Review of The Tree of Knowledge

[Rachael S 1]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Tree of Knowledge" by Gamel Abdullah.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Tree of Knowledge by Gamel Abdullah is a collection of poems following the themes of love, religion, and family.

This book is divided into two chapters for a total of 60 poems. This does not include the introduction poem or the autobiography poem included at the end, titled Autobiography. The first group of poems focuses primarily on love and family, with a few poems regarding religion thrown in. The second chapter focuses more on religion and the tree of life. There was a clear connection between the poems that began the chapter and the poems that ended the chapter that made the author's arrangement and grouping of the poems make sense.

One of the things I liked most about this collection of poems is how the author arranged the poems. Many times, there would be one poem on one side, followed by a second poem that would complement the first poem. For instance, there are two poems about halfway through the book titled A Mother’s Love and A Father’s Love. Even more so, the author would reference the other poem during the writing due to their connection. I enjoyed how the author put these poems next to each other on separate pages. This was done throughout the book.

The writing in this book was straightforward and easy to follow. The poems contained within were very relatable and easy to follow. Some of the stories were very deep emotionally, while others were witty and humorous. I enjoyed the mixture of emotions. The author was able to make each poem seem as though it stood on its own, but the collection of poems was very enjoyable to get through.

Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was how the author dedicated many of the poems to his family members, including his wife and brother. Even more amazing was how the author included photos of his family and descriptions of the photos at the end of the book. Reading a poem dedicated to the author’s wife and then seeing the happy photos of them together made the poems much more relatable and enjoyable to read.

There was nothing I disliked about the many poems that completed this book. Some of the poems were short, but others spanned many paragraphs. Depending on the story the author was hoping to tell, it was reflected in the style of the poem. Some of the poems rhyme, but many of the poems are written in freestyle verse. The different styles of the poems broke up the book in a way that allowed the reader to get through the many poems without a feeling of uniformity. Every poem has its own personality.

I did not find any grammatical or spelling errors. This book appears to have been professionally edited. I was very inspired by many of the poems in this book, and I hope that the author will write more in the future. I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this poem to anyone who enjoys reading poetry, especially those who love romantic or religious perspectives. Those who enjoy poetry will appreciate taking the time to read this book.

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The Tree of Knowledge
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[Susan Gibbs]

I was drawn to the title as it sounds like it will be religions in nature. The way the author linked and arranged similar poems sounds unique. Th mixture of humour and deep emotions sounds like it makes for a balanced experience.