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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Between Our Eyes That Fall" by Shihori Obata.]

Between Our Eyes That Fall by Shihori Obata is a compilation of free-form poetry. Its themes center around themes of hopelessness and self-doubt, especially with regards to romantic relationships. Despite these dark themes, though, the overall tone of the poetry is undeniably hopeful. A full page is devoted to each poem, and the poems themselves vary in length between an extended paragraph and a single sentence.

My greatest issue with this compilation is the lack of variety in structure. Each poem is written in the same free-form style, regardless of subject matter, so it often seemed like little regard was paid to how the poem's topic would mesh with its format. One of the strongest reasons for reading compilations like this is to experience the full range of an author's poetic writing. Since Obata rarely experiments with different formats and ways of arranging words, her poetry sometimes feels repetitive, giving the entire book a very uniform flavor.

That being said, the constant free-form nature of the poetry lent it a pervasive dreamlike quality. There are few concepts for the reader to really latch onto, something that bothered me when I started the book, but over time I warmed up to this aspect of the poems. Reading Between Our Eyes That Fall really did give me the feeling of walking in a dream, albeit not always a pleasant one. In this way, it was almost a meditative experience.

I also found the way Obata dealt with topics like despair and feeling alone deeply personal to my own struggle with mental illness. The introspective way she describes interpersonal relationships through a flurry of words and images was somehow familiar to me, and I expect that readers who have struggled with mental illness would have a similar experience. In the end, though, Obata seems to become at peace with these aspects of herself through her writing. I'd recommend this book to enthusiasts of free-form poetry that are dealing with some of the issues Obata's writing tackles.

If I could, I would rate Between Our Eyes That Fall 3.5 stars due to how repetitive the poetry became. Ultimately, though, I settled on 4 out of 4 stars. Obata's writing is dreamlike and deals with rather dark topics in an elegant way. While I can see most fans of free-form poetry enjoying this book to some extent, it seems most relevant to people who have experienced mental illness. I can only hope they gain a sense of peace after reading it like I did.

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Between Our Eyes That Fall
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I like free-form poetry because the writer has no restrictions in giving full rein to imagination and feelings. I think the pervasive dreamlike atmosphere would work just fine for me. Besides, I definitely need some peace of mind right now. Thanks for your review!

I do believe that a collection of poetry should be varied, but it sounds like the author does this style well. Poetry really isn't my thing, so I doubt I'll pick this up, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the review.

The poems if dealing with hopelessness and self doubt would have led to me think that there will offer no hope eventually but I like the fact the author finally seems like has peace in dealing with them.

I respect your honest review of this collection of freeform poetries. There is much intelligence shown in someone who is able to express their emotions and experiences using words.

I'm glad you gained a sense of peace from reading this. I'm not sure I'm motivated enough to pick it up right now due its dark themes of hopelessness and self doubt. Thank you for your honest review!

Thank you for this review, I have a hard time reading poetry, my find it not my cup of tea, this sounds something I might change my mind and try. Last poetry I read was W. Shakespeare sonnets.

That's a very touching review - thank you for your comments and your honesty.

I like variety to the style and flow of poetry as well. I'm glad the author was still able to keep an essence of hopefulness, even though the poems were heavy. Thank you for a great review!

Poetry is really not my thing, however, I really enjoyed reading your review and found it engaging.

I have a loved one with mental illness. I could really do with some carer's respite sometimes, as well as some insights into something that is often a major challenge. Maybe this book would be helpful; thank you for your insightful review.

This an interesting mixed but sensitive review. I would probably like the theme of relationships and struggles within them and appreciate that the author still gives indications of hope after the disappointments and painful experiences. If you felt the reading was like a meditative state, that encourages me to read the book, even if the style is not varied. I am sure it would speak to those who do struggle with mental illness or have close friends or family who have that challenge. Thank you for your honest and thoughtful review.

Wow there is a mix of emotions it feels like with this book. I definitely want to look into this one. Thanks for the review!