Press & Reviews
The Alchemy of Blood has received full reviews from seven publications. Links to each review are provided below.
Booklife Reviews (Publishers Weekly indie arm) Read the full review
"The debut collection from psychologist LaBrie is a magnetic amalgam of punchy, thought-provoking verses that, through a variety of thematic channels, express 'our vaporous organic truth.'"
Booklife Reviews highlighted the collection's thematic cohesion and its tension between the organic and the technological, comparing the work to poets Gary Snyder and Robert Bly.
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Kirkus Reviews Read the full review
"A thorny, probing, and occasionally moving collection. Each instance of connection in the 'Rubedo' section makes this challenging collection worth completing."
Kirkus Reviews noted the collection's spiritual arc and its range of voices, praising its moments of optimism within demanding subject matter.
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Independent Book Review Reviewed by Samantha Hui Read the full review
"Psychology, philosophy, art, and life's stranger-than-fiction moments alchemically collide in The Alchemy of Blood.LaBrie seeks to capture human existence as it actually is, and that honesty requires a careful balance of both ugliness and grace. Those willing to enter this collection with open minds and open hearts may be rewarded with a final message that a life worth living is one to which we can and must answer a resounding 'yes.'"
Independent Book Review examined the collection's psychological and philosophical range, its alchemical structure, and its ultimate movement toward hard-won affirmation.
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Self-Publishing Review Reviewed by John Staughton Read the full review
"Raw, unguarded, and ultimately hopeful in the face of harsh reality, The Alchemy of Blood by psychologist and poet Richard LaBrie transmutes the creeping despair of an observant healer into a striking collection of sensitive artistry."
Self-Publishing Review provided an in-depth analysis of all four alchemical sections, describing the collection as a psychological treatise on self-actualization as much as a work of poetry.
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Midwest Book Review / MBR Bookwatch Reviewed by Suzie Housley Read the full review(scroll down in link)
"For those willing to engage with its depth and intensity, this book offers a powerful and thought-provoking experience. Readers will not easily forget the book, which might be its greatest strength."
Midwest Book Review focused on the collection's emotional and structural ambition, praising its multidimensional voice and its unflinching exploration of transformation.
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US Review of Books Reviewed by Mark Heisey Read the full review
"There are strong poems in this collection that are delightful to read and think about, which any lover of modern poetry will enjoy reading and feel compelled to digest. Those who like contemporary verse and don't mind a bit of obscurity will find plenty of lines to enjoy rereading."
The US Review of Books described the work as experimental and intrinsically modern, comparing it to Ashbery and Eliot while noting the particular richness of the confessional poems.
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Reedsy Discovery Reviewed by Rebecca Fearn Read the full review
"The Alchemy of Blood is a raw and visceral collection of poetry. It grasps with a strong fist and delights with its unabashed honesty and gritty truths. Reading the collection evoked a spiral of emotions in me. Sometimes I was shocked, sometimes I was moved, other times what I read made my stomach churn. But that drew me to this collection, and kept me reading."
Reedsy Discovery approached the collection as a reader and poetry enthusiast, highlighting its emotional honesty, structural intrigue, and moments of airy beauty alongside the heavier work.
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