Review by melpangga25 -- The Immigrant's Lament
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melpangga25
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- Latest Review: "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch
Review by melpangga25 -- The Immigrant's Lament
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch.]
2 out of 4 stars
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The Immigrant’s Lament by Mois Benarroch
The author poured out his sad but reflective feelings on varied subjects beginning with his childhood, relationships, and overall life’s experiences. Most of the poems tackled love and its complexities when placed in various states of life – childhood, adolescence, maturity, marriage – in forms such as jealousy, birth, human body, and transsexuality. The book is written as poetry but narrative in its approach that conveys bittersweet reminiscing.
I give this book 2 out of 4 stars. I did not give a high rating because when published, this book will be drowned out by works of the likes of Lang Leav and Paolo Coelho. But the rating is not necessarily low because once you read its first pages, you would want to finish it to complete the journey, well at least for me. There were poems that touches the feelings of the readers either as a comrade in the same journey or an observant that evoked sympathy and involvement. I mentioned above two authors because when reading their works, they make you think and feel. And to some degree, The Immigrant’s Lament also made me think and feel as I read the book.
There were instances that the feelings the author expresses moved me but there were poems also that my small mind cannot fathom the depth. Nevertheless, the book triggered an interest in me to know and converse with the author to know more about his experiences thus to know more about his perceptions of his life.
I understand that the poems were only translated to English but I believe that the effect is more poignant when absorbed in the original language they were written in. Having said this, I feel that it would benefit the author and its readers if some of the translated words used can be revisited and changed to a closer resemblance to the original written word. The positioning and cut of the phrases or stanza can also be revised but this change may also be heavily reliant on the chosen English word. I say this because the impact will be felt more if the start and end of a stanza or a line completes the thoughts or feelings the author wanted to communicate.
Since this is a translated work, it would be more consistent as well if some of the titles are also translated into English. In addition, I think that it would be beneficial and informative to the readers if there will be a footnote of some of the native words that were used or maybe a background of the scenario a poem was written about especially those that tells a cultural story.
Thank you!
******
The Immigrant's Lament
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2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Immigrant’s Lament by Mois Benarroch
The author poured out his sad but reflective feelings on varied subjects beginning with his childhood, relationships, and overall life’s experiences. Most of the poems tackled love and its complexities when placed in various states of life – childhood, adolescence, maturity, marriage – in forms such as jealousy, birth, human body, and transsexuality. The book is written as poetry but narrative in its approach that conveys bittersweet reminiscing.
I give this book 2 out of 4 stars. I did not give a high rating because when published, this book will be drowned out by works of the likes of Lang Leav and Paolo Coelho. But the rating is not necessarily low because once you read its first pages, you would want to finish it to complete the journey, well at least for me. There were poems that touches the feelings of the readers either as a comrade in the same journey or an observant that evoked sympathy and involvement. I mentioned above two authors because when reading their works, they make you think and feel. And to some degree, The Immigrant’s Lament also made me think and feel as I read the book.
There were instances that the feelings the author expresses moved me but there were poems also that my small mind cannot fathom the depth. Nevertheless, the book triggered an interest in me to know and converse with the author to know more about his experiences thus to know more about his perceptions of his life.
I understand that the poems were only translated to English but I believe that the effect is more poignant when absorbed in the original language they were written in. Having said this, I feel that it would benefit the author and its readers if some of the translated words used can be revisited and changed to a closer resemblance to the original written word. The positioning and cut of the phrases or stanza can also be revised but this change may also be heavily reliant on the chosen English word. I say this because the impact will be felt more if the start and end of a stanza or a line completes the thoughts or feelings the author wanted to communicate.
Since this is a translated work, it would be more consistent as well if some of the titles are also translated into English. In addition, I think that it would be beneficial and informative to the readers if there will be a footnote of some of the native words that were used or maybe a background of the scenario a poem was written about especially those that tells a cultural story.
Thank you!
******
The Immigrant's Lament
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like melpangga25's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch
