A review by jessicasamantha
The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems by Michael Ondaatje

5.0

I hardly know what to say.

Something I adored and simultaneously felt annoyed by was how poetic Michael Oondatje's novels are. I would get carried away by his amazing precision and beautiful choice for words, but I always felt that his poetic tangents got in the way of the story. Now that I've actually read his poetry, I'm taken aback by just how narrative-esque his poetry is, and yet I'm not surprised. Each section is a condensed novel, except, each poem is a separate moment, a moment you seem to remember having participated in yourself, as an outside viewer.

I love the word "moon" and no matter what I am reading, I always circle the word if it's written down. I'm pretty sure I circled the word "moon" at least 150 times during this entire book. And I'm not even complaining.

Favorites: "Burning Hills", "Country Night", "Sallie Chisum / Last Words on Billy the Kid. 4 a.m." and "The Cinnamon Peeler"