The first piece in Vashti Stopher Klein's collection portrays a Dragonslayer who seems to be the only one that can save Soprano from her sudden illness. However, Soprano might, in the process, lose her voice and her life passion: singing. Will Soprano be saved from the evil monster and its life-threatening clutches? The rest of the book includes exquisite artworks by national award-winning quilter and fiber artist Carol Collett and poems and song lyrics by author Vashti Stopher Klein, a folk singer-songwriter and an award-winning filmmaker. The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer explores themes like longing, wishes, the holiness of love, happiness, and more. Vashti, who almost lost her voice due to a major health crisis, retells her story artistically and touches the hearts of her readers with her poems.

From my brief look through The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer, my first thought was, "This is actually a beautiful book!" And after I fully read the book, I realized that it is not only pleasing to the eye but also healing and compelling. My favorite poem, Shall I?, is filled with descriptive words that painted pictures in my mind, immersing me in an imaginative and dreamy state of mind. The other poems reminded me of my past and present relationships, and I felt like the poems spoke to me in several parts. I loved the depth, colors, and details of the illustrations. In fact, I spent a considerable time just staring at them while reflecting on the words of the poems. Overall, I had a lovely, soul-lifting experience reading Vashti Stopher Klein's book. It would appeal to romantics and lovers of art.

The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer by Vashti Stopher Klein is a collection of beautiful poetry that, at times, relates a meaningful story, and at other times captures an emotion that is very strong or an image. It features themes of love, nostalgia, pain and healing, nature, and the spiritual experience of the personal. It opens with the story of the soprano whose mission was to sing and who sang to heal the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” and her heart. The poems follow the different seasons of the soul of the poet, unveiling the hidden import of pain, celebrating in songs that are uplifting, capturing emotions such as languor with vividness.

This well-written work has strong imagery, from the long dark winter night to the nostalgia of waiting for one’s lover at the wishing well. In fact, my favorite of these poems was “My Wishing Well,” a poem that evokes melancholy and longing in a way that resonates with the human heart. This poetry is inspirational, filled with strong and fast rhythms, loaded with spiritual symbolism, pulling the reader in through its music. The illustrations are colorful and very telling of the themes in these poems. In addition to Vashti’s music, readers will delight in the different types of images she evokes in this gorgeous collection. The poems in The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer highlight the bigger context of our existence as individuals and our connection to a reality that is more powerful than us, shaping a world that is directly linked to the author’s experience of love, pain, and healing. It is a great offering to poetry lovers and anyone who enjoys lyrical works with colorful illustrations.

If you had a gift, like singing, and you couldn’t live without it, would you face death before giving up on your gift? That’s a difficult question. For the soprano, whose life revolves around her music and her ability to sing, it’s a question she faces when an illness threatens to take her life. But is it an illness? Or is there something evil inside her that needs to be removed to protect both her life and her great gift of song?

There are many ways that lead to healing. Music and poetry, both intertwined, are a powerful healing potion, a sanctuary of sound: “In the still of the night/ Music soft, music slow/ Feelin’ so right…” Vashti Stopher Klein’s book, The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer, is a clever, sensitive and compassionate collection of stories, poems and marvelous illustrations that reflect the power of music and poetry. The illustrations are picturesque quilts, stitched with love, care, and time – very soothing and healing. The author’s words sing brightly of passion and life, light and time immeasurable. The story about the soprano reads like a legend, one that speaks of the importance of the gift of music, at least to the protagonist, as well as to the author. It reflects on how we all confront our dragons at some point in our lives and we’re challenged with whether to give in or fight the good fight, so to speak. The poems lead the reader through healing, redemption and so much love, each word written with music infused in its symbolism. Powerful, healing words.

The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer by Vashti Stopher Klein is a collection of songs, poems, and stories designed to inspire which would appeal most to a diverse audience of teens, young adults, and adults who enjoy the arts and seek inspiration in their lives. The book opens with “The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer” story and then continues with a collection of 25 songs and poems which includes Steel Drums, All that You Are, My Wishing Well, By the River, and Whatever He Wants. The collection is filled not only with words, but also images and links to the performed songs that allow the reader to become immersed in the author’s music. Are you ready to immerse yourself in this world of healing, hope, and inspiration as words and songs take you on a journey through these pages?

The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer by Vashti Stopher Klein is a well-written inspirational collection filled with beautiful images that serve to further accentuate each of the author’s works. I particularly liked the included YouTube hyperlinks that allowed me to hear the songs performed. I found this book to be not only inspirational but also useful as the author’s words helped me to relax before bed and find inner calm in myself - this helped me feel that everything would be okay. While I enjoyed all of the works, I have to say that Because You Love Me was my favorite as its verses truly touched my heart and I felt like it just fit me perfectly. Upon finishing the book my only regret was that it was not longer. I hope the author continues sharing her works in book form in the future!

The Soprano, the Monster, and the Dragonslayer, is a sublime composition of music and poetry. All narrated from a personal perspective full of harmony. This book is perfect to read accompanied by the music it recommends, on a pleasant afternoon. It's definitely worth it. The author, Vashti Stopher Klein does not limit herself to transferring her thoughts with words, she includes links to YouTube videos that complement her experience by taking her artistic expression one step further. Her interpretation of "You Are Here", in particular, was wonderful to me, but all the content of her is very good, something that can be appreciated without being a music expert. Her soprano voice takes us by the hand through a magical journey.

I was delighted to find this book because it provided me with magnificent moments, it is very pleasant, it invites reflection and her music creates a very strong impact with that beautiful voice. The best part is being able to read the lyrics of the songs to the rhythm of the music, because that excites the imagination and it's like acquiring a new experience, you can perfectly understand what it wants to convey to us. Personally, I prefer to have the physical book to complement the sensory experience: Feeling the book, the paper, the melodies, the voice, the surrounding environment... This book is wonderful if you are looking to have a totally new experience at home. The reading is incredible if it is accompanied by the melodies because you can connect in a deeper way with the ideas, you see the places, the ocean, the feelings and the magic of their experiences. Because this is not just another story, it is the experience narrated from a melodious perspective.