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mollycnewman26's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.75
lynecia's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent!
At first I got this short tome, started reading it and put it down. It lost my attention, b.c I found the language to fractured, too inelegant and blah! I expected the earth to move b.c after all, it did win a PULITZER.
It sat on my nightstand for a couple of weeks. Even after listening to her recite some poetry on an NPR podcast, I still let it sit. Finally, yesterday, I took it up and went back to the beginning, even re-reading the book jacket. I found that I even misunderstood the meaning of the collection itself by carelessly reading it the first time. I took my time with her words, and I emerged visibly moved, touched and excited! I haven't been one to read much poetry, but I loved this and want more!
I found her combination of elegy, personal narrative and history quite wonderful and heartfelt.
At first I got this short tome, started reading it and put it down. It lost my attention, b.c I found the language to fractured, too inelegant and blah! I expected the earth to move b.c after all, it did win a PULITZER.
It sat on my nightstand for a couple of weeks. Even after listening to her recite some poetry on an NPR podcast, I still let it sit. Finally, yesterday, I took it up and went back to the beginning, even re-reading the book jacket. I found that I even misunderstood the meaning of the collection itself by carelessly reading it the first time. I took my time with her words, and I emerged visibly moved, touched and excited! I haven't been one to read much poetry, but I loved this and want more!
I found her combination of elegy, personal narrative and history quite wonderful and heartfelt.
morgob's review against another edition
5.0
Very moving poetry with lots of historical ties. I loved the part in the back where it explained the history behind some of it, at least with the poem by which the book is named, "Native Guard." I liked how emotional the poems were, and how she mixed parts of her own life with parts of history, as they are intertwined. My favorites had to be "Myth", "Southern History", "Native Guard", "Incident", "Elegy for the Native Guards", and "South". Most of these happen to be in Part 3 of this collection.
hidingincorners's review against another edition
5.0
I always, always, always love Trethewey's poetry. She's one of my favorites. A true master of the craft.
reba_reads_books's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoy poetry that's fast-paced with a fresh message. I enjoy slower poetry as long as its message packs a punch. Having said these two things, if we disagree it may just be a matter of taste.
This author is talented but language heavy. The poems pulled me down with them and kept me reading (and at times re-reading) at a slow pace. Therefore, I was only able to get through a few poems every other day.
As far as the message goes, this book seemed to be about only a few things... most of them auto-biographical and, therefore, unrelatable to me as a reader. I've read other Southern poets' autobiographical work that I've enjoyed very much, because I could relate to at least a few overarching themes within it. I couldn't find those kinds of themes within this work, so I simply did not connect to it.
This author is talented but language heavy. The poems pulled me down with them and kept me reading (and at times re-reading) at a slow pace. Therefore, I was only able to get through a few poems every other day.
As far as the message goes, this book seemed to be about only a few things... most of them auto-biographical and, therefore, unrelatable to me as a reader. I've read other Southern poets' autobiographical work that I've enjoyed very much, because I could relate to at least a few overarching themes within it. I couldn't find those kinds of themes within this work, so I simply did not connect to it.