Official Review: Into the Hearth by Wendy E. Slater

[MarisaRose]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Into the Hearth" by Wendy E. Slater.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Into the Hearth by Wendy E. Slater is a collection of 70 poems and is the 14th volume in the Traduka Wisdom Series. The collection focuses on spirituality and the universe. Self-discovery, love, forgiveness, the beginning of new relationships and the ending of old ones are all discussed within the collection. As the title suggests, the word “hearth” is sprinkled throughout the many poems that make up this collection. At the surface, the word appears to have a basic meaning, but as we delve into the author’s words, it becomes clear that "hearth" has a comfortingly symbolic meaning.

The poetry in this collection is written in free verse. Slater’s style does not follow any common poetry rules; rather, the author has managed to develop a unique and meaningful formula through the separation of stanzas, planned line breaks, and unconventional indentations. The formatting of each poem wonderfully enhances the already exquisite imagery of Slater’s prose. The combination of well thought out formatting and eloquent language results in a melodic tone across the collection, increasing the emotional pull of each and every poem. Further, the formatting style proves to be visually stimulating, adding to the overall enjoyment of the work.

One defining characteristic of good poetry is the ability of the poet to transport the reader by making use of a plethora of senses. Though the imagery found in this collection is beautiful, it is the mentions of sensations, textures and smells that breathe life into the author’s words.

Many times, themes like spirituality and self-discovery can be vague, underwhelming or simply conventional. This is certainly not the case with Into the Hearth. As a whole, the collection portrays a clear vision, but it is up to the reader to interpret the author’s words as they fit into their own beliefs and experiences. Though quite a few poems elude to a higher presence, namely the universe, the word choice is nonspecific and therefore will appeal to a wide range of readers.

Though similar themes resonate throughout the collection, each poem stands out for one reason or another. Some poems are humorous, others are poignant, but all prove to be equally stimulating. The enjoyable prose and the effective stylistic choices lead me to rate Into the Hearth 4 out of 4 stars. This collection will easily resonate with anyone who enjoys poetry, especially poems about self-discovery, love, forgiveness and nonspecific spirituality. Also, those who are new to poetry will quickly fall in love with the melodic tune of this author’s work.

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Into the Hearth
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Like MarisaRose's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

Poetry is not really my cup of tea, however it sounds like this is done really well. I do enjoy beautiful imagery as well as great writing. Thanks for the review.

[MarisaRose]

Poetry is not really my cup of tea, however it sounds like this is done really well. I do enjoy beautiful imagery as well as great writing. Thanks for the review.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review! This collection really was unique and beautiful

[Aimy]

Melodic and rhythmic patterns along with appealing imagery are what make poetry beautiful. I hope it would be a pleasurable experience to read this book.

[MarisaRose]

Melodic and rhythmic patterns along with appealing imagery are what make poetry beautiful. I hope it would be a pleasurable experience to read this book.

I highly recommend this one

[Chrys Brobbey]

I'm a poetry enthusiast. I like an anthology that covers a wide variety of topics, as seems to be the case with this one. The review is clear and almost enticing. I'll surely like to browse through this collection.

[MarisaRose]

I'm a poetry enthusiast. I like an anthology that covers a wide variety of topics, as seems to be the case with this one. The review is clear and almost enticing. I'll surely like to browse through this collection.

I hope you give this one a shot! It really was an enjoyable read

[Kitkat3]

I really want to read this after reading your review. You described the book beautifully. Poetry, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult forms of writing, and I am always impressed when I find it effective.

[MarisaRose]

I really want to read this after reading your review. You described the book beautifully. Poetry, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult forms of writing, and I am always impressed when I find it effective.

Thank you Poetry is incredibly difficult to write for so many reasons, and free verse can be especially hard to succeed at. This one really is beautifully written and uniquely formatted. Enjoy!

[Jaime Lync]

This collection of poems sound very promising. I am a Christian and I write poetry myself - mainly free-verse. I really enjoy poetry that promotes spirituality- I prefer that it champion God Almighty but I am open to the wisdom that can be found in poetry that is not explicit on the deity being alluded to.

[Josephkiio]

This poem is is actually good and inspiring

[Donatelloo]

I don't like reading poetry . But I really liked your review . Very nice❤

[Voke98]

It takes up my eager each tym for the review indeed it's a nice..greative and motive poetry for all gender as qouted sprituality

[Necel-Naj]

I like poetry under literature and it's my great domain too.
I really like and appreciate your review.
Keep up.......

[Britty01]

I really enjoyed your review on what looks to be a lovely collection of poetry. I do find a lot of pleasure in reading poetry, particularly about nature.