Official Review: Reflections From The Inside

[Tim Terry]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Reflections From The Inside" by Hassan McCain.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Reflections from the Inside by Hassan McCain is a collection of poetry written by the author that reflects some of the darkest periods in the life of a fictitious character. Eric Allen, is an ex-veteran of the military, who has served in Iraq. However, his life began in poor circumstances but he managed to excel in sport and many other fields, including being a mentor and a coach.

Perhaps his experiences in the military have changed his personality, and he suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome, but he is incarcerated in a county jail known by the nickname, "Jefferson Wire." He is only serving a short period of time of six months. The prose and poetry in the book are accurate records of his emotional highs and lows during this period. These were recorded by him in an effort to document his experiences and his feelings.

Some of the works are written in a form of prose, whilst others are poetry with a definite structure and an almost lyrical cadence. They reflect his feelings of depression and impotence, to other feelings of elation and hope. His messages describe him and his fellow convicts as kings, but then go on further to describe his changing attitude and depression as he asks the question of what a convict should be.

Each of the pieces are titled, and these titles appear to reflect his constantly changing emotional conditions. Towards the end of the book, he begins to realize that his life had not been perfect and that changes that he would like to see will first have to begin inside of himself. His final realization, at the conclusion of the book, is that he has nowhere else to go from where he finds himself, but up.

The title of the book not only describes these poems as having been written from behind bars, but is also a description of his thoughts from inside his mind. Although this is described by the author, as pure fiction, the overall impression created is one of intense realism. It is very easy to imagine that this is actually the work of a true convict. The sense of realism is also heightened by references to the outside world and the pandemic that is taking place there.

There have been numerous books written during this year reflecting peoples reactions to the worldwide lockdown. Although this is fiction, my impression is that these poems written by the author, are in fact a true reflection of his own feelings during this period, but disguised as fiction. Although they are descriptions of being in jail, they are also accurate reflections about confinement and the anxiety of not being able to live a normal life.

This is an interesting and unique book of poetry, certainly unlike any that I have read before. Like most books of poetry, it is only likely to appeal to an audience who enjoys this type of literature. There are no controversial religious issues contained in it, nor are there any graphically violent scenes. This book will not offend sensitive readers, nor does it have any erotic content at all.

I only noted one typo, although it is difficult to identify other possible errors in spelling or grammar, as the poems have obviously been written to reflect a certain type of dialect. The layout and the overall impression of the book is highly professional. This book has to be read several times before it is possible to decide whether it is enjoyable to read, or simply, an interesting experience of unique poetic fiction. I have, nevertheless, awarded it a rating of four out of four stars.

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Reflections From The Inside
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[Adam_flex]

Very good poetry and story, Pure class.

[Joan642]

I was at first captivated by the book title, then by the contents. I am really looking forward to reading this book, I think I would enjoy it. Thanks for the review.