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eastblood's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
The good: Fever-dream poetic-prose. Lots of beautiful material spread sporadically throughout the book, but the subgenre of stream-of-hallucinating-consciousness isn't for everyone's taste, and some will have a hard time finishing this book. Though it's worth to give it a try.
The bad: I don't think there is a language barrier when it comes to poetic language that follows such strict mathematical syntax as this level of formulation almost always survives the mother-tongue's instinctive grammar, and the translator did a good job. The problem is a heavy 50% of this book is an immature attempt on all levels by Lee Hyemi, as his safe, fixed algorithm for constructing abstract concepts is raw in a predictable way, and this is no Ocean Vuong, now or ever. If I leave the sporadically good shit out, then this is stoner-poetry. Because the way it defies rules isn't a natural result of having mastered them first, but of having not known, and not in an aristocratic way, but in a "you have a little more to learn, and you better learn them" way. This is niche poetry of a niche poet, it's just a fact.
The bad: I don't think there is a language barrier when it comes to poetic language that follows such strict mathematical syntax as this level of formulation almost always survives the mother-tongue's instinctive grammar, and the translator did a good job. The problem is a heavy 50% of this book is an immature attempt on all levels by Lee Hyemi, as his safe, fixed algorithm for constructing abstract concepts is raw in a predictable way, and this is no Ocean Vuong, now or ever. If I leave the sporadically good shit out, then this is stoner-poetry. Because the way it defies rules isn't a natural result of having mastered them first, but of having not known, and not in an aristocratic way, but in a "you have a little more to learn, and you better learn them" way. This is niche poetry of a niche poet, it's just a fact.
lespizzasjoey's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I don't rate poetry, but this one was challenging in understanding the metaphors. I took me about a month to read because I wanted to give it my proper attention.
jayisreading's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
This was such a visceral collection of poems that was beautifully translated by Soje (I actually picked this collection up because I'm a fan of their translations). The poems felt ephemeral and were quite surreal in nature. In addition, with distinct descriptions of the queer woman's body as well as imagery from nature to support them, these poems were incredibly intimate and sensual—erotic, even.
As beautiful as these poems were, I found that a handful of them were a bit lackluster, with some being a little too abstract to fully grasp Lee's intentions. I also felt that the poems lacked cohesion, which might be why I felt that these poems didn't resonate as strongly as I had hoped.
Some favorites: "Personal Rain," "Half the Blood," "Summer, When I Dreamt of Vines," "Star, Sick," and "Crossing the Black Page of Sleep"
As beautiful as these poems were, I found that a handful of them were a bit lackluster, with some being a little too abstract to fully grasp Lee's intentions. I also felt that the poems lacked cohesion, which might be why I felt that these poems didn't resonate as strongly as I had hoped.
Some favorites: "Personal Rain," "Half the Blood," "Summer, When I Dreamt of Vines," "Star, Sick," and "Crossing the Black Page of Sleep"
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Blood
ludwigdvorak's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
The best poetry collection I've read in a long time - it's surreal and not easy to understand, if at all, but the quality of the language and the images that are evoked are beautifully done.