soul for an audience of likeminded soul. Free verse contemporary poetry hits hard with raw themes. Read this thinking about impact. Read this after a lost connection. Take this home to truly absorb the poetry. I read this advance copy for free voluntarily and leaving this honest review.
Dive into a collection speaking from the soul for an audience of likeminded soul. Free verse contemporary poetry hits hard with raw themes. Read this thinking about impact. Read this after a lost connection. Take this home to truly absorb the poetry. I read this advance copy for free voluntarily and leaving this honest review.
July 28, 2025
"[...] trying is the only way for us to survive on this beautiful catastrophic stage/Of the divine comedy/We call living."
"The Smallest God Who Ever Lived" is a volume of incredibly powerful, moving verse. Thanh Dinh speaks of love as pain, love as sadness, and love as the greatest blessing while acknowledging love's flaws and the freedom of loss. Dinh reminds us: "We fall through the cracks of Heaven,/Not to reach Hell,/But to reach the Present [...]" To be alive is to struggle, to seek and not always find. It is asking the same questions over and over, and receiving a different answer each time, but still having the courage to walk into each new day.
This is truly a beautiful book, not for the faint of heart, but for people who have struggled with their own demons, people who are afraid, but keep going, because we understand how much effort it takes to live in this world.
"The Smallest God Who Ever Lived" is a volume of incredibly powerful, moving verse. Thanh Dinh speaks of love as pain, love as sadness, and love as the greatest blessing while acknowledging love's flaws and the freedom of loss. Dinh reminds us: "We fall through the cracks of Heaven,/Not to reach Hell,/But to reach the Present [...]" To be alive is to struggle, to seek and not always find. It is asking the same questions over and over, and receiving a different answer each time, but still having the courage to walk into each new day.
This is truly a beautiful book, not for the faint of heart, but for people who have struggled with their own demons, people who are afraid, but keep going, because we understand how much effort it takes to live in this world.
May 14, 2025
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived by Thanh Dinh is a deep, complex, thought provoking book. It really changes my perspective on a few things. This collection of poems provokes deep feelings and longing for our narrator. The lyrical storytelling in this was absolutely beautiful. I don’t read a lot of poetry but this collection was so beautiful and I’m so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read this. I never felt lost while reading the book, and I could really visualize the story just like any other fiction book, so if you are a beginner in reading poetry, this book would be enjoyable for you! Thank You Thanh Dinh, Writerly Book, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 13, 2025
The Smallest God Who Ever Lived by Thanh Dinh is a touching and powerful book of poems about pain, love, loss, and hope with deep feeling. The poems are soft but strong, showing how hard life can be and how we survive. Each page feels personal and honest, like a quiet friend. If you’ve ever felt broken or alone, this book understands. It's not just poetry it’s a comfort for the heart. Beautiful and unforgettable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 5, 2025
I rarely read collections of poems, but something about this one was different, and it resonated with me immediately. Every author's creation in the book is beautifully written and deeply poetic. The themes of mental health, dying, heartbreak, life, and oppression, as well as the author's choice of words, were relatable and cutting from the inside. I wonder how hard it was for the author to release the collection, as it feels very personal. But I am thankful for that. I will just sit here and wait for the author's debut novel.
May 21, 2025
Thank you BookSirens for the free ARC of this book.
This book was definitely not my normal read. I believe the only poetry book i’ve read prior was Milk and Honey. This book goes far beyond the complexity of anything I could’ve imagined. It’s quite thought provoking but not my cup of tea. I felt like I was inside someone’s brain and I didn’t quite enjoy it. Poetry may not be for me. If it’s your thing, then i’d recommend this to you.
This book was definitely not my normal read. I believe the only poetry book i’ve read prior was Milk and Honey. This book goes far beyond the complexity of anything I could’ve imagined. It’s quite thought provoking but not my cup of tea. I felt like I was inside someone’s brain and I didn’t quite enjoy it. Poetry may not be for me. If it’s your thing, then i’d recommend this to you.
June 2, 2025
2.5 stars
I wasn't expecting this to be religious in any capacity, but that's my fault considering the word god is literally in the title...
But other than that putting me off a bit, most of the stories were pretty good! I wish I liked it more tho. I did really love the writing, so that's good I guess.
