Feels like I always start off my reviews this way now, but I want to apologize for the lack of content as well as the delay of content lately; school is extremely hectic right now, but it of course always comes first. This review is slightly different than normal because it is more exciting then normal. In May, I was contacted by the author, Shannon Cuthrell, via my Tumblr page. She asked me if I would be interested in receiving a copy of her book to read and review here for you, the most wonderful readers (I'm not cheesy, I swear). I of course was thrilled by the opportunity and so excited when I received the book in the mail right before the start of June. When I finally had the time to read it, I loved every minute of it. So, without further ado, let me tell you about this incredible book!
The Great Repression is a series of poems written by Shannon while studying at school. Typically, poetry is not a medium of book that I ever reach for so having an incentive to read poetry was already extremely captivating for me. The poems each have their own unique story, and yet the book itself ties so well into the big picture. The stories presented in this collection of poems depict the hidden struggles that many people, including myself, have coped with or are learning to understand. Many of the poems touch topics such as falling in love, heartbreak, depression, and feeling overwhelmed. The poems really resonated with me because I was reminded of where I was four years ago when I was in the middle of my high school experience; it was a tough time for me and I went through quite a lot. It also reminded me of newer times - having recently been in and out of a relationship in a short time. One of the poems described perfectly what it is to be captivated by somebody new: "he settled / not just on my mind, but in it - / trapped." The words are so simply put but so incredibly accurate. A later poem also resonated after I was left to pick up the pieces; as a blogger, I run towards writing as a coping method. This poem had a line that said, "dating a writer could be the life and death of you," which is so true because depending on how you treat me, my description of you may change.
Upon finishing the series of poems, I was left sat on my bed, book in hand, just staring out into nothing. The words continued to bounce off the inside of every part of me, growing deeper in meaning and connection to my past and present. Very rarely do I ever feel so connected to words on a page, unless they are my own - raw and directly from my brain. I want to applaud Shannon for writing a piece of art. That's what it is: a piece of art. There are also illustrations in the book drawn by her brother Bradford, all of which are both abstract and beautiful.
I want to take a few lines of my review to thank Shannon for opening my eyes and mind up to the world of poetry, as I hope to add more of that to my blog now; whether that be my own attempt or other published books. I always want to thank her for sending me a copy of the book which is made so beautifully. For those of you who I hope I have intrigued, you can purchase Shannon's book The Great Repression on Amazon. If you do read her poems, don't forget to let her know your thoughts on her Blogspot page, or check out her website.
Overall, I would rate The Great Repression 5/5 because I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the way the poems were descriptive but vague enough for me to make my own personal connections.
Happy Reading Fellow Bookworms :)
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