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so_its_me_nia's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.25
molly_dettmann's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
I don’t know if I 100% understand what I read but it was still beautiful.
smartie_chan's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for providing me with an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!
4/5 Stars
I loved how we got the original poem next to the translated one, I really do, but some of the longer poems and texts have therefore some rather questionable formating choices. Not the books fault, but figured you might want to be aware of that.
Besides that, the book is really great. A lot of metaphors and symbolism and beautiful language to talk about sometimes not so beautiful things. There’s also a very long afterword that one shouldn't miss out on.
4/5 Stars
I loved how we got the original poem next to the translated one, I really do, but some of the longer poems and texts have therefore some rather questionable formating choices. Not the books fault, but figured you might want to be aware of that.
Besides that, the book is really great. A lot of metaphors and symbolism and beautiful language to talk about sometimes not so beautiful things. There’s also a very long afterword that one shouldn't miss out on.
njdarkish's review against another edition
3.0
The beautiful imagery and interesting musicality of the language is ultimately done a disservice by incomplete translation or, perhaps more likely, inept formatting of the ebook version of the text.
manderzreadz's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers India for giving me access to this book before it was published.
This book was translated from French. I enjoyed some of the short poems but the longer prose did not translate well and was very choppy and too incongruous to draw a good picture/feeling from.
This book was translated from French. I enjoyed some of the short poems but the longer prose did not translate well and was very choppy and too incongruous to draw a good picture/feeling from.
twicomb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
This slim book of poetry was my introduction to Ananda Devi, an introduction that is apparently long overdue given that it turns out she is "considered one of the major French language writers of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean" and "one of the most important Francophone writers in the world." I've added some of her other books to my TBR list.
Let's talk first about how beautifully this book is laid out. On the left page is Devi's original poem (in French), and on the right page is Kazim Ali's English translation. I wish more translated-poetry books were laid out like this, so that you can appreciate the poem in its original language, whether or not you speak that language. There's still something powerful about seeing the author's original words, and how she laid them out on the page.
The poems themselves are delicate, often dark, multilayered constructions that promise more meaning with each successive reading. The book's afterword is a treat in and of itself. There's a note from the translator, an interview with Ananda Devi, and an essay titled "Reading Devi's Poetry" by assistant professor Mohit Chandna. Lots of meaty stuff here to dig into; I wish all poetry books contained such additional materials. They connected me more deeply to Devi's poetry, and helped me understand some of the more complex elements.
In her interview, she says "When you are young, you think that everything can change. When you grow older, you realize that you yourself have to change, to understand that all of it is part of life's experience, that life is not about pursuing happiness but about coming to terms: with who you are, with what's you've done, with what was not possible, with what is still possible." A good quote to remember.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review.
Let's talk first about how beautifully this book is laid out. On the left page is Devi's original poem (in French), and on the right page is Kazim Ali's English translation. I wish more translated-poetry books were laid out like this, so that you can appreciate the poem in its original language, whether or not you speak that language. There's still something powerful about seeing the author's original words, and how she laid them out on the page.
The poems themselves are delicate, often dark, multilayered constructions that promise more meaning with each successive reading. The book's afterword is a treat in and of itself. There's a note from the translator, an interview with Ananda Devi, and an essay titled "Reading Devi's Poetry" by assistant professor Mohit Chandna. Lots of meaty stuff here to dig into; I wish all poetry books contained such additional materials. They connected me more deeply to Devi's poetry, and helped me understand some of the more complex elements.
In her interview, she says "When you are young, you think that everything can change. When you grow older, you realize that you yourself have to change, to understand that all of it is part of life's experience, that life is not about pursuing happiness but about coming to terms: with who you are, with what's you've done, with what was not possible, with what is still possible." A good quote to remember.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review.
corgimuffins's review against another edition
5.0
oh my god. i loved everything about this. i loved how the original french that the poetry was written in was kept in the book, then the translations were on the next page. i loved the writing and the prose. some of the lines were so good i just had to highlight them and come back to them! also, i loved the interview. the first answer to the question made me feel so many things. i love devi’s style of writing and speaking and ali’s way of translating these poems <3
thank you netgalley for a free copy.
thank you netgalley for a free copy.
mhmrose's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a beautiful collection of poetry. When The Night Agrees To Speak To Me was my first exposure to Ananda Devi's work and what an amazing collection it was. It had me feeling SO many emotions as Devi's poetry dives into the colonial past of her home, Mauritius. The fact that Kazim Ali's translation of Devi's collection starts each poem with the original French version makes it feel so unique as you can see the differences and even feel different emotions between them as well as be beautifully sensitive to the meaning beneath the words.
Overall, When The Night Agrees To Speak To Me is an amazing collection of heartfelt poems that hold boundless emotions like the waters surrounding Mauritius. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves poetry.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers India for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, When The Night Agrees To Speak To Me is an amazing collection of heartfelt poems that hold boundless emotions like the waters surrounding Mauritius. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves poetry.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers India for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.