jujelly's review against another edition
3.0
as beautiful as the prose sounds, it has no meaning to me. it doesn't hold any weight for me to want to continue reading, no storyline for the length of the pieces and chapters to really capture my intrigue.
it's so pretty, but it's a convoluted labyrinth of words that feels like it's an expression of his very thoughts; except his thoughts are his and the connections he pulls are his, and everything he associates with any word is his.
i'm like an outsider just genuinely looking in and trying to grasp any of the fleeting feelings he poured into these pages, but they're too long for me to enjoy them as poems and they're too vague for me to think 'i can't wait to read the next chapter'.
i understand it's a collection of prose, and i appreciate it as such, but i'm thoroughly feeling stranded. at this very moment; all it offers to me is nothing more than just eloquency. he has an incredible talent but it's not connecting with me.
but.
what i definitely can see is that he feels. every page bleeds with his emotions, and his longing and his suffering; his mind is continuously turning and not shutting off, and i can feel that.
maybe i'm just not cut out to appreciate this as deeply as i would like. that's why - as a very personal rating, not depicting the objective brilliance of this collection, but just for my personal enjoyment, it gets 2.5 - 3 stars.
it's so pretty, but it's a convoluted labyrinth of words that feels like it's an expression of his very thoughts; except his thoughts are his and the connections he pulls are his, and everything he associates with any word is his.
i'm like an outsider just genuinely looking in and trying to grasp any of the fleeting feelings he poured into these pages, but they're too long for me to enjoy them as poems and they're too vague for me to think 'i can't wait to read the next chapter'.
i understand it's a collection of prose, and i appreciate it as such, but i'm thoroughly feeling stranded. at this very moment; all it offers to me is nothing more than just eloquency. he has an incredible talent but it's not connecting with me.
but.
what i definitely can see is that he feels. every page bleeds with his emotions, and his longing and his suffering; his mind is continuously turning and not shutting off, and i can feel that.
maybe i'm just not cut out to appreciate this as deeply as i would like. that's why - as a very personal rating, not depicting the objective brilliance of this collection, but just for my personal enjoyment, it gets 2.5 - 3 stars.
illyricvm's review against another edition
5.0
“ I used to invent love when necessary. When I walked alone on the riverbank. Or whenever the level of salt would rise in my body, I would invent the river.”
“Beware, you said, of those who never get bored and who overinterpret. For they can dissect a flower to spot decay at the root of its scent and might warn the lover that a kiss invites disease. They can judge you for a poetic metaphor and for the freedom of your imagination, because beauty offends them and because stock patriotic poetry is ugly and because your absence might deprive them of their raison d’être.”
“Poetry is the poet, when we should have believed poetry and disbelieved the poet.”
••••••••••••
I don’t know where to start but this one was by far one of my favourite works he has ever written. I will most definitely reread this and his whole literacy again, I can not get enough of it. I love the subtle parts of similarities these works have together; one word, amazing. Reading chapter XIX late at night is an unmatchable experience
“Beware, you said, of those who never get bored and who overinterpret. For they can dissect a flower to spot decay at the root of its scent and might warn the lover that a kiss invites disease. They can judge you for a poetic metaphor and for the freedom of your imagination, because beauty offends them and because stock patriotic poetry is ugly and because your absence might deprive them of their raison d’être.”
“Poetry is the poet, when we should have believed poetry and disbelieved the poet.”
••••••••••••
I don’t know where to start but this one was by far one of my favourite works he has ever written. I will most definitely reread this and his whole literacy again, I can not get enough of it. I love the subtle parts of similarities these works have together; one word, amazing. Reading chapter XIX late at night is an unmatchable experience
luvterature's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
5.0
“what kind of a linguistic or legal wunderkind could formulate a peace treaty and good neighborliness between a palace and a shack, between a guard and a prisoner?”
this book by mahmoud darwish was so sad, so melancholic as it talked about palestine and it was in itself a masterpiece. the quotes. the words. the sentiments. i’m gonna ugly sob because his words are so precious.
debon's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
I only read poetry books to vibe and don’t analyze them that much so this was a good one.