Sorry if this review is a bit of a mess, my chronic pain is particularly bad today so I can't really concentrate well... So sorry about that!
I wasn't expecting this to be religious in any capacity, but that's my fault considering the word god is literally in the title...
But other than that putting me off a bit, most of the stories were pretty good! I wish I liked it more tho. I did really love the writing, so that's good I guess.
Sorry if this review is a bit of a mess, my chronic pain is particularly bad today so I can't really concentrate well... So sorry about that!
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July 2, 2025I can admit when I am not smart enough to fully understand a book. Nevertheless, I do know this book was immensely personal, raw, and vulnerable. You can tell how much thought and emotion went into creating this book. I especially enjoyed 'What You Call Freedom".
I want to thank Thanh Dinh and Writerly Books for the e-copy of The Smallest God Who Ever Lived in exchange for my honest review.
I want to thank Thanh Dinh and Writerly Books for the e-copy of The Smallest God Who Ever Lived in exchange for my honest review.
August 3, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!
I really liked two poems in this book; “Nietzsche Said” and “By Nightfall”
I do feel like it got a bit basic towards the end and the story was strange and unnecessary.
2.5 stars
I really liked two poems in this book; “Nietzsche Said” and “By Nightfall”
I do feel like it got a bit basic towards the end and the story was strange and unnecessary.
2.5 stars
June 30, 2025
Powerful poetry.
July 6, 2025
These poems were solid but not quite my jam.
October 25, 2025
Ma note : ☁️☁️☁️ ,5 / 5
Un joli recueil de poésie qui nous interroge sur notre condition humaine, notre rapport avec les autres, nos émotions, la vie, la mort, les ruptures de relation, les remises en question, les incompréhensions, les révoltes intérieures.
J’ai apprécié le style à la fois simple, cru et prenant des poèmes qui alternent entre vers et prose. J’ai été touchée par certains textes, moins par d’autres. Néanmoins il est certain qu’il y en aura au moins un qui vous parlera tant ils retranscrivent une réalité que l’on vit tous.
Je ne connaissais pas cette autrice mais ce recueil m’a donné envie de m’intéresser à son travail et pourquoi pas d’en découvrir plus ! Il me semble avoir vu qu’elle avait écrit d’autres recueils de poésie donc je vais pouvoir lire ses autres œuvres.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Un joli recueil de poésie qui nous interroge sur notre condition humaine, notre rapport avec les autres, nos émotions, la vie, la mort, les ruptures de relation, les remises en question, les incompréhensions, les révoltes intérieures.
J’ai apprécié le style à la fois simple, cru et prenant des poèmes qui alternent entre vers et prose. J’ai été touchée par certains textes, moins par d’autres. Néanmoins il est certain qu’il y en aura au moins un qui vous parlera tant ils retranscrivent une réalité que l’on vit tous.
Je ne connaissais pas cette autrice mais ce recueil m’a donné envie de m’intéresser à son travail et pourquoi pas d’en découvrir plus ! Il me semble avoir vu qu’elle avait écrit d’autres recueils de poésie donc je vais pouvoir lire ses autres œuvres.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 17, 2025
My review is only for "The Smallest God Who Ever Lived", which does not take into account my reading of the first chapter of Dinh’s forthcoming novel.
I'm pleasantly surprised that I found a voice who is so painfully honest and examines her emotions in a similar fashion as Sylvia Plath's. While I was not blown away by a few poems in this collection, they aren't bad. They just didn't click with me emotionally. The ones I enjoyed the most are "By Nightfall" and "Don't Try". Just when I noted mentally about the narrator's inner struggles exhibited are reminiscent of Sisyphus, there it was, an explicit reference to his myth in "Don't Try". The closing lines of each poem were impactful too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I'm pleasantly surprised that I found a voice who is so painfully honest and examines her emotions in a similar fashion as Sylvia Plath's. While I was not blown away by a few poems in this collection, they aren't bad. They just didn't click with me emotionally. The ones I enjoyed the most are "By Nightfall" and "Don't Try". Just when I noted mentally about the narrator's inner struggles exhibited are reminiscent of Sisyphus, there it was, an explicit reference to his myth in "Don't Try". The closing lines of each poem were impactful too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews