Review of Tears of Me
Posted: 17 Jul 2021, 17:33
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tears of Me" by LaToya Martin.]
Tears of Me by LaToya Martin is a book of Christian poetry that meaningfully explores several themes: love, loss, grief, abuse, neglect, compassion, suffering, and forgiveness. Martin states, “Each poem depicts a tear that has been shed, be it of sadness, anger, or happiness. It resembles parts of life that many people experience and can relate to.” Throughout the collection of poems, she uses succinct groups of words to process her emotions. She includes mentions of anonymous suitors, car accidents, beloved husbands, mirrors, military service members, old trees, and forsaken outcasts. Throughout this collection of introspective ponderings, she seems to find a cathartic release.
Every poem begins and ends with a digital or watercolor depiction, and I very much enjoyed encountering several pages of calming botanical illustrations. They give the reader a resting place of sorts, a resting place that acts as an emotional palate cleanser between passages. Forty individual poems appear throughout this book, and they are all concise and to the point. I think their brevity gives them a sense of unshakable conviction.
I will say that there are several included mentions of God, heaven, angels, Jesus, prayers, sin, and the Holy Bible, but they’re all presented from a universally non-denominational standpoint. There is no profanity present in this book, nor are there any described scenes of intimacy, but much of the subject material is appropriate for mature audiences only. Due to the included mentions of suicide, sexual abuse, disloyalty, emotional abuse, marital affairs, physical abuse, and prostitution, I would only recommend this book to readers over 18 years of age. It might be appropriate for younger readers with adult supervision, but that decision would have to be made subjectively on a case-by-case basis.
Overcoming depression is never easy, but this author uses mentions of weed sprouts and lonely, abandoned, withered, tired, old trees as metaphors for how we feel throughout various stages of life. I also enjoyed coming across nostalgic and sentimental mentions of homemade biscuits and crowing roosters. I did encounter at least ten grammatical and typographical errors while reading, but that was the only aspect of this book that I disliked. A quick revision would address all of the minor mistakes, giving this title an even better chance for success.
Due to the errors, I must award this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. Tears of Me might be a good fit for anyone battling feelings of low self-esteem, shame, or hopelessness. This book shows how self-reflection through creative expression can act as an effective coping mechanism. It is Martin’s hope that readers will be able to find comfort and healing through the transformative power of her words.
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Tears of Me
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Tears of Me by LaToya Martin is a book of Christian poetry that meaningfully explores several themes: love, loss, grief, abuse, neglect, compassion, suffering, and forgiveness. Martin states, “Each poem depicts a tear that has been shed, be it of sadness, anger, or happiness. It resembles parts of life that many people experience and can relate to.” Throughout the collection of poems, she uses succinct groups of words to process her emotions. She includes mentions of anonymous suitors, car accidents, beloved husbands, mirrors, military service members, old trees, and forsaken outcasts. Throughout this collection of introspective ponderings, she seems to find a cathartic release.
Every poem begins and ends with a digital or watercolor depiction, and I very much enjoyed encountering several pages of calming botanical illustrations. They give the reader a resting place of sorts, a resting place that acts as an emotional palate cleanser between passages. Forty individual poems appear throughout this book, and they are all concise and to the point. I think their brevity gives them a sense of unshakable conviction.
I will say that there are several included mentions of God, heaven, angels, Jesus, prayers, sin, and the Holy Bible, but they’re all presented from a universally non-denominational standpoint. There is no profanity present in this book, nor are there any described scenes of intimacy, but much of the subject material is appropriate for mature audiences only. Due to the included mentions of suicide, sexual abuse, disloyalty, emotional abuse, marital affairs, physical abuse, and prostitution, I would only recommend this book to readers over 18 years of age. It might be appropriate for younger readers with adult supervision, but that decision would have to be made subjectively on a case-by-case basis.
Overcoming depression is never easy, but this author uses mentions of weed sprouts and lonely, abandoned, withered, tired, old trees as metaphors for how we feel throughout various stages of life. I also enjoyed coming across nostalgic and sentimental mentions of homemade biscuits and crowing roosters. I did encounter at least ten grammatical and typographical errors while reading, but that was the only aspect of this book that I disliked. A quick revision would address all of the minor mistakes, giving this title an even better chance for success.
Due to the errors, I must award this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. Tears of Me might be a good fit for anyone battling feelings of low self-esteem, shame, or hopelessness. This book shows how self-reflection through creative expression can act as an effective coping mechanism. It is Martin’s hope that readers will be able to find comfort and healing through the transformative power of her words.
******
Tears of Me
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
So many of us have experienced extreme lows and times of sadness, and books like these help us vulnerably explore difficult topics together.
