dannycakez8808's review against another edition
2.0
Unfortunately I was not able to get into this collection of poems. It probably is because I am not the target audience or age group. The writing felt juvenile and I really couldnt relate to the adolescent feelings/thoughts. I did enjoy the illustrations that came in the book.
Arv provided by Netgalley.
Arv provided by Netgalley.
amylittleford's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
Firstly, I'd like to thank NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing and Makenzie Campbell for gifting me an eARC for an honest review.
I feel like each chapter in this book got better and better. I wasn't really getting much from the first chapter but as I continued reading I felt that I could relate more to each piece. The title Nineteen is a reference to how old Campbell was when she wrote this book. Being 19 only a few years ago I could really see where Campbell was and how her poetry was important for people of that age group. When I was 19 I finally decided to take my writing seriously and accepted and embraced the road of becoming an author, however successful. I really saw this message nearer the end of the book which I think is a very positive message to put out into the world.
This poetry collection covers a wide range of topics, for example: heartbreak, love, loss, war, peace, and healing. I think that it's a great poetry anthology but maybe the writing needs some work. It felt very simple at times when I just wanted a little more. It was a very emotional and abstract book which made it hard to picture a lot of what the poetry was about. Maybe if Campbell focused on some concrete images in her poetry it would work a little better for her readership. I did enjoy the cute art work that was scattered throughout the book by Hannah Juth.
Amy x
Firstly, I'd like to thank NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing and Makenzie Campbell for gifting me an eARC for an honest review.
I feel like each chapter in this book got better and better. I wasn't really getting much from the first chapter but as I continued reading I felt that I could relate more to each piece. The title Nineteen is a reference to how old Campbell was when she wrote this book. Being 19 only a few years ago I could really see where Campbell was and how her poetry was important for people of that age group. When I was 19 I finally decided to take my writing seriously and accepted and embraced the road of becoming an author, however successful. I really saw this message nearer the end of the book which I think is a very positive message to put out into the world.
This poetry collection covers a wide range of topics, for example: heartbreak, love, loss, war, peace, and healing. I think that it's a great poetry anthology but maybe the writing needs some work. It felt very simple at times when I just wanted a little more. It was a very emotional and abstract book which made it hard to picture a lot of what the poetry was about. Maybe if Campbell focused on some concrete images in her poetry it would work a little better for her readership. I did enjoy the cute art work that was scattered throughout the book by Hannah Juth.
Amy x
brennaareli's review against another edition
3.0
Just an average poetry collection. Not bad but nothing stuck out.
bysoleilceline's review against another edition
4.0
I got access to this book, immediately downloaded it, and finished it within the hour. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride. I thought the decision not to have any titles or markers for the poems was interesting. Either making the poems very long ones that were housed under each section, or leaving them untitled.
While there was a definite flow through the collection, the distinctions between the sections weren't entirely clear to me. Some of the poems I connected much more to, others not at all, but that's the law of all poetry.
I look forward to reading more of Makenzie Campbell's work.
While there was a definite flow through the collection, the distinctions between the sections weren't entirely clear to me. Some of the poems I connected much more to, others not at all, but that's the law of all poetry.
I look forward to reading more of Makenzie Campbell's work.
tandewrites's review against another edition
2.0
I was given an eARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a collection of prose and poetry, titled after the age at which Campbell wrote it, and it’s the first of her collections that I’ve read. Given her age, the writing is done well. However, for me, it lacked the emotion that I rely on when it comes to enjoying poetry. Most of the subject matter didn’t appeal to me: I’m not overly interested in poems centred around love and heartache, but I do like nostalgia and life lessons, and these are the ones that stood out to me in this book.
Here’s a few lines that I did like.
Here’s a few lines that I didn’t like:
To me, a lot of the more romance-based poems come off very melodramatic, but still not evoking emotion. It’s a strange combination, but I think that summarises most of my feelings about ‘Nineteen’.
