Book Review: All Kinds of Stupid

A slim volume of musings and free verse reflecting on our modern lives

Saheba Singh’s All Kinds of Stupid—with its byline Poetry Prose Satire Complicated—offers a distinctive blend of musings, journaling, free verse, and interactive content. Its unique style seems especially tailored for the social media-savvy Generation Z. The sepia-toned, attention-grabbing cover and fragmented byline reflect the book’s multifaceted tone, calling out to a generation that often tags life and relationships as “It’s complicated.”

The book comes with thoughtful additions: a blank B5 journal and a placard promoting the hashtag #akos. These elements encourage readers to engage actively with the book, flipping through its pages to explore the author’s world and share their reflections. Singh’s writing spans five different “Spaces,” each offering a specific type of content—ranging from doodles and journal-style musings to free verses and life lessons. Readers can choose a Space to suit their mood, making the experience flexible and personal.

The writing is raw and sometimes intense, addressing themes like life, relationships, and existential crises. While not entirely unique in content, some pieces stand out for their poignancy, especially those reflecting on the inner child, daily routine, or nature. Each entry ends with a prompt, inviting readers to ruminate, meditate, and share their responses online using #akos. This interactive approach doubles as a clever marketing strategy and adds purpose to the book, encouraging introspection and self-expression. The inclusion of a pocket-sized journal as an accompaniment is a thoughtful touch, aligning with this reflective theme.

One design choice that proved distracting was the ink blot pattern on every page. In the plain black-and-white paperback format, these blotches sometimes obscured the text, making it difficult to read. A more polished design—perhaps with glossy pages and ink blots in soft blue tones—might have enhanced its visual appeal. While this design choice reflects the author’s artistic sensibilities, it could have been executed more effectively.

Overall, All Kinds of Stupid exudes a comforting and minimalist aesthetic, aligned with its themes of solace and self-reflection. Its interactive elements and unique presentation have the potential to captivate young readers, offering them a refreshing reading and journaling experience. For those seeking both creative inspiration and introspection, this book is a worthwhile pick.

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I received an advance review copy for free from Footprint Publications and I am leaving this review voluntarily.