Review of Shadows

[Igwe Ifeanyi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Shadows" by William Stephen Edwards.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Shadows by William Stephen Edwards is a compilation of poems written by the author in an effort to express a wide range of literary insights and elicit different types of emotions. The book contains over 200 poems, each with its own style and message, and some more extraordinary than the others.

Reviewing a poem compilation may not be as straightforward as a prose review, given that each poem is a world of its own. But there are some things I couldn’t help but notice about the book while enjoying the rhythms and riddles. I was exposed to the explorative mind of the author, which was so easily crammed into the white pages of the books that I ended up more curious about the inspiration behind such a gracious book.

Sometimes the author would take a storytelling approach so powerful enough that images of the story are automatically created in your heads. In this aspect, I was especially touched by the sad poems like Safeerah’s Butterfly, Julie in the Nursing Home, Xena, and many others. I may never forget those poems.

There was also this thing about the relatability of the poems. While some could be complex to decipher; some were just easily understandable. But the end point is that they were always about something regarding our experience as people. From love to religion and adversities, every piece of the book explored endlessly.

Also, I didn’t expect to understand, inasmuch as I tried, as some of the poems remained masterpieces of intrigue. I believe that some of them were meant to be that way, such as the poem Gibberish, which was exactly what its title denoted. Some had weird formats and flows, but I think it all added to the fascination.

There was almost nothing to dislike about the book. Except that the length of the book meant that there were several repetitions of themes, which, although told differently, could still slightly wear off intrigue. However, it did not impact my general enjoyment of the book.

Overall, I would rate the book five stars out of five stars.

Shadows was an interesting read and an embodiment of everything that I expected in a poem compilation. The book was engaging, emotionally connecting, fascinating, exceptionally edited, and relatively easy to understand and enjoy. I would totally recommend it to all poetry lovers and to anybody who would appreciate a relaxing and soul-stirring read.
 

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Shadows
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