An Informal Read of a Book About a Dog Reviewed by a Person Who Doesn’t Like Dogs.

by Rachel Turney

 

 

The Lake Remains by Antonia Wilde

Publisher: Kelsay Books (June 2, 2026)

 

 

I’m gonna say something y’all aren’t going to like. I don’t care about other people’s dogs, husbands, or kids. Ya know what I mean though? Like I hate when I ask what's going on with a friend and the answer is never about the woman herself. I want to hear what you read, what you have been writing, the last great meal you had. I want to learn about your brain, your taste buds, your run splits. I want to know what mountain you hiked (literally and figuratively), who pissed you off, and talk about the moon.

 

So it was interesting to read Wilde’s book which is essentially an elegy to a dog. What I love about poetry is that because of its opaque nature the reader can transform the experience into anything and the words can take on new meaning. So while The Lake Remains was intended to be literally about a pet, I read this book about loss generally and loss in the way that women (assigned the caretaker role) feel loss. The whole book is about the emotional structure women hold in society, for which they are often overlooked.

 

In the poem, “Remorse,” Wilde says something interesting: "I let you walk down that hallway to another world, / at the sterile hands of a man who did you wrong." Is she saying something a little broader and more generalized here than a commentary on the death of this beloved dog? I think she is. I also think that in the poem “Wedding Dresses” Wilde is talking about more than the dependability of her dog when she compares that to the lack of dependability in other areas of life. At least that’s what I read between the lines.

 

Wilde presents a beautiful book about devotion, love, loyalty, caretaking, and companionship. Whether the dog narrative hits home for you or not, the discussion of grief through the course of the daily, set by a lake, is for anyone who feels.

 

Perfect for: a poet who just lost a pet, the pet lover, any person in a caretaking role.

 

 

About the Author:

Antonia Wilde is an emerging poet whose work explores the raw, unfiltered depths of human emotion and the natural world. This is her first published book of poetry. Her poetry focuses on grief, nature, longing, and becoming. She studied English Writing in college, earning a Bachelor’s degree. Antonia’s work is short, vivid, and punchy. You can find her writing by her favorite lake in Wisconsin, surrounded by her favorite books at the bookstore she owns.

 

About the Reviewer:

Rachel Turney, Ed.D. (she/her) is the Writer in Residence (2026) at NKollectiv in Englewood, Colorado and runs the Trident Women’s Writing Group in Boulder. She is a poetry mentor with the Association of Writers & Writing Programs. Rachel is passionate about immigrant rights, teacher support, and empowering other artists. She is a Writers’ Hour prize winner and has been nominated for Best of the Net and Best Microfiction. Rachel is the founder of the popular online reading series Poetry (in Brief) and EIC of PiB (the Magazine). She is on staff at Bare Back Magazine with her monthly column Friday Night in the Suburbs. She reads for The Los Angeles Review. Her debut poetry collection, Record Player Life (the b-side), is available with The Poetry Lighthouse. Her second poetry book, Retired Wannabe Club Kid, is out now with Parlyaree Press. Website: turneytalks.com Instagram: @turneytalks Bluesky: rachelturney

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