Review of Contemplacion. Thoughts and Poems.

[Damian Keyes]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Contemplacion. Thoughts and Poems." by Ileana Gonzalez Monserrat.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Contemplacion. Thoughts and Poems. is a book of poetry by Ileana Gonzalez Monserrat. The author writes from a nostalgic point of view as a child growing up in Havanna, Cuba, during Fidel Castro's reign. Since Ileana is bilingual, the poems in this book are written in both English and Spanish.

If you are bilingual and have an infinity for narrative poetry, as I do, then I recommend you get this book. The author is vulnerable and open with her emotions about her youth and how life-shattering it was when she had to leave Cuba. Her childhood shaped her life in a paramount way that is visible in poems such as "Ayer", "Escape", and "Olvido II." She felt like she had no true identity growing up because what she knew and loved was no longer a part of her life. Montserrat has lived a life that I think people should read about, so if you want to delve deeper into her life story, then this is the book for you.

I’m a poet, as well, so I can say from one poet to another that she knows how to effectively paint a picture with words. I could tell that she loves Costa Rica because she has a poem titled "Costa Rica" and she also mentions the Arenal Volcano, "Tico's" (another name for male Costa Ricans) and discusses the beautiful features of this island. The way she describes a rainy day when she is at home and the memories that come to her mind from that is what I have experienced before. Throughout the reading, it is shown that Ileana is a world traveler and has visited many parts of this world that she shows her love for by writing about them.

There were so many poems in this book that it was hard for me to pick which ones I loved. If I have to narrow it down to my top three choices, then I would go with “Al adolescente”, “Outside of Ourselves”, and “Christopher." All three of these poems refer to being a good person; I promote this daily. So, if you get this book, please check all three of these out.

I am going to give this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is professionally-edited. And, I did love the stories and the message Ileana wrote about because it can uplift and motivate people. There was nothing I found that I disliked about this book.

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Contemplacion. Thoughts and Poems.
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[Adaeze Joan]

I love reading poetry. And from your review, I can tell that there are lots of interesting poems in it. Though I don't think I can read this since it is written in two languages, I still enjoyed your review about it.

[Sopulu Ezidimma]

Am not a fan of poems thou but this one is not that bad. Thanks for your review.