4.8 "frantically, frenetically, flailing, ferociously" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the poet and University of Pittsburgh Press for an ecopy. This will be released
October 2025. I am providing an honest review.

As a rule I read slowly, methodically, carefully. I could not with this collection. The poet simply would not allow this. The poems are all equally sharp, insightful, glaring. I rode the bicycle faster and faster but luckily it was downhill and the images, ideas, thoughts sailed on by. Young American womanhood in all its pain and beauty swept by and I was breathless. I was exhilarated but knew the cold Pacific Ocean awaited me and that I would land safely. Every poem a gem and in fact I read this not as a collection but as one long poem in one boisterous ride. Brava Ms. Egger !

There's a kind of listlessness to the poems that feels very present to maybe just where I'm at in my life, or where I've been recently, but it's meandering. The poems themselves are well-crafted and contemporary odes to this kind of existential questions we all have. I love the phrases and turns of phrase and imagery. I thought this was amazing. But I am also a millennial white woman in her thirties so does that matter or was this tailored to be something I enjoyed.

I mean "My B-side's finally getting some attention." is fuckin poetry. I mean obviously. But c'mon.

Good shit.

Thanks for the ARC

Thank you Netgalley, University of Pittsburgh Press, and Lara Egger for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book feels like a weird fever dream. The interesting artwork here and there really helps with that vibe. It's strange and random in the most unexpected ways. It was like channel surfing through the thoughts of the author's caffeinated brain goblin. It's so weird, but in a good way.

I absolutely loved this poetry collection - it hit me right in the feels from the very first poem. The way the author writes about everyday moments and makes them feel profound is incredible. Each poem feels like a conversation with a close friend who just gets it, you know? The language is beautiful without being pretentious or overly complicated. I found myself dog-earring so many pages because certain lines just stopped me in my tracks. The themes of love, loss, and finding yourself really resonated with me, especially during this weird time in my life. I’ve already recommended it to three friends and keep going back to reread my favorite pieces.

Flop Era is a poetic rollercoaster—sharp, self-deprecating, and weird in all the best ways. Lara Egger throws confetti on regret, infidelity, and existential dread, then dares you to laugh while crying.

A lovely collection of poems bursting with lively imagery and internal turmoil. I find the cover to be stunning, and an accurate representation of the poet’s quietly chaotic brain.

Some of these poems feel like Lara Egger took handfuls of words and tossed them into the air, assembling lines where they fell; they read like a sorceress' enchantments, holding you in place while you are bespelled. She crafts whimsical yet thoughtful lines, such as "I am behaving like an astronaut/ jonesing for a Quarter Pounder. Have you ever asked your doctor is Ennui is right for you?" One of my favorite lines from this collection is "The laundry is done,/ and it's a glorious night/ to be alive and insignificant." In "Ars Poetica," she looks at things from the outside: "I'm trying to divine/ how it might feel to be the message/ as opposed to bottle," and asks us to consider the unknown: "Love and faith--think about it--/ are a lot like the internet;/ very few people can explain/ how they actually work," (but they do, usually. However, "If the secret to love was chemistry/ all my soufflés would have risen.").
I copied so many of her lines into my journal. (I think her poem "Umami" is probably my favorite out of the entire collection.) Egger's writing is fantastic. She mixes the every-day with philosophy, offering such thoughts as "I'm a fan of recklessness in theory. Also marriage and gluten-free pasta," and "I'm all for pathos but prefer pancakes." She writes earnestly for all her witticisms, telling us to take a step back and consider ourselves: "It's okay to take damage, and try to string it into something beautiful."
I absolutely loved this collection. I definitely want to see what else Lara Egger has produced.