Reviews

Babel by Patti Smith

rustbeltjessie's review against another edition

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3.0

This is the first time I’ve read this book all the way through in nearly two decades, and I’m bummed that it didn’t stand the test of time for me. There are still some beautiful lines and it was still formative enough for me that I’m keeping it on my favorites list—but I’m taking my rating from five stars down to three because a lot of the poems/pieces in it are cringey or clumsy to me now.

writinginikea's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

4.5

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ms4321's review

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challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There's something so interesting reading the early work of Patti Smith (or any other writer for that matter).

 I really enjoyed spotting some lines in this poetry book that she would later rework into whole songs later on in her career. I also picked up on quite a few  themes and images that she would later explore more deeply in her books. 

Liked this a lot :) 

2000ace's review

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4.0

This is a kooky book of poetry by Patti Lee Smith, embellished with family photos, drawings, and at least one Robert Mapplethorpe picture that I think I recognize. Stream of consciousness is probably the best way to describe most of her poetry. This book is of interest to fans of her music, particularly because of the many references to ideas that became song lyrics. I don't think everything she does is art, and sometimes I lose patience with her, but I admire Smith for her unabashed enthusiasm and willingness to let it all hang out.

maddienagy's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

i love patti smith. i think she's a really interesting artist.*

*i would prefer for her to not have used racial slurs
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