Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins

by Colleen Anderson

Complex emotions and experiences are woven into the architecture of Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins, where the reader is both captured and freed by meditations on perseverance and survival. While fables and mythology tower over our literary landscape casting a long shadow, Anderson uses electrifying retellings in verse to illuminate new meaning in well-known tales.

Straddling the line between universal and deeply personal, this lush garden of poems has been seeded in a fairytale realm but grows beyond such boundaries into horror, fantasy, and confessional poetry. Anderson deftly prunes her concepts down to their powerful cores, revealing the truths at the root of our folklore.

In a world of princes and witches, of maidens and curses, brute force and heroic conquest can fail in the face of a gilded cage. Here, poems affirm the strength of subtlety and soft power as the untold stories of women shape the fortunes of entire kingdoms. 

Genres: Poetry

106 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and RDS Publishing for providing me with an eARC.

This is a beautifully written poetry collection -- in a sense this felt like a Rapunzel retelling but from her perspective about feeling trapped and finally feeling free. I was a little confused about the flow of the poems, I think it changed trajectories in between. But they were very evocative and will make you feel a range of emotions. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lush poetry collection.

[Cakethulhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝕍𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕦𝕞 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕤 & 𝕃𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕊𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤
3.5/5 stars

Lyrical, emotional, and a little haunting.

From the start, I was enchanted, swept away by the beautiful words of longing. There’s this unmistakable Rapunzel energy, isolated towers, identity crises, longing for something just out of reach. It’s a poetic fairytale, and it hits hard in the best ways.

But somewhere in the middle... the spell broke. What began as a cohesive narrative shifted abruptly, and I found myself lost in poems that felt disconnected or harder to grasp. Yes, it’s a collection, but the transition was jarring because earlier poems had such a strong throughline that I assumed that thread would continue. I wasn’t sure if I was missing something or if it were done on purpose. Then suddenly, the thread started back up.

Still, there were moments that stopped me in my tracks.

“I am the lone tree
in a rampant meadow
of raging splendor”

Absolutely stunning. And there were several lines like that, ones that felt like little pin pricks to the heart that really made you feel for the narrator.

I do think the author is still finding her poetic signature. Some poems flowed effortlessly while others felt overworked or like they hadn’t fully bloomed. That said, I’m glad I read it, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more from Colleen Anderson in the future.

Final Thoughts:
A deeply emotional read that strikes to the core, especially for those who enjoy poetry. It will make you feel something, and it's magical. Savor it slowly.

[Andrew Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vellum Leaves & Lettered Skins / Colleen Anderson with an excellent introduction by Jonathan Maberry.
Nature, the body, and the mind are sources of inspiration and a fount of horror in this gorgeous collection of provocative verse. Many unknowns live in the trees, the soil, in the bodies of every living creature, and in our own minds. This collection made me consider a question I’ve asked myself many times over the years- “ What is a weed (or a monster) and why?”. It’s such a personal consideration, but one that always seems to be answered in the same way- a weed (or a monster) refuses to be controlled and told what they are and where they may exist, or where they may grow and flourish, and so they are destroyed for their effect on perceived order. What is it about the environment we interact with that we name some growing things weeds, and others flowers? Some heroes and others’ monsters? What is invasive to one may be salvation to another. What has worth, and should the value of a person only be found in what value they bring to another, the one who longs only to own them? Depression, longing and growth, belonging and escape…key themes in this evocative collection of dark poetry with the recurring motif of a tower, it’s window, and a society that each act as prison to both individual and mind. Absolutely redolent verse.
“At night , hunger bites them, their cries break the stars…”- Fruiting Bodies

[Emi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publishing date: 29.07.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and RDS Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Oh this is a neat little book! A neat little collection of poetry to be specific.

The feeling this book gives is lonely, hoping, wanting better, to be better, and wild. While it is rooted in fantasy and folktales, it feels so relatable in a way I really can't describe.

This is definitely for the girls that feel a little different.

I don't really have much more to say than that. This book is hard to describe. Maybe saying that it smells like moss and petrichor helps narrow down the audience.

Giving this 3 stars. While yes it was beautiful and highly emotional, I have forgotten most of the contents and am left with just a vague feeling of loneliness. Will recommend to all my girlies, especially the alternative ones.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visceral and evocative, Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins brings life to women of myth and fairytale in a way that is so painfully relatable for many. Much of the collection has an overarching narrative, blending several tales to represent the different stages of life our narrator goes through. The first third or so isn't as cohesive, but the poems were nonetheless poignant.

Abandonment, grief, and depression are common themes in this collection, I would recommend being in a good headspace before diving in. This one is for the women who want more, who feel like they don't quite fit, who have been told they are too much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy for review.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live for poetry. I make it a point to read at least one poem every day. I didn't go into this with any expectation (ngl, I just loved the cover) but what a lovely surprise. This is more than a collection of poems. It is a whole story with a narrative arc, it just happens to be broken down into poems that each stand on their own. Each poem is beautifully composed and dripping with familiar archetypes from myth and fairytale. This is the heroine’s journey, from a princess contained in a tower, ultimately always being to big, too much for the world trying to box her in.

Thank you Colleen Anderson for the ARC, what a treat, I plan on reading all over again.

