Review of Shitolian

[Victor Kilyungi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Shitolian" by O Persaud.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Our society is full of both good and terrible people. Their behaviour and actions may not be pleasing to us, which is far from ideal, but every now and then, we have the opportunity to appreciate the little things we have, the people around us, and the fact that we're alive and breathing right now. O Persaud focuses on several aspects of society by recalling his story and the challenges he has faced in this short anthology of poems called Shitolian.

He has written the book uniquely. The title catches your eye since it is not a word you encounter every day. The poetry grips the reader's attention with clear cut descriptions that evoke emotions and present their message in an easy to understand manner. He has used lowercase letters in a large chunk of the book (titles included). Perhaps this is to make a statement, or it is simply his style of writing.

He focuses on several topics such as racism, gun control, capitalism, patience, and even punctuation! His opinion of individual punctuation marks is entertaining and is my favourite part of the book. He claims quotation marks suffer from a superiority complex, hyphens are clingy, and periods interrupt and finish his sentences all the time. The poems dedicated to each punctuation mark will put a smile on your face.

Persaud also encourages his readers to be courageous by showing them that life has its ups and downs, and we have to pass through each of them. At times people will not like you, not just for who you are, but because you look or do things a certain way. He advocates that readers be bold and stop dwelling on those past moments. They should focus on today because it is the only place they can make a difference.

There is a lot of symbolism within the poems too. Computers symbolize human beings, cherries represent dreams, and their analysis reveals deeper meanings. Persaud does not shy away from exploiting his immediate surroundings to convey his point.

Because the book contains strong language, I would recommend it to a mature audience. Despite that, it has beautiful prose and subtle alliteration that satisfies the reader. I can confidently state that the book was edited by a professional as I only found one error.

I rate this lovely read 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to poetry fans who want entertainment while gaining a new perspective on issues like capitalism and punctuation.

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Shitolian
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[Jagiine]

It seems like the author and I may share a few passions; those punctuation poems do sound very cute! Thanks for sharing this book

[Victor Kilyungi]

It seems like the author and I may share a few passions; those punctuation poems do sound very cute! Thanks for sharing this book

For sure. I hope you enjoy them immensely and thank you for stopping by.