A review by dejnozkova
100 Love Sonnets by Pablo Neruda

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing medium-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

4.0

I loved the imagery and sensuality of the poetry in this book; the sonnets are as beautiful as they are tender and sexy. Neruda worships his love as a goddess with lush language that manages to remain down-to-earth and easy to savor —as sweet and rich as honey, and melts into your mouth just as effortlessly. Many of the poems also serve as a love letter to his native Chile as much as they are to his Matilde, adding another layer of intimacy and depth to these pieces. The celebration of his beloved companion is also a celebration of the world she inhabits and vice-versa.  

The only reason I brought this down to 4 stars is because generally I didn’t feel quite so touched emotionally as I have with some other poets, but this is more of a personal reflection rather than an assessment of the intrinsic quality of Neruda’s work.