The Palace of Forty Pillars

by Armen Davoudian

“Brilliant and deft and heartfelt."―Richie Hofmann Wry, tender, and formally innovative, Armen Davoudian’s debut poetry collection, The Palace of Forty Pillars , tells the story of a self estranged from the world around him as a gay adolescent, an Armenian in Iran, and an immigrant in America. It is a story darkened by the long shadow of global tragedies―the Armenian genocide, war in the Middle East, the specter of homophobia. With masterful attention to rhyme and meter, these poems also carefully witness the most intimate the awkward distance between mother and son getting ready in the morning, the delicate balance of power between lovers, a tense exchange with the morality police in Iran.

In Isfahan, Iran, the eponymous palace has only twenty pillars―but, reflected in its courtyard pool, they become forty. This is the gamble of Davoudian’s magical, ruminative to recreate, in art’s reflection, a home for the speaker, who is unable to return to it in life.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Asian American

88 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2024

Reviews

[X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, not great in terms of content - I’m not a huge fan of autobiographical/slice-of-life poetry so it could be just that but I see another reviewer mentioned that this book gets less strong as it goes along and I agree. But Davoudian has a definite ear for the sounds of language (which not all wannabe poets do, frankly!) and when his writing flows, it flows.

Sort of a high 3 stars tbh, but I’m bumping it up to 4 stars because I see this is his first published collection and I think he’s got potential.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Most of the standout poems were ones I remember from Davoudian's debut chapbook. I had pretty much the same experience with this full-length collection as the chapbook—a frustrating sense of distance from the poems. This collection starts strongly but loses some steam as it goes on; the title poem (a longer piece) feels likewise uneven.

On a minor note, beautiful book design!

[Sandra Del Rio]

I sweated my pent-up love out on each night, then lay there with my hands unwashed….
When I close the book, two tongues touch.

Lovely lovely

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

easily my favorite collection i’ve read this year.

“O pomegranate, grant me great armor
(not agapē) ere ego am no man.
O garnet page, O mater mea eterna,
name me Armen, name me poet. Amen” (XVIII).

[Alyssa Harvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really excellent poetry collection that reminded me of 1) what good poetry looks like, and 2) why I love poetry. The author so perfectly captures little moments and feelings and fills them with sensory experiences--it makes you feel like you're there, like you're able to taste or smell the same things, even if the places aren't familiar to you.

There was so much careful attention to structure and craft in these poems, which I deeply respect. I'm definitely going to find myself coming back to this one for rereads.

Thank you so much to Tin House for the advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some beautiful lines, but no one poem fully grabbed hold of me. These poems are filled with wonderful scents.

[Kylie! · Rating 4 out of 5]

i haven’t read much poetry but i enjoyed the themes in this book and the authors writing style, this was a free arc i got and i think i would read some of his other poems after reading this 😛😛

[sarah]

did not like this one at all except for the titular poem which lost it's way quickly too

[Ario · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though we are a generation apart, like Armen Davoudian, I was born in Isfahan and was made to leave Iran in the wake of the Islamic Revolution. Unlike the author I was too young to have any tangible memories of the city. I was therefore predisposed to like this collection, which mixes the autobiographical gently with the political. I think it does so better than most contemporary poetry; it largely eschews free verse, relies on a subtle ear, and pulls the more audacious formal experiments off with bravado. The collection is worth the five stars alone for the two effortless and poignant ghazals. There are one or two lines that hit a bum note, as there are in any collection, but the book is free of filler. An accomplished debut, highly recommended.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book of poetry definitely puts Davoudian on my "to watch" list. He's a "younger" poet. He is currently working on a PhD at Stanford. As is true of most younger poets, "coming of age" type subject matter is present, mostly in the first half of the book. I enjoyed some of the formal experimentation in the first 2/3 of the book but the real stand-out is a sequence of 20 sonnets for which the book is named.

This sonnet sequence is conceptually interesting. The Palace of 40 Pillars is so named because the 20 constructed pillars are repeated within the reflecting pool. Davoudian has taken the idea of a crown of sonnets in which the last line of one poem is the first line of the second one and embedded it within the "turn" of each sonnet. He puts a space between the octave and sestet and the last line of the first has an echo (sometimes just one word) in the first line of the second. There is a lot of variation in the sonnets. One isn't 14 lines. Another is an amazing anagram of the word pomegranate. I don't think any of them have a strict rhyme scheme.

