Official Review: A Loaf Of Bread by Rana Bitar

MarisaRose · Post by **MarisaRose** » 08 Feb 2019, 13:07

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Loaf Of Bread" by Rana Bitar.]

4 out of 4 stars

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A Loaf of Bread by Rana Bitar is a collection of heart-felt poetry. The author is from Syria, and she lived through a very turbulent time in the country’s history. Bitar experienced loss of many kinds and faced the unknown on a daily basis. The poetry in this collection focuses on the author’s home and the distress her people experienced during the country’s civil war. The collection consists of ten free-verse poems of varying lengths; some are only a few lines while others are approximately four pages.

The themes explored in this collection are deep and thought provoking. The author’s handling of death, destruction, sorrow and loss is profound and moving. It is clear from the beginning that the author was deeply impacted by the events she describes in this collection. While some themes at first appear obvious, like in “Beheading” where the content is self-explanatory, the poems also contain deeper meaning. Helped along by metaphor, reoccurring motifs and innuendo, each poem in Bitar’s collection is engaging, and it will take one some time to mull over the words and find the less-obvious interpretation. I loved the complexity of Bitar’s poems.

Fans of poetry will relish the feeling-imbued words of this collection. From the first lines of “Where I am From,” the introductory poem of the collection, one can effortlessly see and, more importantly, feel the author’s homeland. Bitar shows us the setting using prose to fill the reader’s head with rich images of her culture and day-to-day life. For example, two lines that immediately caught my attention: “I am from the secret service boots.” and “I am from the hushed steps to school.” As the poems continue, the significant consideration that went into the selection and placement of each word becomes obvious.

In addition to the thoughtful word choice, each poem has a purposeful tempo, and the prose is supported by a clear pattern. It was refreshing to see the author achieve this flow without the use of rhyme. When read aloud, much of Bitar’s poetry reads like a somber ode, or, in some instances, like a lullaby, while others flow along like a mournful song. The versatility of the author’s meter really astounded me and only added to my conclusion that every word and every punctuation mark was thoughtfully and purposefully placed.

One mark of a good poet is the ability to convey events with emotions attached; Bitar far exceeds this mark in each and every poem. Although ten poems doesn’t sound like a lot for a poetry collection, this number works in the author’s favor. Each of the ten poems is memorable, meaningful and enigmatic. Further, the collection is perfectly edited, and just like with her words, the author thoughtfully uses punctuation to amplify her statements. Since I found myself reading these poems over and over again and felt such a connection to the author, I rate A Loaf of Bread 4 out of 4 stars. Readers who enjoy poetry that makes you think, empathize and feel will love this collection. Further, readers who enjoy expanding their horizons will gain a new cultural perspective from this author’s words.

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A Loaf Of Bread
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gen_g · Post by **gen_g** » 12 Feb 2019, 07:29

This sounds like a brilliant collection, despite being a small one. I love that it is emotional and gives you a deep insight into the Syrian civil war. I might pick this up. Thanks for the brilliant review!

Samantha Simoneau · Post by **Samantha Simoneau** » 12 Feb 2019, 08:45

I love poetry, but I find a lot that I don't enjoy for every book that I do. Reviews like yours help me select works that are actually profound and well executed. I want to read this one. Thanks for the recommendation!

Post by **kandscreeley** » 12 Feb 2019, 08:54

The thing about poetry is that it's such a cathartic experience. Also, it can really bring the emotions of the poet to the reader. With the difficult times the author faced, I'm sure this is very emotional. Still, I have a hard time relating to poetry, so I'll probably pass on this one. I'm glad that it was a good collection, though. Thanks.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 12 Feb 2019, 09:40

You give high praise to the author for the content of the poems as well as the form. This is very encouraging. It is obvious from the titles of the poems that she has experienced some very traumatic things. I appreciate your positive comments about her work.

Jessacardinal · Post by **Jessacardinal** » 12 Feb 2019, 21:13

I am not usually a fan of poetry. However, your review intrigues me to consider this collection. Thank you for the recommendation!

Post by **bookowlie** » 13 Feb 2019, 10:40

Thanks for another insightful review. I usually prefer light-hearted themes in poems, but this collection looks interesting.

spencermack · Post by **spencermack** » 10 Mar 2019, 23:12

I also loved A Loaf of Bread. Bitar was masterful in the construction of her poems and emotions.

Ganiyat Ajibade · Post by **Ganiyat Ajibade** » 20 Mar 2019, 13:34

I like the preview tho but the book is emotional.

Juliana_Isabella · Post by **Juliana_Isabella** » 02 Apr 2019, 17:36

This sounds like an incredibly heartfelt collection of poetry. It may be a good addition to middle and high school classrooms to teach about the Syrian war.

Wriley · Post by **Wriley** » 30 Apr 2019, 13:58

I've read this and it is a wonderful collection of emotional poems. She uses alliteration masterfully. She didn't rhyme that much but may start each line of a poem the same. She addresses, Mother, in several of the poems which gives it a more heart felt quality. I'm not an expert of poetry but I found these poems beautifully tragic and eye opening.

gali · Post by **gali** » 20 May 2019, 05:38

A poetry book revolving around the author's experiences during Syria's civil war sounds intense. Thought-provoking themes, purposeful tempo, and meaningful poems make this a good read for fans of the genre. I don't read poetry, but I am glad you loved it. Thank you for the review!

Ferdinand_Otieno · Post by **Ferdinand_Otieno** » 20 May 2019, 05:49

Not really a big fan of poetry as a genre, but I do explore the occasional book now and again. I found this book quite refreshing and thank you for the awesome review that did nothing short of converting me to poetry.

oluwafunmilayo+ · Post by **oluwafunmilayo+** » 20 May 2019, 05:59

This is an enjoyable collection of poems,it talks about love,war and what it brings generally, to those who love poems I think this is something u should read.

3457+-_ · Post by **3457+-_** » 20 May 2019, 06:02

Loaf of Bread by Rita Bitar is a poetry written book about her experiences during Syria civil war, she uses various themes to portray situations such as hardships, deaths which brings along good flow, I rate this book 4 out of 4