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thebookishlifeofbecks's reviews
272 reviews
Glass by Maiko Yokouchi
2.0
It was alright.
I really liked the concept behind some of the poems, and I feel like they could have really hit home, particularly with the Black Lives Matter movement that is still ongoing.
But I did not enjoy reading some of the poems. The haphazard capitalization and punctuation was unsettling, and I found myself focusing more on this than upon what I was actually reading. I do not know if this was intentional, but if it was, then perhaps it could have been executed better -- there was no consistency within it, and if I'm being brutally honest, it simply felt as though it had been rushed, or hadn't been proofread or edited at all.
I also feel, in some respect, that the poems were not personal enough -- that they were about racism and discrimination on a whole, rather than her individual experience. When it comes to poetry, there is a greater connection between the reader and the poet when the poet really explores and details their own personal experiences on a topic, as you feel as though you are being let in on a piece of their life. I feel like the poems were too generic, focusing upon things that she has seen and heard in the media, rather than her own experiences.
However, I would read more of her writing. I think that she presents some excellent ideas which certainly could be explored much further.
I hope that if she writes another book she focuses more on her personal experiences, to really allow readers to connect with her; and I hope that if she is going to use haphazard punctuation then she uses it consciously and with meaning.
I really liked the concept behind some of the poems, and I feel like they could have really hit home, particularly with the Black Lives Matter movement that is still ongoing.
But I did not enjoy reading some of the poems. The haphazard capitalization and punctuation was unsettling, and I found myself focusing more on this than upon what I was actually reading. I do not know if this was intentional, but if it was, then perhaps it could have been executed better -- there was no consistency within it, and if I'm being brutally honest, it simply felt as though it had been rushed, or hadn't been proofread or edited at all.
I also feel, in some respect, that the poems were not personal enough -- that they were about racism and discrimination on a whole, rather than her individual experience. When it comes to poetry, there is a greater connection between the reader and the poet when the poet really explores and details their own personal experiences on a topic, as you feel as though you are being let in on a piece of their life. I feel like the poems were too generic, focusing upon things that she has seen and heard in the media, rather than her own experiences.
However, I would read more of her writing. I think that she presents some excellent ideas which certainly could be explored much further.
I hope that if she writes another book she focuses more on her personal experiences, to really allow readers to connect with her; and I hope that if she is going to use haphazard punctuation then she uses it consciously and with meaning.
I hope this reaches her in time by r.h. Sin
3.0
I think that poetry is one of the most beautiful forms of expression, as unlike novels and other mediums, there are virtually no rules. You can say and do almost anything, in any way that you like. You can experiment with format, syntax and grammar; and whole poems can be made up of similes and metaphors.
But more importantly, poetry is a very personal genre and no two readers connect with the same poem in the same way, as it depends very much on an individuals thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences.
Personally, I find that the best poems are those which are deeply personal to the author, where they express hard-hitting subjects and experiences that have affected them or their loved ones; either as a means of catharsis, or as a way of helping others to show them that they are not alone. Or, those poems full of light and wisdom, which motivate and inspire those who feel that the darkness has them surrounded.
In relation to this poetry collection, I feel as though all of these things are lacking. The poems feel as though they're telling a story, but without any real emotion behind them; in the sense that they are not shedding new light and perspectives onto issues, subjects or experiences -- it's simply a case of 'been there, read that.' And, while I liked the way in which some of the poems are written, I am mostly indifferent to them. They didn't make me feel anything, and ultimately, a lot of these poems for me are unmemorable.
But, then again, that is only my opinion. And, as I said, people connect to poems in different ways, thus, just because I didn't like them very much does not mean that somebody else wouldn't.
If you're looking to ease yourself into some poetry, then I would possibly consider starting with a collection like this, before moving on to deeper, harder-hitting poems.
But more importantly, poetry is a very personal genre and no two readers connect with the same poem in the same way, as it depends very much on an individuals thoughts, feelings, beliefs and experiences.
Personally, I find that the best poems are those which are deeply personal to the author, where they express hard-hitting subjects and experiences that have affected them or their loved ones; either as a means of catharsis, or as a way of helping others to show them that they are not alone. Or, those poems full of light and wisdom, which motivate and inspire those who feel that the darkness has them surrounded.
In relation to this poetry collection, I feel as though all of these things are lacking. The poems feel as though they're telling a story, but without any real emotion behind them; in the sense that they are not shedding new light and perspectives onto issues, subjects or experiences -- it's simply a case of 'been there, read that.' And, while I liked the way in which some of the poems are written, I am mostly indifferent to them. They didn't make me feel anything, and ultimately, a lot of these poems for me are unmemorable.
But, then again, that is only my opinion. And, as I said, people connect to poems in different ways, thus, just because I didn't like them very much does not mean that somebody else wouldn't.
If you're looking to ease yourself into some poetry, then I would possibly consider starting with a collection like this, before moving on to deeper, harder-hitting poems.