Not Enough, Just Enough

by A.B. Cofer

The dark, the light, the grey. We often live in one of these states, and rarely live in all at once. A poetry collection that takes you through the dark and the depression that lives there, the light and the wonder that rarely stays, and the grey, the inevitable permanence of it all.

Genres: Poetry

Kindle Edition

Published December 23, 2018

Reviews

[Gemma Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a stunning read

Not Enough, Just Enough is quite the emotional rollercoaster. A beautiful book full of stunning words and laced with real feelings. A truly enjoyable read.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this book, I closed the back cover, took a deep breath, and read it all over again- I don’t know that I’ve ever done that with a book. The author lays out her story in a linear fashion, taking you on a journey with her as she assesses trauma and it’s effects, fights against self harm and suicide, and basks in the light moments as they come. This is a book that’s hard to put it down once you pick it up, it’s authentic, vulnerable, painful, witty, intriguing, hopeful. Brilliantly written.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my heart and mind and dragged me in - there are so many things that are so close to home and other shocking experiences I'll never be able to be close to imagining. I finished it and went back to the beginning for another read as it was so good.

[t g · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of poetry that explores a lot of sensitive, vulnerable topics. It's an amazing read and very real/human. 12/10 would recommend.

[Library of Dreaming (Bookstagram) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edited 1/15/10: So turns out that the typography on my kindle edition was messed up. Please ignore my comments on the typeface! The letters are not overlapping, it was simply an error.

Original review:

Massive trigger warnings for rape, self-harm, suicide, depression.

2.5 stars. On one hand, I appreciate how the author handles really dark themes and I liked her style. However, the way this book is typeset (with all the letters crunched together and some overlapping) gave me a headache. It's a matter of personal preference in this case. If you like a sort of written puzzle and can handle dark themes, this might be the collection for you.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a general rule, I try not to be too hard on items I read for free on my Kindle. After all, it was free, which means my investment was low. That being said, I didn't love Not Enough, Just Enough. Some of the verse was good, even very good, but it lacked overall cohesion and direction. If you're a poetry fan, skim at your leisure and enjoy. It is currently free to purchase for your Kindle so if you're out of poetry during quarantine, this might be good to try.

[Kristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A. B. Cofer’s Not Enough, Just Enough is the first poetry collection I have read which strikes the beautiful yet painful balance of healing. Although Cofer masterfully considers the dark and the light, she also explores the grey.

Opening with ‘depression’, Cofer immediately establishes this collection to read for comfort. I would say, at times, the reader should be aware Cofer explicitly deals with self-harm and rape. But I appreciate the need for these experiences to be acknowledged and shared. Cofer does not shy away and encourages her reader to confront the darkness and love within themselves.

Consequently, reading this collection felt like reading a journal as Cofer structurally charts changes as time passes; the different paths we end up on or are forced upon. In this way, Cofer explores pain, heartache, love, loss, grief and healing.

But, as I said in the beginning, what Cofer does best is reveal the fluctuation in healing - the grey. Her poems illustrate there there is no clear way to heal. Healing is not linear and to feel joy you must feel sadness. Cofer teaches any reader that okay is okay, enough is enough and love will flourish because love must.

“I spent so much time trying to figure out how to
be whole
that I should do what it takes to
patch up the leaks

And I know I’ll always
be halfway in the water but
at least now I know what it takes
to stay afloat” - Life jacket

[Kayla Simon]

what a deeply honest and beautiful collection of poetry. i found myself tearing up at the vulnerability presented in these poems. a.b. cofer has such a way with words and while this book was heartbreaking, it was also so important and well-written. many of the poems touched on difficult topics such as mental health and identity, providing a poetic look into the author’s mind. i definitely recommend this poetry collection for anyone who has struggled with their mental health and i can’t wait to read more from a.b. cofer.

[Randi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but didn't love it. It read like very short journal entries and seemed rather scattered. The Kindle edition had some strange formatting errors that made actually try to read it more of a chore, so that was frustrating, but this review is strictly about the words themselves.
Massive CW for self-harm, suicide, sexual assault. I liked how the author didn't shy away from brutal honesty, but it was also just a tough read. Maybe I'm just feeling soft, but I didn't especially appreciate the harshness of this read. It just felt like too much and left me wincing on the inside as I read it.

[Shannon O'Connor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh

I wanted to like this book but I just didn’t. It read to me like a journal, not so much poetry. It was very repetitious and not very original. There were a few good poems but mainly disappointing ones.

[Caitlin Conlon]

A. B. Cofer writes very candidly about her experiences in this debut collection. It moves through various stages in the speaker’s life, from a place of darkness to grey to light. If you’re looking for an honest, raw read, about the ugly parts of mental illness, this absolutely fits the bill.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is honest, authentic, heartbreaking and connective. Wonderful writing and flow. Beautiful description and word choice. I very much enjoyed it.