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nolemdaer's review against another edition
I liked this more than Siken haha. It fits its name—the repetition of death and life and mystery was indeed nightmarish, but in a way that fit the collection's aesthetic (like the art that accompanies each poem echoing the cover). It definitely gave off those tarot vibes. The stone and rain and song reminded me a bit of JN&MS, but make it less English and eerier. Beautiful, vivid, and tender despite its occasional, wise grotesqueness.
jcovey's review against another edition
5.0
I thought I'd heard the old idea that love is what makes our short and moribund lives worth living in so many ways from so many places that surely it could never again have an impact. Then Galway Kinnel comes along and says it afresh, "The wages of dying is love." Knocked my socks off. And it was by no means the only line in here to do so. I had to pick my socks up from across the room about once a page.
dismascoale's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
__kya__'s review against another edition
4.0
This is the type of book (totally not speaking from experience) that one borrows from their local library, engages in a weeklong breakfast affair with, then promptly spends their last $7 on this $15 book from Amzon. You know, I have looked at all the pages, seen all the words. I watch them dance and play and twirl about in front of me. Hell, I even know I like some of these little word creatures, though at this moment I have only met them from a distance. But the reason I spend my last dime on this book... is because I get paid tomorrow. In addition to that, I desire to meet these word creatures. I want to add my words to the pages. I want to see and smell and taste and (the laughing and crying already occurred) feel the presence of these word creatures. I want to absorb through osmosis. This has more to offer than my breakfast affair will allow. I look forward to the too-late nights of manic scribbling that The Book of Nightmares is sure to foster.
kt_rider's review against another edition
5.0
i mean come on:
“these letters / across space I guess / will be all we will know of one another. / So little of what one is threads itself through the eye / of empty space. / Never mind. / The self is the least of it. Let our scars fall in love.”
“these letters / across space I guess / will be all we will know of one another. / So little of what one is threads itself through the eye / of empty space. / Never mind. / The self is the least of it. Let our scars fall in love.”
jimmylorunning's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it. But it's not the masterpiece I've heard it was from some. The language wasn't fresh enough in places, the symbolism too heavy-handed, or in places the poem felt too easy, or too dramatic. Sometimes it went back to a very superficial place, a very predictable nightmare of the flesh. But there were lines that I really liked. Like "Let our scars fall in love" and "I have felt the zero/freeze itself around the finger dipped slowly in."
jayocum6's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Magic. I cried a number of times