A review by zoemig
The Flame: Poems and Selections from Notebooks by Leonard Cohen

3.0

When a final book is released posthumously by a Canadian icon, I obviously had to pick it up, and The Flame by Leonard Cohen even has an audiobook narrated by a diverse cast that includes Margaret Atwood, Seth Rogen, and Michael Shannon. It's a collection of poems, lyrics, and selections from Cohen's many notebooks. There are also a lot of drawings included throughout the collection. I definitely enjoyed the poetry section the most, as I generally find reading lyrics a bit repetitive, and the poetry is definitely the most polished of the writing. Still, it was very interesting to see a glimpse inside Cohen's mind with the excerpts from his journals, and I thought it was really neat when the book included a scan of Cohen's handwritten copy as well.

Overall, Cohen was exceptionally self-aware, and his writing is filled with confessional moments and raw imagery, I just often did find a personal connection to the writing, which is what prevents me from rating it higher. That said, The Flame is definitely a valuable last collection from a Canadian icon, and a worthwhile read for anyone interested in Cohen's work.