[Anastey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, RDS Publishing, and Colleen Anderson for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a really interesting book of poetry. It was full of poetic tales. Some were based on fairytales and stories we know, and a lot of tales were completely new to me. I enjoyed the way the author added a bit of plant life to each poem. It was a lot of fun to try to spot the little nature bits. It was a very cozy read to enjoy with a warm mug of tea.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in return for an honest review.
I was immediately drawn into this by the cover and title and was interested on the poetry within. While it was beautifully written and it was telling a story throughout some of the various poems, I couldn't quite get into it. I honestly felt I wasn't sophisticated enough to enjoy it fully. Because of the good reviews that did occur, it's probably more something I was struggling with so I'm still giving 3 stars, though I would truly give it 3.5.

[H. Woodward · Rating 4 out of 5]

4. The poet does a great job linking the women of lore to the universal experiences of being a woman in our world. We all take this journey with Rapunzel. I love the texture of the words here, it is delicious to sink into them. The different forms are fun to read, I like the experimenting with words on the page. I do feel like the poet hasn't quite settled into a clear style though, that she is still looking for some form here. Overall, an enjoyable way to spend a summer morning.

[Red Goddess Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book of poetry I received from NetGalley. This book of prose is so much more than that. It is a whole story about a trapped Princess. It reflects perfectly on beloved fairytales and fables. I will cherish this book forever and endearingly remember it always as my beautiful introduction to this author and this genre.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is like a story in poetic form, medieval and indebted to that imagery. One day I wish to learn how to spell medieval without using spell check. But it's low on the list of words because there are so many others that I unfortunately use more often and should learn first. Isn't that crazy?

Thanks for the ARC

[readingcactuss · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
Haunting, tragic and beautiful.
I was enraptured from the start. The use of mythical women was intriguing. There were some poems that were better, some were a bit confusing and disconnected. The author needs to work on that. Overall this was a great book with emotional poems filled with grief, depression and abandonment.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc review.

I love how this book looks.
The content was a bit harder to get in to.
There are some amazing poems in here, some less my thing.
But overal a good poetry book.
It are some cute ''nature'' vibes which I liked, and made the book different.

3,5/5
Thank you to everyone involved for the arc.

[Elle V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep and enchanting blend of poetry and folklore.
The writer gave an artful voice to the women we know, love and fear from myths.
Creative, entertaining, feminine and dark...I loved it.

Thank you so much Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this poetry collection from Colleen Anderson. All the poems were good, but my favorites were "Tower" and "Winter". Will need to find more from Colleen Anderson. #VellumLeavesandLetteredSkins #NetGalley

[Shan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Olivia Waldron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to RDS Publishing for the ARC.

Visceral and evocative, Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold and windy night.
Easy to read in one sitting, it also contains various literary references that make the poems feel a bit like a treasure hunt.
The one thing I wasn't sure about was the direction it took in the second half. If anything, the book could have easily been split into two collections, as the second part didn't quite mesh with the first.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. Colleen Anderson has woven a tapestry of greed, love, longing, desire, despair, and magic. We are held captive in the tower with Rapunzel breathing in air dusty with books and fragrant with bouquets of appeasement. Anderson uses Rapunzel's tower as an allegory for depression and the confines sufferers of this illness experience. All her life Rapunzel longs to break free from the tower, to escape and feel the fullness of a life lived free and discover who she is. "What am I when I stop growing," she wonders; "will she cultivate a golden treasure/ consume my songs and aspirations/ or see me as an unsightly weed?" If Rapunzel can't see herself as a whole person, will anyone? "My feet are nothing/ but stone, sediment," Rapunzel says. She is frozen, fixed in place within the prison of the tower.
My favorite poems in the collection are "Gorgon" and "Sedna," modelled on two mythical women ill-used by man but refusing to be victims. Their anger fuels their power, punishing sinners in their wake.
"Forgotten Language" reads like an enchantment being cast: "[...] mouse beetle butterfly bee/ learn to speak in ancient tongues/ scribe the language with stone and nail/ [...] we breed in wild green, flowers/ seeds, live free, move mostly unseen/ winds serenade, leaf litter/ trees, hives hold our homes/ [...] we speak with you/ a shade to the outside world/ you might never be free/ but we will listen/ to your plea"
The witch's words in "Let Me" build walls within the tower's walls: "I will bring you bouquets, a feast for your eyes/ [...] I cherish you too much/ [...] I will bring you a cornucopia of fruit, colors, flavors: you will never want." Except for her freedom. When Rapunzel is finally free of the tower, she is still lost, struggling to survive: "My way was lost/ before I ever found it [...] I'm a leaf adrift on the wind/ will I stay afloat or drown/ spiraling beyond reach"
After much trial and suffering, Rapunzel finds solace in the familiar, wondering if everything she lived through was worth it. "The wheel turns," she realizes, "as I stand still."
It is not easy to escape the tower. As someone living with major depressive disorder, I recognize the struggle to find fulfillment, to realize I have escaped the tower, only to find myself enclosed once more. In her Dedication of this book, Colleen Anderson states "Those who are stuck in the towers of isolation cannot always reach out." Often, we don't even recognize we are held captive. However, like Rapunzel, we must find the strength to keep going.
Colleen Anderson has written a brilliant, beautiful, painful book that should be cherished by everyone who reads it.

[Red Goddess Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It may sound crazy, but although I have been writing poetry for over 30 years, I don’t generally read poetry but decided to take a step outside my comfort zone and give it a shot and I am so incredibly glad because I found a whole new genre to fall in love with and this book is the reason why. This is the first book of poetry I ever picked up and read from cover to cover. And I’m so incredibly grateful that I did because it has catapulted me into a new area where there is such a beauty and sadness and reverence. This is a book that is a true gem and a real gift.