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poetry_shaman's review against another edition
5.0
Like I always do, I did a bit of research on the author before diving into this gorgeous piece of work and was surprised to read the author of the collection had recently died in 2016--likely to complications with multiple sclerosis which has a major influence on many of the poems in The Body Mutinies. A majority of the poems in this book cover themes of physical pain and freedom as the author examines the bodies limitations and triumphs. My favorites of the collection mixed the alliterative sounds of assonance and consonance with personal reflection and vivid imagery to create some truly special poems. Overall, this collection is one I think about regularly as I try to imitate or use some of the authors construction images with sound patterns, as I found the movement of her poems to be masterfully written.
Things I liked~
*The narrative of the book felt more full and realized after learning about the poet's own struggles with pain and the body as it deteriorates. Even so, many of the poems that had to do with pain were so much more than just pain. The author uses complex, repeating images as well as humor to give the poems more dynamic and layered meaning.
*Though most of the poems are free verse I absolutely adored the poems that had more structure. The sonnet--"Thinking About Illness" (42)--is one of the best poems I've read all year and I will never forget just how masterfully done the sonnet is. Like... I'm in love.
*I personally consider it a crime if readers do not take the time to read this collection aloud. It is meant to be heard because the melody and music in this collection is superb.
Some things that could be better~
*I honestly cannot think of anything.
Overall - 5/5 (I am looking forward to going through the book a second time.)
Things I liked~
*The narrative of the book felt more full and realized after learning about the poet's own struggles with pain and the body as it deteriorates. Even so, many of the poems that had to do with pain were so much more than just pain. The author uses complex, repeating images as well as humor to give the poems more dynamic and layered meaning.
*Though most of the poems are free verse I absolutely adored the poems that had more structure. The sonnet--"Thinking About Illness" (42)--is one of the best poems I've read all year and I will never forget just how masterfully done the sonnet is. Like... I'm in love.
*I personally consider it a crime if readers do not take the time to read this collection aloud. It is meant to be heard because the melody and music in this collection is superb.
Some things that could be better~
*I honestly cannot think of anything.
Overall - 5/5 (I am looking forward to going through the book a second time.)
lindsayb's review against another edition
4.0
Once upon a time, when I fancied myself a poet and my undergraduate life was consumed by creative writing classes and editing journals, my very first creative writing professor (where, o where are you now, Jon Marshall?) recommended I read The Body Mutinies. I forget the particular reason why he recommended it, other than mentioning how Perillo writes about developing MS, but finally reading this now, it does ring true with my late teens, early twenties self. I have to say I liked this collection more for the ideas and overall images it invoked--I especially like the poems exploring youth and femininity--than the language itself. Favorites:
-"Durable Goods"
-"The Life Opaque"
-"Lost Innocence of the Potato Givers"
-"On the Sunken Fish Processor Tenyo Maru"
-"The Professor Wonders If His Daughter Will Understand Tragedy"
-"The Roots of Pessimism in Model Rocketry, The Fallacy of Its Premise"
-"Retablo with Multiple Sclerosis and Saints"
-"Elephant" (wildly jealous she saw Raymond Carver read)
-"July 4, 1966"
-"Needles"
-"For My Washer and Dryer"
-"Archaeolgy of the Bed"
-"On the Female Serial Killers"
-"Barbie Tells Her Biography"
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Counting as my volume of poetry for the Read Harder challenge.
-"Durable Goods"
-"The Life Opaque"
-"Lost Innocence of the Potato Givers"
-"On the Sunken Fish Processor Tenyo Maru"
-"The Professor Wonders If His Daughter Will Understand Tragedy"
-"The Roots of Pessimism in Model Rocketry, The Fallacy of Its Premise"
-"Retablo with Multiple Sclerosis and Saints"
-"Elephant" (wildly jealous she saw Raymond Carver read)
-"July 4, 1966"
-"Needles"
-"For My Washer and Dryer"
-"Archaeolgy of the Bed"
-"On the Female Serial Killers"
-"Barbie Tells Her Biography"
********
Counting as my volume of poetry for the Read Harder challenge.
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