Official Review: Diary of the Silent Soul by Maya Simone

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 17 Oct 2020, 01:39

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Diary of the Silent Soul" by Maya Simone.]

2 out of 4 stars

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From the pangs of sorrow to the joys of finding another kindred spirit, poet Maya Simone shares her innermost thoughts in her aptly named book, Diary of the Silent Soul. This collection consists of poems written between 2017 and 2018. Each poem is presented in chronological order as a diary entry with the date printed at the top of the page. A brief memoir is included at the beginning of the book. This gives readers a sense of what Ms. Simone was going through at the time. The poems themselves capture all of the raw, unapologetic emotions that she experienced. Each piece is succinct yet powerful and thought-provoking. I could sense the passion she felt as she penned each poem.

In addition to love poems, these heart-wrenching writings cover more serious topics, such as stereotypes, racism, and even suicide. In terms of formatting, I noticed that the text alignment is different for each poem. For example, in the third poem, all of the lines are arranged along the page’s right margin. However, in the fifteenth poem, the stanzas are aligned with the left margin. While this is a matter of personal style and preference, it may be distracting for some readers. Most of the poems are typed in lowercase letters with only a few words and letters capitalized for emphasis. The rhythm of every poem varies, so there is no set pattern.

The book’s compelling and creative title sets the tone for an outpouring of emotion. I enjoyed the writer’s effective use of similes, metaphors, and personification. These musings could be read aloud as a stirring spoken word performance. I really like the concept of the book – diary entries written in the form of poetry. Instead of recording her experiences in prose, the author chose to express herself in a more artistic way. Her writing style is reminiscent of Alice Walker’s pensive works.

Despite its positive attributes, there are a number of issues with this publication. First of all, the plain gray cover design makes this book easy to overlook, and it belies the brilliance within. Because poetry is a form of art, the cover image should reflect that in some way. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Additionally, the PDF version that I read opens to display two pages at a time, but every left-hand page is blank. This disrupts the flow of the book. The text also contains many spelling errors and punctuation inconsistencies. Furthermore, I was a bit confused by the last page, which simply had the word “Proof” typed in the center. I wondered if this was actually the end or if some pages were missing. As a result, the conclusion is unclear. Profanity is only used once in the text. There is some mild sensual content and implied violence in the book. Readers who are uncomfortable with same-sex relationships may be hesitant to read this book.

In summation, I will say that poetry is very personal, so I commend this young writer for being brave enough to share her feelings with the world. There is a lot of potential for this book. The presentation just needs to be refined. I suggest redesigning the cover image and title font to make them more attractive. Also, since the text is so short, sketches and/or photos could be added to provide more depth and visual stimulation to the poetry. After much consideration, I have chosen to rate Diary of the Silent Soul 2 out of 4 stars. I was really torn when deciding what rating to give this book. I wanted to give it a higher score, but there were simply too many issues to ignore. With some proper editing, this can be a great book for fans of poetry.

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Diary of the Silent Soul
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Sou Hi · Post by **Sou Hi** » 24 Oct 2020, 20:45

Thanks for your honest review. I'm not a big fan of poetry, and since this book seems to have many issues, I think I will skip it for now.

Chigo Nwagboso · Post by **Chigo Nwagboso** » 25 Oct 2020, 01:18

I like that the poem touches some vital issues like racism. Great review. I'll like to read this book.

Saint Bruno · Post by **Saint Bruno** » 25 Oct 2020, 01:54

I not a fan of poetry books. Would really want one devoid of the issues you pointed out if I should try one out. Thanks for the enraging review.

Adanna Inya · Post by **Adanna Inya** » 25 Oct 2020, 02:37

I'm not big on poetry, but I love the concept of this one as it addresses real issues. Thank you.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 25 Oct 2020, 17:59

It sounds like the poetry is amazing. It's too bad it's not really my forte, as it seems enjoyable. Thanks.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 25 Oct 2020, 21:22

Sou Hi wrote: ↑24 Oct 2020, 20:45 Thanks for your honest review. I'm not a big fan of poetry, and since this book seems to have many issues, I think I will skip it for now.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I appreciate it.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 25 Oct 2020, 21:44

Chigo Nwagboso wrote: ↑25 Oct 2020, 01:18 I like that the poem touches some vital issues like racism. Great review. I'll like to read this book.

Yes, apart from the spelling inconsistencies, the poems are very good. I also like that the poems cover a variety of social issues.

Thank you for your thoughtful comment.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 26 Oct 2020, 07:02

It is a challenge to review poetry, and some authors have been disappointed with my ratings. But as the poet's heart speaks, the reader's heart listens. Sometimes, the reader's heart fails to hear.

I hope Maya keeps writing her poems, and may she find readers who will hear her well.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 26 Oct 2020, 07:54

Saint Bruno wrote: ↑25 Oct 2020, 01:54 I not a fan of poetry books. Would really want one devoid of the issues you pointed out if I should try one out. Thanks for the enraging review.

"Enraging"... hmm... I didn't intend to get anyone angry. But thank you for commenting anyway.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 26 Oct 2020, 23:53

Adanna Inya wrote: ↑25 Oct 2020, 02:37 I'm not big on poetry, but I love the concept of this one as it addresses real issues. Thank you.

I realize that poetry is an abstract form of expression, so it does not appeal to everyone. Thank you for your input.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 27 Oct 2020, 00:04

kandscreeley wrote: ↑25 Oct 2020, 17:59 It sounds like the poetry is amazing. It's too bad it's not really my forte, as it seems enjoyable. Thanks.

I guess there aren't many poetry fans these days.

Thank you for your comment.

Eutoc · Post by **Eutoc** » 27 Oct 2020, 06:06

For someone that's not into poetry I find the poems to seem soothing because of the issues it addresses. Thanks.

Josephe-Anne · Post by **Josephe-Anne** » 27 Oct 2020, 21:08

Miriam Molina wrote: ↑26 Oct 2020, 07:02 It is a challenge to review poetry, and some authors have been disappointed with my ratings. But as the poet's heart speaks, the reader's heart listens. Sometimes, the reader's heart fails to hear.

I hope Maya keeps writing her poems, and may she find readers who will hear her well.

Yay! A fellow poetry fan! I am moved by the lovely sentiments you expressed. Thank you for your heartfelt comment.