A review by trbartly
Put me Down, I'm Terrible. by Katie Lewington

2.0

2.5 stars

First, I’d like to take a second and thank the author for sending me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

As you can see, this wasn’t a 5 star book for me. That doesn’t mean it was terrible, I just didn’t connect with it.

Here’s why:

The varying subjects and styles of poetry were very interesting, however at times that variance came at the expense of the flow and cohesion of the book as a whole. I also felt that the organization could have been better. It felt like the topic jumped from one idea to the next, then back two ideas ago, rather than following a linear or logical pattern.

Although I liked some of the poems on their own, like Skills, most just didn’t dig into my heart or soul like other poetry I’ve read. In fact, a few of the poems, particularly the more explicitly sexual ones, made me uncomfortable. They felt out of place among the other poems as well. Maybe the deeper meaning went over my head, but I just didn’t connect with this as much as I would have liked.

Lastly, I realize that it was just a chapbook, but the length didn’t feel like a plus to me. If there had been more poems, it might have been easier to organize the poems and create more coherence among them.

Just because Put Me Down, I’m Terrible wasn't for me, doesn't mean it won't be your next favorite. If you enjoy modern and free-verse poetry, definitely give this a try!