Selima Hill

What a strange and interesting book. I have to admit--all signs pointed to my not enjoying this book in any way, not least of which were the readers who recommended it (our tastes usually diverge) and the fact that it so revolves around gender politics (not my thing, to put it lightly). Add into the mix the early recognition that this poetry is often fairly abstract, and I really should have hated this book. And yet....

I have to start by quoting the back cover--as rarely as I think those blurbs are worthwhile, this perfectly sums up why the book works so wonderfully with what it achieves: "The new book is orchestrated to read as one single movement fed by variations on a theme, with each rapid-fire poem blooming suddenly into the light." Indeed, this is more like a long complicated song and the accompanying instrumentals than a traditional book of poetry. It takes time to fall into, but once you begin getting to know the speaker's voice and wandering through the work, it really does suck you in, and strangely powerfully at that.

Simply, this book is a refreshing surprise, and best read in one sitting (an easy endeavor since it's mostly composed of shorter poems). And, to top it all off, there are some lovely lines here--the kind that you read and reread, and that will bring you back to a book. Well worth exploring.… (more)