Re Booker: Paul Lynch's 'Prophet Song' is a beautiful, original and completely believable portrait of a family struggling for survival as a dystopic Dublin slides into totalitarianism (after the introduction of an Emergency Powers Act).
"This is not quite poetry anymore, it is dictionary play." Such a good way to put it. It's a terrible habit in much American poetry. Others might disagree, but to me the heart of poetry lies in the rhythm or flow of speech. When people start dropping in unusual vocabulary, it's rarely a good sign. Occasionally, it can be done well, but it requires a very deft touch. It must feel absolutely natural and effortless.
Re Booker: Paul Lynch's 'Prophet Song' is a beautiful, original and completely believable portrait of a family struggling for survival as a dystopic Dublin slides into totalitarianism (after the introduction of an Emergency Powers Act).
Re. the Booker: Sebastian Barry's 'Old God's Time' is gorgeous, a real masterwork, and warmly recommended.
"This is not quite poetry anymore, it is dictionary play." Such a good way to put it. It's a terrible habit in much American poetry. Others might disagree, but to me the heart of poetry lies in the rhythm or flow of speech. When people start dropping in unusual vocabulary, it's rarely a good sign. Occasionally, it can be done well, but it requires a very deft touch. It must feel absolutely natural and effortless.