Official Review: Walking In Blind: A Collection of Poetry

Catherine Hsu · Post by **Catherine Hsu** » 07 Jul 2017, 17:41

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Walking In Blind: A Collection of Poetry" by Kaviru Gayathri Samarawickrama.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Walking in Blind is a collection of poetry themed around emotions, ranging from happiness to sadness to pain - written by an author who themselves grew to learn that emotions were power. It's quite difficult to write a summary because this book is a collection of pieces rather than one single piece of writing but what I love is that although it is comprised of different pieces, you can still look at it holistically as one person's story. The narrative voice is very unique it sounds as though the author truly understands what it is like to battle inner demons. There are poems that focus on both positive and negative emotions, illustrating how life consists of both good and bad days.

I really liked how there were some poems that were more explicit, like "A Letter to my Ex Best Friend" and some that were more abstract, like "Mortal Lies". My favorite poem out of the entire book would be "Depression from a Depressed Perspective". It not only uses figurative language beautifully but also talks about whether or not depression is an illness, which touches a little upon sociology, something I am personally very interested in. Another one of my favorites was "Only One Can See", which I could easily relate to as it brought out feelings of loneliness and alienation.

One issue I have with the book is the inconsistency in title capitalizations. Some titles have the first letter of each word capitalized, like "Charity Chances," but others only capitalize the first letter of the first word, like "Guilty kisses".

Another criticism I have is that there seems to be a lack of variety; though the topics differed, the rhythm and meters used were often very similar and therefore it sometimes became a bit repetitive. I would've like to see the author be a little more experimental, whether it was using different emphasis and accents or formatting her poems differently.

Due to the above reasons, I rate his book 3 out of 4 stars. Overall, I thought this book was very relatable, especially to anyone who has dealt with adversity in their lifetime or has had difficulty expressing their emotions. I applaud the author for their bravery in opening up in such a beautiful and powerful way. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes poetry or memoirs, and I think people who enjoy psychology in literature would also enjoy this quick read.

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Walking In Blind: A Collection of Poetry
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Post by **kandscreeley** » 18 Jul 2017, 11:48

I'm not really big into poetry. I think the inconsistencies with the title capitalization would drive me NUTS though. I'm kind of OCD like that. Glad you enjoyed it.

LadyClaire · Post by **LadyClaire** » 18 Jul 2017, 12:28

wow! On the contrary, kandscreeley,I enjoy poetry a lot, and the theme of the book makes it even more interesting. Great thanks to the author who took the pains to render in words what the eyes can't see and to you psychopathycathy (great screen name).

livcormwidd · Post by **livcormwidd** » 18 Jul 2017, 12:42

Thanks for the review psychopathycathy, I think I'll definitely be giving this a read based on your thoughts. I think the inconsistent capitalisation won't put me off so much, I wonder if this is an editing error or if there is a reason for it?
As LadyClaire said, the theme of the collection makes it sound incredibly interesting and I am excited to read the poems.

raikyuu · Post by **raikyuu** » 18 Jul 2017, 22:30

psychopathycathy wrote:One issue I have with the book is the inconsistency in title capitalizations.

I don't necessarily see this as an issue because even the capitalization of words (whether it be in the poem or in the title) adds up to the intricacies and nuances of the poem. Although, I do agree with you on the book's issue on repetitive meters and rhythms.

kandscreeley wrote:I think the inconsistencies with the title capitalization would drive me NUTS though. I'm kind of OCD like that.

Well, yeah, that also happens to me.

melissamaecarolino · Post by **melissamaecarolino** » 19 Jul 2017, 04:07

Collection of poetry sounds nice. And I love poetry though sadness is not my status today.

maroa_elisha · Post by **maroa_elisha** » 19 Jul 2017, 04:08

This piece is really superb. I like it.

PompousTirePumper · Post by **PompousTirePumper** » 19 Jul 2017, 21:56

shes talented

Quirinius · Post by **Quirinius** » 20 Jul 2017, 09:06

Well, from the cover the book is emotional. But the moment I started reading the review the emotions were more over me.

jaliper · Post by **jaliper** » 25 Jul 2017, 01:24

Poetry! I loveeeee poetry. I love your review too! Im adding this to my TBR.

Donatelloo · Post by **Donatelloo** » 28 Jul 2017, 06:36

I have heard so much about this book . I would love to read this one , I am not interested in poetry though . Thank yoi for such a nice review

Jazz14 · Post by **Jazz14** » 28 Jul 2017, 15:23

I have never really read a full book of poetry. After reading your review I am definitely going to read this book. It sounds quite interesting.

-- 28 Jul 2017, 15:23 --

I have never really read a full book of poetry. After reading your review I am definitely going to read this book. It sounds quite interesting.

jemgirl202 · Post by **jemgirl202** » 28 Jul 2017, 15:25

I love when poetry is more raw and open. Great Review!

smart24 · Post by **smart24** » 28 Jul 2017, 17:54

the poetic composure of this book is intriguing and it a must read. thanks for a lovely review.

Meade Adams · Post by **Meade Adams** » 04 Aug 2017, 17:18

As a poet myself I know that everything we do, especially for a collection is intentional. So I'm sure there's an intentional reason she varies between capitalized titles and uncapitalized. Try to uncover the hidden meaning!