Official Review: The Power of Commitment

shannonkate8 · Post by **shannonkate8** » 18 Jun 2020, 08:04

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Power of Commitment" by Allan John MacIntyre Clark.]

3 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

The Power of Commitment by Allan Macintyre Clark captures the essence of human love and relationships in this book of poetry. Allan Macintyre Clark uses his own life experiences as inspiration for his poems. The collection of poems starts by providing a commentary on the current state of the world from someone in a minority group and not “higher up on the totem pole.” The author shows readers through his prose the suffering he and others have endured, not just as minorities. He captures a variety of emotions as he shares the love and heartbreak he has found.

Allan Macintyre Clark states at the beginning of the book that it reflects his search for true love and acceptance as a gay man. He also mentioned the fact that he is gay later on in a few poems. I was not deterred, though I know some may be. I also know I can never truly understand his plight for acceptance as a gay man.

However, this collection, the experiences, and the feelings surrounding it transcend who we love and their gender or sex. It did not matter that I was a heterosexual woman. Love is love. Heartbreak is heartbreak. Pain is pain. These experiences were something I could understand to my very core and I related to the author deeply. It was probably my favorite part of this book.

If you cannot tell, I really liked how relatable these poems were. I could understand where the author was coming from and what he was trying to get across. Aside from the relationship poems, the author talks about acceptance and feelings of belonging. I particularly liked chapter fifteen where the author talks about his grandparents, Scotland, and a feeling of coming home.

That said, I found that many of the poems were similar and focused on love and love lost. I understand that the author is basing the poems off his own life experience and it certainly is relatable yet I found myself getting bored until he switched subjects for a bit. At times, it felt like the same story over and over and the message was the same. Personally, this would have to be what I disliked, though it didn’t deter me from reading.

Overall, I would have to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is based on the above information and grammatical errors found within the book. I would recommend this to others who enjoy poetry with a caveat – the collection is not a particularly upbeat read and is not a light read. Some may also be put off by the author’s orientation, though it clearly didn’t bother me.

******
The Power of Commitment
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Wuoketch · Post by **Wuoketch** » 21 Jun 2020, 02:53

I'm not a fan of poetry. I think I will pass this. Your review is so sincere. Nice review.

Elvis Best · Post by **Elvis Best** » 21 Jun 2020, 17:48

I love how poetry allows authors to express their emotions. I'd to read this book. Great review!

Samuel Windybank · Post by **Samuel Windybank** » 23 Jun 2020, 20:16

Excellent review. Thanks for being honest about the repetitious nature of the poems. This would have to be something I read snippets of over time, not all in one go.

Usma Khann · Post by **Usma Khann** » 26 Jun 2020, 00:31

I liked the fact that the author touched the topic of acceptance in his poems. I hope it proves beneficial to the target audience.

shannonkate8 · Post by **shannonkate8** » 27 Jun 2020, 11:35

Mr_Wimbaum wrote: ↑23 Jun 2020, 20:16 Excellent review. Thanks for being honest about the repetitious nature of the poems. This would have to be something I read snippets of over time, not all in one go.

I agree. This is definitely suited as a book you can start one day and read across a longer period. The poems were good but did revolve around the same topics. Good read though.

shannonkate8 · Post by **shannonkate8** » 27 Jun 2020, 11:36

Usma Khann wrote: ↑26 Jun 2020, 00:31 I liked the fact that the author touched the topic of acceptance in his poems. I hope it proves beneficial to the target audience.

I hope it gets to those who need it. It can be truly uplifting if it gets to the right hands.