Review of Happyagony

[Dalia Chf]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Happyagony" by Mem Ferda.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Happyagony by Mem Ferda is a collection of poems that trace some of the author’s major life moments and, as the title suggests, all his ups and downs. The book is divided into five major life chapters: Youth, The Fallacy of Luxury, Society, Love, and Grief. Each chapter contains a collection of poems ranging from Ferda’s personal stories, his family, and his love life, to poems about COVID-19, Hollywood’s influence, or the war.

I really enjoyed this collection. It is easy to read and understand because it is written in straightforward language and not in the incomprehensible style that poets usually use. I didn’t even mind that not all the poems follow a rhyme scheme because I was so caught up in these snippets of life that I didn’t even realize I was reading poetry. It was as if I was reading a novel exploring the meaning of life amidst all the chaos. My favorite poems are undoubtedly the ones about the war. They are emotionally charged and moved me to tears as I read them. “Fractured” is without a doubt my favorite poem in the whole collection, especially because it deals with the conflict between Jews and Muslims. As the author so eloquently writes: “Let it not shame us. / Reach out your hand and say no to war. / A safe passage to peace awaits us, / fractured and fragmented as we are.”

There is nothing negative I could say about this book. The poems are all great and give an intense insight into the author’s soul. The drawings at the end of each poem leave a strong emotional impact because they actually visualize what you are reading about. The writing style is some of the best I have read in poetry. I found no errors in the collection, which indicates that the book was exceptionally well edited.

For these reasons, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you’re not really into poetry or have a hard time understanding it, this is the perfect poetry collection to start with!

******
Happyagony
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Lawrence Stein]

Poems with lots of information to glean from them and written in an easy-to-understand manner are excellent. I would like to read the book.

[Nneka Bridget]

"Happyagony" by Mem Ferda sounds like a profound collection that resonates with personal and universal experiences. Your description of the straightforward language making the poems accessible is encouraging, especially for those who may shy away from poetry. It's compelling how the emotional weight of the war poems, particularly "Fractured," left such a strong impression on you. Your praise for the illustrations enhancing the poems adds a unique touch to the collection. It's great to hear that you found no errors, highlighting the quality of the editing. Your rating reflects a genuine appreciation for the work, making it an inviting read for newcomers to poetry!

[Williams Jaden]

Happyagony by Mem Ferda is a poetry collection divided into five chapters—Youth, Luxury, Society, Love, and Grief. It reflects the author’s personal journey, touching on family, love, and societal issues like COVID-19, Hollywood, and war.