Review of Shadows

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shadows" by William Stephen Edwards.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Shadows is a collection of poems by William Stephen Edwards. Edwards is a professor, a pathologist, a Vietnam veteran, a chronicler of life, a philosophical poet, and a proud father. Having grown up in West Texas on a farm and struggling through life, he did all he could to live a comfortable life. His life is rich with experiences, and he shares them through the spoken word with the rest of us. The poems cover a range of subjects like falling in love, finding love, childhood joys, wars, parenthood, brotherhood, faith, and others.

Although Edwards reflects on his experiences, there are many lessons that readers can draw from and apply to situations they face presently. One of the poems titled “Words are not arms” is about the power of words, their impact, and their ability to calm troubled waters and quell storms. In this poem, Edwards supports using words instead of arms. I could not help but think about what is currently happening between Ukraine and Russia.

Although not arranged in any order, the poems are well partitioned and neatly arranged. They briefly touch on the author’s upbringing, his lifestyle, his past, his character, his love affairs, and his deep appreciation and love for his family. There are poems dedicated to his children, his lovers, and friends. I liked the author's ability to acknowledge his flaws and admit his mistakes. It takes a self-aware and mature person to recognize their weaknesses and work on them just as they are aware of their strengths and enhance them.

The poems were flawlessly edited, and some were arranged creatively. The varying length of the poems is also an aspect worth mentioning because it added to my enjoyment of the book. Reading this book was a pleasant experience. The book was smooth, carried valuable lessons, provided an escape, and allowed my mind to run wild with imagination. It seamlessly blends heavy topics with light and amusing ones. The language is clear, with a couple of profane terms here and there. The book appears to be professionally edited, as I only came across two typos.

There were no aspects of the book that I could identify as negative. For these reasons and those stated in the previous paragraph, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

As mentioned earlier, the poems featured in this book cover a variety of topics. It, therefore, caters to a range of audiences. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy poems, especially poems about love.

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Shadows
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[Akinola John]

I love how the author makes the poem enjoyable for the reader. Since the poem is based on the author's experience, it's worth checking out. Thanks for the review.

[wmeki510]

Your review is comprehensive. I personally love the poem, "Words are not arms." That theme is significant, striking, and timely. We need to understand that almost every problem or misunderstanding can be resolved with calm, potent words. I thank Edwards for including this theme in this poetry collection.

[Blessing E]

Poetry can be soothing. I appreciate well written reviews. This is because it gives me an idea of how to structure my reviews subsequently. Thanks teaching me what a good review is. And congratulations for having your review published.

[Sanju Lali]

A lovely collection of poetry in the book "Shadows" by William Stephen Edwards, which is on subjects like falling in love, finding love, childhood joys, wars, parenthood, brotherhood, faith. This book looks appealing. Thanks for your nice review.

[Muna Chizzy]

Sounds like a great poem entailing the story of the author. I like the subjects the poem covers but unfortunately am not a lover of poems. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Gideon Olomofe]

As the poem touches major areas where human finds problem, it's a great advantage that the author wrote it with clarity and arranged neatly.

[Ellylion]

This poetry collection seems to be a very engaging read! I like that that author acknowledges and promotes the power or words over the power of arms. I would like to have a deeper look into it Thanks for a great review!

[Stellah Chege]

I love poetry! It gives one a different view on issues from a philosophic perspective. Wonderful review