Official Review: Unreal by AJ Tedesco

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 29 Aug 2020, 18:29

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Unreal" by AJ Tedesco.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Unreal by AJ Tedesco is a collection of 19 poems that explore a variety of dualistic themes and interwoven juxtapositions. Readers will encounter mentions of fears, passions, desires, appetites, self-doubt, reckless release, and states of fearlessly confident surrender. Symbolic daggers and collars of submission are referred to in mentions of love and protection. Magicians, ravens, ladybugs, and top hats dance weightlessly amidst carnival rides and pink cotton candy. One of the poems exudes a sense of gracefully oxymoronic contradiction in its title: “Remembering the Future.”

“R.E.A.L.” presents mellifluous melodies of violins and flutes intermingling with aromatic lilies, velvet robes, and moonlit lake ripples deep within a secret garden (featuring a seductive climbing vine). In “Escape,” reverent reflections occur at the end of a hangman’s noose as a soul destined for death dangles helplessly blinded and bound. So much can be conveyed through a poet that excels at the art of restrained verbosity. Throughout these pages, filtered sunlight “covers the ground like luminous confetti” and tire swings twirl gently beneath the branches of a mighty, acorn-producing oak.

I greatly enjoyed the portions of poetic rhetoric that utilized bold imagery, similes, and metaphors to depict powerful personas:

She will wear her bones on the outside
Like albino armor
To protect her from the obsidian tips
Of the words
That fly like arrows
Without warning
Out of the mouths of men

While some of the themes overlap and intermingle, every poem offers a fresh take and introspective analysis of the subtleties surrounding the human condition. The narrative quality remains consistent throughout, and there was nothing at all that I notably disliked about this title. I only encountered three grammatical issues: a homophone error, missing hyphenation in a compound adjective, and one minor misspelling. This compilation of selected writings seems to have been well edited.

As one female character offers her lover “hard pleasures,” clothes “fall like petals” in a state of seductive undress, taking readers deep into the ebony recesses of dark desires and predilections. Due to the presence of sexual innuendos, semi-erotic daydreams, and suggestive scenes of copulation, I feel this book would be most appropriate for (and most appreciated by) mature audiences only, especially those who have felt and experienced some of life’s darker moments. There is no presence of crude language or profanity, but several anatomical parts are given prominent, starring roles.

I award this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars, and I would gladly recommend it to any adult reader who enjoys poetically tasteful erotica that’s been peppered with contemplative scars and moans. Tedesco artistically lifts a passionate pen to remind us “that this is only words and ink and fantasy.”

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Unreal
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Ify_Reviewer · Post by **Ify_Reviewer** » 31 Aug 2020, 03:27

Sounds like a well-woven piece of writing. Thanks for the detailed review.

DyanaFl · Post by **DyanaFl** » 31 Aug 2020, 04:26

Even your review seems just as artistic! I've never considered poetry of that genre but I guess I should try.

MeganDJ · Post by **MeganDJ** » 31 Aug 2020, 04:36

Wow, sounds like a beautiful piece of poetic literature! I would love to dive into this and see the vivid imagery you described perfectly. Thank you so much for your insightful and detailed review! Happy reading

Harty Muli · Post by **Harty Muli** » 31 Aug 2020, 05:18

I like these poems with their various stylistic devices e.g." Remembering the Future." Nice review.

Ada Ling · Post by **Ada Ling** » 31 Aug 2020, 11:16

It is not often to read a review on a poem book. Thank you for bringing this book to our attention!

Topsey · Post by **Topsey** » 31 Aug 2020, 12:15

Thnak you for writing such a great review. I will have to give this collection a read now.

RetiredOBNurse · Post by **RetiredOBNurse** » 31 Aug 2020, 14:15

A book with 19 poems that each describe so many odd subjects is UNREAL! Your well written review obviously enhances what the author intended the readers to feel while reading and experiencing these “guilty pleasures” that are most vividly described through your words. Your style of writing is exceptional and is so exciting to read! Thanks!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 17:55

Ify_Reviewer wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 03:27 Sounds like a well-woven piece of writing. Thanks for the detailed review.

I greatly enjoyed the artistry of this one! Thanks for the kind comment.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 17:58

DyanaFl wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 04:26 Even your review seems just as artistic! I've never considered poetry of that genre but I guess I should try.

Aww, well that's incredibly humbling to hear. I greatly appreciate the sweet compliment! I really liked how this collection of poems was very tasteful, leaving quite a bit implied but indirectly said. Subjective interpretations will take readers far with this one!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 18:00

MeganDJ wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 04:36 Wow, sounds like a beautiful piece of poetic literature! I would love to dive into this and see the vivid imagery you described perfectly. Thank you so much for your insightful and detailed review! Happy reading

Happy reading to you as well! I was surprisingly pleased with this poetic collection of unique perspectives, passions, and desires. I hope others get the chance to enjoy and experience this set of poems too.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 18:02

Slater678 wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 05:18 I like these poems with their various stylistic devices e.g." Remembering the Future." Nice review.

The stylistic devices were utilized well, seamlessly incorporated, and happily received by me for sure! Thanks so much for coming by.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 18:03

Ada Ling wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 11:16 It is not often to read a review on a poem book. Thank you for bringing this book to our attention!

Sometimes writing reviews on brief collections of poetry can be tricky; the themes can be abstract and there's often no discernible plot or storyline to summarize or analyze, but this one was a joy to share impressions of. Thank you for the kind words of support!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 18:05

Topsey wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 12:15 Thnak you for writing such a great review. I will have to give this collection a read now.

I hope you truly get the chance to read, enjoy, and explore this one further! I'd be interested to hear even more reader interpretations and viewpoints.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 31 Aug 2020, 18:10

RetiredOBNurse wrote: ↑31 Aug 2020, 14:15 A book with 19 poems that each describe so many odd subjects is UNREAL! Your well written review obviously enhances what the author intended the readers to feel while reading and experiencing these “guilty pleasures” that are most vividly described through your words. Your style of writing is exceptional and is so exciting to read! Thanks!

I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a variety of topics, observations, and locales in this collection. There is more to it than just redundant bits of sensually passionate erotica. There's a heart pulsing gracefully away like an oceanic jellyfish, and a ladybug testing the effects of gravity as it tiptoes closer to the end of a bending blade of grass. Love and loss and security and heartbreak are all briefly explored in this book!