The poems were separated into sections, but none of them had titles. I think this added to the book reading more like a novel than a collection of poems. Actually, it felt like reading an angsty teenage diary. I don’t know if this was to do with how the ebook was formatted or if it was something else, but the presentation of the poems were either very ‘all over the place’ and I had to keep going back to reread them to try and understand what they were meant to say, or they were squashed together and looked more like short stories. Some of the poems looked as if they were a sentence that just had ‘enter’ hit a few times in the middle so they looked more like poems. Also, the illustrations didn’t help with the formatting, but I bet they’re nice to look at in a physical book.
Overall, although certain lines from this are quite beautiful, this book repeats many of the tropes of it’s genre, ultimately failing to evoke emotion.
This book is a collection of prose and poetry, titled after the age at which Campbell wrote it, and it’s the first of her collections that I’ve read. Given her age, the writing is done well. However, for me, it lacked the emotion that I rely on when it comes to enjoying poetry. Most of the subject matter didn’t appeal to me: I’m not overly interested in poems centred around love and heartache, but I do like nostalgia and life lessons, and these are the ones that stood out to me in this book.
Here’s a few lines that I did like.
(time and nostalgia both have a way of coloring a memory into something grander than it was)
Every city I discover, every treasure I uncover, every friend and every lover, paints me blues and reds and yellows.
I will make a constellation out of words and name it after you.
Here’s a few lines that I didn’t like:
I see things. Then I feel things. And then I write them.
Do you like living a lie? Wearing a mask all the time? Doesn’t your face need air? Let your skin breathe and your cheeks feel the droplets of rain pool in your pores. Your skin is too clean.
I’m undeserving of love. And then At Last plays on the turntable and a last I don’t feel alone anymore as I drape my arms over your ghost…
To me, a lot of the more romance-based poems come off very melodramatic, but still not evoking emotion. It’s a strange combination, but I think that summarises most of my feelings about ‘Nineteen’.
The poems were separated into sections, but none of them had titles. I think this added to the book reading more like a novel than a collection of poems. Actually, it felt like reading an angsty teenage diary. I don’t know if this was to do with how the ebook was formatted or if it was something else, but the presentation of the poems were either very ‘all over the place’ and I had to keep going back to reread them to try and understand what they were meant to say, or they were squashed together and looked more like short stories. Some of the poems looked as if they were a sentence that just had ‘enter’ hit a few times in the middle so they looked more like poems. Also, the illustrations didn’t help with the formatting, but I bet they’re nice to look at in a physical book.
Overall, although certain lines from this are quite beautiful, this book repeats many of the tropes of it’s genre, ultimately failing to evoke emotion.
literatureaesthetic's review against another edition
3.0
a work of art. the writing was lyrical and each poem was expertly written. i found myself emotionally connecting so much to each poem. i also loved the themes discussed. i definitely recommend to anyone who wants a short, poetry book that is both heartfelt and touching.
theseblankpages's review against another edition
4.0
[ I received an arc on Netgalley in return for an honest review. ]
'Nineteen' is a poetry collection that talks about loss, growth and mental health during difficult periods of our life.
----------
A lot of the poems in this collection were honestly a spot on depiction for situation- like, how it can feel when you're lost on what to do, or simply following the path that has been "pre-decided" for you.
There were also many inspiring poems about healing and growth, and I loved how they gave a sense of hopefulness for the future--despite all the troubles that are sure to still come our way.
I really enjoyed Makenzie Campbell's voice and writing style, and I loved how personal this collection was.
Will be looking out for more of the author's other works :)
Rating: 4/5
'Nineteen' is a poetry collection that talks about loss, growth and mental health during difficult periods of our life.
----------
A lot of the poems in this collection were honestly a spot on depiction for situation- like, how it can feel when you're lost on what to do, or simply following the path that has been "pre-decided" for you.
There were also many inspiring poems about healing and growth, and I loved how they gave a sense of hopefulness for the future--despite all the troubles that are sure to still come our way.
I really enjoyed Makenzie Campbell's voice and writing style, and I loved how personal this collection was.
Will be looking out for more of the author's other works :)
Rating: 4/5