OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Timeless Ink" by Vulyncia Poindexter.]

Poetry, to this reviewer, is the riskiest medium. In no other written medium are one's first attempts generally so poor, and in no other medium are cringe-worthy verse and eloquent beauty sometimes only a single draft apart.

Vulyncia Poindexter's Timeless Ink is a book of poetry that takes up a series of topics that are both central to the lives of many and desperately complicated. While this collection includes meditations on deep and enriching matters (true love, for example), it also takes up subject matter that is deeply troubling, dark, and far too real for some people (adultery, rape, abuse), and so should be approached by readers with a history of trauma with caution.

Timeless Ink sometimes feels like a book of poetry chronicling the life of a single speaker: multiple poems seem to return to the same event (usually that the speaker's partner has treated her badly), and often come to the same conclusions (that she's devoted to him, and will never leave). For certain readers, this particular repetition may feel cathartic, with each poem presenting a fresh opportunity to feel assured in one's decision making, or in one's understanding of the reader's position. For others, however, this poetry collection may feel repetitive. Poindexter maintains the same style (free verse, mixed in with the odd rhyming couplet), and sticks to one form for the bulk of the collection, which adds to the feeling of repetitiveness while reading. Good poetry often takes up the banal, the cliched, and the everyday, in order to frames it in a manner that makes it feel new. This collection seems highly personal, and less interested in being innovative than in expressing trauma, relief, devotion. It reads a bit like a dark version of a book of cliches or of inspirational sayings, a kind of text for which there is a large audience, but one that is nearly wholly divorced from the world of independently published poetry. There are a handful of poems in this collection, such as "Net-Work," that stick out for clearly trying to bring a fresh perspective to a common topic; Pointdexter's style is most developed in these moments, which foreshadow a stronger collection.

Poindexter's writing is, at a technical level, strong. She demonstrates a solid command of English grammar, and is at the beginning of the phase in development as as poet in which one decides to deliberately break the rules of grammar in order to demonstrate something particular about language. With some further attention to detail and language, and with some practice at expanding her work into forms other than those which she is most comfortable, Poindexter's future work promises to be great.

I give this collection 1 out of 4. The author has the skills to produce excellent work, and hasn't fully utilized them here.

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Timeless Ink
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Like Ursula_Minor's review? Post a comment saying so!

Is it weird to say a review, especially a bad one, is beautifully written? While you only gave the collection 1 out of 4 stars, you did it in such a way that it is hard to consider this a 'negative' review. Although I'm not the author and she may feel differently.

Thanks! I feel that the rating is the most personal part of the review, and so try to write reviews that reflect several reasons why an interested reader migh select a book, regardless of what rating I give it.

I loved this review. You did a great job of articulating the dangers of attempting poetry, which has seldom been my friend as a writer. I think it's full of useful info for the author.

Absolutely well written, Ursula. And I agree, it does not feel entirely negative. Each person has to determine how to administer their rating of something, and that is very personal. But to do it constructively even when giving a low rating, is to me the most wonderful thing a reviewer can do.

Nice review. Like you I think what matter is the review itself and not the rate.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I do think that the rating will have some impact, of course (and I take seriously the task of assinging one), but feel that the rating will speak to only one subset of readers. The review, on the other hand, has the potential to speak to a much wider audience. Thanks for your feedback, @gali!

I wouldn't begin to know how to review poetry and think you did an excellent job. It's nice that you highlighted the author's potential and give her useful feedback.

Very nice review. Like the others have already said, I agree that you did a wonderful job of critiquing without being overly negative.

Thanks, @rachaelmb1! I'm really pleased with the feedback on this review- I was nervous about it!

Interesting review! Based on a few of the points, it sounds like the rating should have been a little higher than 1 star. Still, it's hard to review poetry and you did a good job of analyzing the book.