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A review by micahbean
The Animals of Pink and Yellow by Alex Silvius
4.0
7/10
Full disclosure: I'm friends with Nathaniel Luscombe, and it was from him that I received an ARC copy of this book to review. Therefore, the review that follows has no chance of remaining completly unbiased.
I am also, however, a pretentious bastard who cannot in good faith recommend anything that didn't spark some kind of emotion in me.
This is a collection that HAS to be read in conversation with itself. Silvius alludes to this in the first acknowledgements, saying "there was a method to this madness. In many of these poems, I tied together a world. It was loose and vague, but still there."
On that note, it was interesting to see the recurring threads woven through the pieces in this book, and i wonder if certain pieces (The Black Ink; The Hand, or Cold Skin; The Broken Butterfly Cries for Peace) were intentionally written to mirror each other.
Luscombe and Silvius's styles complement each other well, and together they create an interesting world.
Because the collection is so tied together with itself, I did feel like there were just a couple of pieces that didn't quite belong. I wasn't particularly fond of "Exterminator", but i also don't reach for stories about aliens in general.
As for Luscombe's section in particular, as someone who has read everything currently published and credited to his name, (*side-eyes the mysterious "Wilderness of Soul"*) I can unequivocally say that these are his best yet. It's been so cool to watch his writing and style evolve as he's gained confidence and experience as a writer, and his section, while playing fast and loose with rhyme schemes, did not disappoint.
Also, the illustrations? Gorgeous, striking works of black and white ink. Loved them. 10/10 just for those.
In conclusion, if you (like me) find yourself in T.S. Elliot's "The Hollow Men," it's definitely worth it to read this collection for the little gems that will catch your eye. As a writer, it's a great exercise in immersing yourself in a foreign world and temporarily letting go of this one.
All in all, 7/10. Doesn't make it on my all time favorites shelf, but a collection I'll probably pick up and flip through again.
Full disclosure: I'm friends with Nathaniel Luscombe, and it was from him that I received an ARC copy of this book to review. Therefore, the review that follows has no chance of remaining completly unbiased.
I am also, however, a pretentious bastard who cannot in good faith recommend anything that didn't spark some kind of emotion in me.
This is a collection that HAS to be read in conversation with itself. Silvius alludes to this in the first acknowledgements, saying "there was a method to this madness. In many of these poems, I tied together a world. It was loose and vague, but still there."
On that note, it was interesting to see the recurring threads woven through the pieces in this book, and i wonder if certain pieces (The Black Ink; The Hand, or Cold Skin; The Broken Butterfly Cries for Peace) were intentionally written to mirror each other.
Luscombe and Silvius's styles complement each other well, and together they create an interesting world.
Because the collection is so tied together with itself, I did feel like there were just a couple of pieces that didn't quite belong. I wasn't particularly fond of "Exterminator", but i also don't reach for stories about aliens in general.
As for Luscombe's section in particular, as someone who has read everything currently published and credited to his name, (*side-eyes the mysterious "Wilderness of Soul"*) I can unequivocally say that these are his best yet. It's been so cool to watch his writing and style evolve as he's gained confidence and experience as a writer, and his section, while playing fast and loose with rhyme schemes, did not disappoint.
Also, the illustrations? Gorgeous, striking works of black and white ink. Loved them. 10/10 just for those.
In conclusion, if you (like me) find yourself in T.S. Elliot's "The Hollow Men," it's definitely worth it to read this collection for the little gems that will catch your eye. As a writer, it's a great exercise in immersing yourself in a foreign world and temporarily letting go of this one.
All in all, 7/10. Doesn't make it on my all time favorites shelf, but a collection I'll probably pick up and flip through again.