Review of A Work of Raw Introspection

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 05 Mar 2022, 09:41

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Work of Raw Introspection" by George P. Deneff.]

2 out of 4 stars

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George P. Deneff presents an evocative poetry collection, A Work of Raw Introspection. As a professional musician, the author views poetry as another creative outlet for processing life's complexities. The collection of 30 poems is aptly named; Deneff's poetry possesses an unfiltered quality that will resonate with readers of various demographics, whether they are beginners or aficionados.

Characterized by brevity, the poetry collection is 37 pages, and several poems are only a few lines. The poems traverse such themes as comfort, faith, grief, self-doubt, and companionship. "Near" describes the loss of a loved one. "Such is Life" conjures images of vivid colors while alluding to a deeper meaning. "Zeit für Arbeit" (Time for Work) shares fond recollections of an aunt and uncle.

My favorite poem in the collection is "Forever Whole." I most like Deneff's use of imagery, such as "when the sun feels like a warm hug on the surface of your skin, your other half made you whole." I also appreciate his insightful references to color like "the sky is flooded with a deeper blue than before" and "the clouds white enough to shed a tear with their majestic formation."

When I selected the book, the following description of the author piqued my interest: "a professional violinist who believes music can be put into words." I anticipated reading more about Deneff's unique interpretation, so I was disappointed that he didn't include any information about his career as a musician in an introduction or author page. By not providing this personal detail, he missed the opportunity to engage readers with an additional layer of interest.

Additionally, the book needs professional editing. While it appears to have a clickable (hyperlinked) table of contents, the underlined titles do not link to the designated poems. Since the book does not have a pinch-zoom option, the author's occasional use of tiny font is difficult to decipher. Although I realize some poets use all lowercase letters as a stylized preference, a collection appears sloppy when the punctuation is inconsistent throughout the book. In a few instances, stanzas feature randomly capitalized words mid-sentence. Some lines begin with capital letters while others don't. Given the otherwise haphazard punctuation, the author's occasional use of quotation marks is also somewhat confusing, resulting in an unprofessional presentation.

Overall, I rate A Work of Raw Introspection 2 out of 4 stars. Despite its lack of editing, the collection may appeal to poetry fans. Several poems include references to Christ, but it isn't a primarily religious book. There are a few instances of mild profanity.

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A Work of Raw Introspection
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