Official Review: Wonders That We See: A Poetry Collection

[Matti]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Wonders That We See: A Poetry Collection" by Crystal Harrell.]

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1 out of 4 stars

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It is a brave and wonderful thing to write poetry and be published at age seventeen. Crystal Harrell’s breakout collection: Wonders That We See: A Poetry Collection is passionate, lexically engaging, poetry that dwells in the older styles, entangling itself with statements and rhyme schemes. While that sounds like a good thing, the collection itself is not strong. The poems are not effective enough on their own, nor is the collection a page turner.

Harrell’s setting feels medieval, so much so that even Cincinnati feels like a relic of the past. Hints of magic and spirituality rest inside the collection, which focuses on dream-like experiences. These experiences in their antiquated setting create the emotional feelings I think she is cutting at, but only rarely. Her lines are not individually evocative or powerful, and I cannot think of one in particular that stood out as sonically pleasing or as a strong line.

Unfortunately, Harrell’s poetry is lacking when it comes to innovation. She stumbles into situations where rhymes become forced or unnatural and operates within cliche more often than not. The tone is grandesque, an antiquated and noble form that speaks down to the reader. I expected an intimate and surreal experience from the forward, but it did not deliver, instead asserting itself in the old style, and I was honestly left wanting in the wake of this collection. It is a novice trap to fall into cliche, and the thematic direction of these poems, and Harrell fell into these situations too often.

The old style does have its merits though, and Harrell does make effective use of the tone and style in parts of the collection. There is an underlying sense of magic, and moments when the rhymes do serve her well or when her images are evocative. This book would likely appeal to people who enjoy poets like H.P. Lovecraft, but it is important to acknowledge that Harrell is still finding her voice in this style. This collection would definitely have been sent back and individual poems would be unlikely to see publication in any reputable literary magazine.

Harrell’s choice to create a chapbook of this size serves her well, because it exposes her ability to grow as a writer. While Wonders That We See failed to meet my expectations, it is interesting to look at the mind of a seventeen year old and explore what they think poetry should look like. I rate Wonders That We See: A Poetry Collection 1 out of 4 stars. Harrell is not polished, and she needs practice, time, and an editor.

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Wonders That We See: A Poetry Collection
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[chytach18-]

Very insightful review, Matti. I can help but feel for Crystal, though. I hope she will continue writing poetry, even though it's a very hard job.

[Matti]

Thanks chytach18- I agree completely. I hope that she continues to grow as a poet, because she does have the foundation and an appealing style that comes to her naturally. She just needs a push in the right direction and some polish.