Review of Awakening
Posted: 06 Aug 2022, 12:59
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Awakening" by Michael Trudeau.]
Michael Trudeau's collection of poems called Awakening does not neatly fit into any category. His works have elements of narrative, lyrical, and epic poetry. Trudeau's journey of self-discovery is lacking an epic hero, but his poems certainly evoke the emotions found in lyrical offerings. The story unfolds with the narrator waking up in a forest with no idea how he arrived there. The 13 poems that follow could be considered stand-alone poems, but they connect to tell an epic story.
Each poem centers around a specific theme. The topics range from love and regret to sorrow and alienation. There are no set meters or rhyme. Some poems follow a specific pattern for a while, but then they deviate for emphasis, usually at the climax of the poem. Most of the titles are variations of the who, what, where, when, and why basic, information-gathering, question words.
My favorite poem is "Where is God?" The narrator complains that God hides when needed such as during earthquakes, fires, and wind storms. This poem has seven stanzas. All but the sixth stanza end with the word there. The last stanza reveals God's hiding place. The poem "What Was if Where It Is?" uses onomatopoeia, repetition, and rhyme, which gives it a unique feel, unlike the majority of the other poems. The repeated use of the line "lock the door" conveys an aura of confusion and fear.
My least favorite parts of this collection are the times that mention the desire for using guns to inflict harm. The poem "Who Am I?" is an example. The narrator states, "I wish I could destroy my grief. Perhaps the answer is at the end of the barrel. Perhaps I should make life brief." Regardless of the intention of the poet to be relatable, the words disturbed me.
The quality of the paperback edition was excellent. The cover is attractive, and the font is an appropriate size. There are no illustrations or artwork of any kind. For some reason, the titles of each of the poems are underlined at the top of the page instead of being inside quotation marks. There are no introduction, preface, or author pages. There are 81 total pages, but the text only appears on the right side of the book. All the pages on the left side are blank.
Researching the author revealed that he has been a book editor for 17 years, owns a publishing services studio, and has authored approximately 12 other books, including textbooks and other volumes of poetry. My rating is 4 out of 4 stars. I found no reason to deduct any stars. This book would appeal to individuals who are looking for answers to the meaning of life and those who are searching for a way out of depression. Some of the contents could cause a trigger reaction for certain readers, so caution is advised.
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Awakening
View: on Bookshelves
Michael Trudeau's collection of poems called Awakening does not neatly fit into any category. His works have elements of narrative, lyrical, and epic poetry. Trudeau's journey of self-discovery is lacking an epic hero, but his poems certainly evoke the emotions found in lyrical offerings. The story unfolds with the narrator waking up in a forest with no idea how he arrived there. The 13 poems that follow could be considered stand-alone poems, but they connect to tell an epic story.
Each poem centers around a specific theme. The topics range from love and regret to sorrow and alienation. There are no set meters or rhyme. Some poems follow a specific pattern for a while, but then they deviate for emphasis, usually at the climax of the poem. Most of the titles are variations of the who, what, where, when, and why basic, information-gathering, question words.
My favorite poem is "Where is God?" The narrator complains that God hides when needed such as during earthquakes, fires, and wind storms. This poem has seven stanzas. All but the sixth stanza end with the word there. The last stanza reveals God's hiding place. The poem "What Was if Where It Is?" uses onomatopoeia, repetition, and rhyme, which gives it a unique feel, unlike the majority of the other poems. The repeated use of the line "lock the door" conveys an aura of confusion and fear.
My least favorite parts of this collection are the times that mention the desire for using guns to inflict harm. The poem "Who Am I?" is an example. The narrator states, "I wish I could destroy my grief. Perhaps the answer is at the end of the barrel. Perhaps I should make life brief." Regardless of the intention of the poet to be relatable, the words disturbed me.
The quality of the paperback edition was excellent. The cover is attractive, and the font is an appropriate size. There are no illustrations or artwork of any kind. For some reason, the titles of each of the poems are underlined at the top of the page instead of being inside quotation marks. There are no introduction, preface, or author pages. There are 81 total pages, but the text only appears on the right side of the book. All the pages on the left side are blank.
Researching the author revealed that he has been a book editor for 17 years, owns a publishing services studio, and has authored approximately 12 other books, including textbooks and other volumes of poetry. My rating is 4 out of 4 stars. I found no reason to deduct any stars. This book would appeal to individuals who are looking for answers to the meaning of life and those who are searching for a way out of depression. Some of the contents could cause a trigger reaction for certain readers, so caution is advised.
******
Awakening
View: on Bookshelves