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mashazhuuu 's review for:
The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes on
by Franny Choi
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I picked this book on a whim - having lately been overwhelmed with the malaise and "collapse of society" spiral, I thought at the least I could read a collection of poetry that might provide a new or insightful perspective that helps me shift mentally. In other words: I was actively seeking out a specific experience and was hoping this book could help accomplish that.
I appreciated that the author reflected back their own malaise (and grief, and at times hopelessness) to the reader. And, at the same time, there were pieces that showed how useless some of this grief was - most poignant to me was the poem pointing out that the world has been ending since it's inception. When put like that, it really makes worrying about certain parts of my day or my work feel really benign and absurd.
I can see how some readers might be frustrated by how disconnected some of the poems feel from the theme. I chose to believe that these poems reflected what the author worries about "at the end of the world," and sometimes that's not always the most logical selection. But we worry about family, and relationships, and regrets, and all of this deeply resonated with me.
Overall: I liked it, it was unique, and I would recommend it.
I appreciated that the author reflected back their own malaise (and grief, and at times hopelessness) to the reader. And, at the same time, there were pieces that showed how useless some of this grief was - most poignant to me was the poem pointing out that the world has been ending since it's inception. When put like that, it really makes worrying about certain parts of my day or my work feel really benign and absurd.
I can see how some readers might be frustrated by how disconnected some of the poems feel from the theme. I chose to believe that these poems reflected what the author worries about "at the end of the world," and sometimes that's not always the most logical selection. But we worry about family, and relationships, and regrets, and all of this deeply resonated with me.
Overall: I liked it, it was unique, and I would recommend it.