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davidjordan's review against another edition
2.0
I did not enjoy this book, but in all fairness, the fault may have been mine and not any failing of the poet to achieve his aims in crafting these verses. Perhaps if I had any knowledge of British history and European geography I may have been better able to appreciate the many obscure (to me) references. Many of the titles should have been a clue that I was in over my head:
Moff Jerjerrod Redoubles His Efforts
Johnson Beharry VC Dances On Ice
In Clitheroe Keep
Lucifer at Camlann
Caractacus in the Rape of Bramber
I also like to keep a dictionary nearby while reading poetry, but the shear number of unfamiliar words overwhelmed me early on while attempting to understand these poems and I gave up looking for definitions or I would never make it through the entire volume. Here is a list of unfamiliar (to me) terms from just one poem:
politeia
faece
proclivities
urticate
thuribles
tenebra
terebra
These poems might indeed be quite good, if the reader recognizes the dozens of proper names, knows something about the many locations mentioned, can understand Latin, and has a vast knowledge of vocabulary. I am not that reader. Read this book and enjoy it as long as you are a lot smarter than I am.
Moff Jerjerrod Redoubles His Efforts
Johnson Beharry VC Dances On Ice
In Clitheroe Keep
Lucifer at Camlann
Caractacus in the Rape of Bramber
I also like to keep a dictionary nearby while reading poetry, but the shear number of unfamiliar words overwhelmed me early on while attempting to understand these poems and I gave up looking for definitions or I would never make it through the entire volume. Here is a list of unfamiliar (to me) terms from just one poem:
politeia
faece
proclivities
urticate
thuribles
tenebra
terebra
These poems might indeed be quite good, if the reader recognizes the dozens of proper names, knows something about the many locations mentioned, can understand Latin, and has a vast knowledge of vocabulary. I am not that reader. Read this book and enjoy it as long as you are a lot smarter than I am.
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