This sonnet sequence is worth the price of the book (which I think was $12 when I got it on amazon) if you're a fan of the sonnet and enjoy seeing what poets do with it. While I wouldn't call them like Shakespeare's sonnets, I see Davoudian reaching after The Bard in the word play he employs in his sonnets. It makes me curious to see what he will do next. I believe English is his second or third language and he's doing a great job of absorbing it and seeing the potential in words with double (or more meanings).

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Palace of Forty Pillars is a small (but mighty) collection of poetry by Armen Davoudian.

In these poems, Davoudian reflects on his own experiences “as a gay adolescent, an Armenian in Iran, and an immigrant in America” and tells “a story darkened by the long shadow of global tragedies—the Armenian genocide, war in the Middle East, the specter of homophobia” (Tin House).

Without having read this description from the publisher, I may not have inferred the full context for his writing. After all, Davoudian doesn’t explicitly lay out what he is talking about (though he leaves hints here and there, in the names of places, the descriptions of food, the occasional date). And while this context is important and helpful to better understand his writing, it is by no means necessary to appreciate the themes on which he is reflecting, the emotions he evokes. You can feel the anxiety, the intimacy, the nostalgia in each of his poems, in each enchanting phrase. I enjoyed the evocative language of these poems; some stand outs (for me) were Alibi, The Yellow Swan, and Something There Is That Doesn't Love.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tin House for my advanced reader copy.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

My last review for the year is the stunning "The Palace of Forty Pillars", a collection of poetry from Armen Davouidian.
     These wonderfully structured poems, to me, felt like an exploration of belonging, being that of a gay immigrant in our country and an Armenian in Iran. Personal space with relationships of family (that we can all relate to as adolescents), and of belonging, especially as that of a gay man.
    The background of these poems may be tinted by Armenian genocide, war in the Middle East, homophobia  and love (to name a few things) but they are beautiful and at times difficult in a way that we can all relate to. There were several that caught my breath and immediately demanded a re-read. 
    Davouidian has definitely given us something to look forward to in the coming year with the release of this book, and has left me eagerly awaiting a read of what he shares with us next. Side note, this cover is so good!

[Ric · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are books that, as an audience, I realize are not "for me" in the sense the message comes from a background and place that is different enough from my own that it is unfair to assume I can relate to it on a deeper and more intimate level simply because my own life experiences don't allow me to fully engage with the work. With that said, The Palace of Forty Pillars is a beautiful collection that I mostly enjoyed because of the skill and craft it demonstrates rather than the subjects of these poems. But interspersed amongst these beautifully crafted works are gems of knowledge and sentiments tossed like coins into a fountain--the details of Davoudian's observations and insights touch on those undeniable universal truths that ring out loud and clear. I was grateful for the opportunity to read this collection, and extend thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love collections of short-form prose and poetry so much. What some may perceive as being a shorter glimpse into a palette cleanser, I am transported into a world of beauty and illustrations so vivid and alluring that they are able to captivate my existence within less than 160 pages. That’s exactly what The Palace of Forty Pillars did for me. I read of narratives of loss, family trauma, indoctrinated propaganda, and so many other feelings of growth and pain throughout our narrator’s span in Isfahan, Iran.

I am so thankful to Tin House, Netgalley, and Armen Davoudian for granting me advanced digital access before this baby hits shelves on March 19, 2024.

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry collections are difficult to review, as more than most the art form is subject to taste. I feel these poems are all pretty well written, with excellent imagery and fun uses of multiple forms. My favorite poems of the collection are “Swan Song” and “Coming Out of the Shower.”

However, other than my two favorite poems, none of them stuck with me more than a few moments after I read them. In other words, while I appreciated their beauty and technical skill, I would probably not return to read this collection again.

[McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully put together collection that speaks of tradition, displacement, family and love. I love how the poems were arranged and presented. I imagine that the physical copy will be absolutely gorgeous. There were so many soft, quiet and tender moments in this collection. Absolutely stunning!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this collection. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Skylar Miklus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut poetry collection is an intimate, trailblazing exploration of Armen Davoudian's identity as a gay man, as an Armenian, and as an immigrant. The poems follow Davoudian's own journey from Ishafan, Iran to the United States. He innovates form with invented rhyme schemes and repetitive forms. The poems are tender and filled with the sights, scents, and sounds of his homeland. My favorites included "Rubaiyat" and "Vice Squad." I am grateful to Tin House for the review copy.

[Sarkis Antonyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok yeah this is both fairly good + just fine. i will say i am slightly disappointed in the fact that most of these poems were in his chapbook ‘swan song’ so reading that and this immediately happened to be a redundant experience. i’m looking at the back cover’s description and then my sheets and then the window and it’s so 🫁

[Madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

quietly beautiful, many moments of lyrical cadence within. my favorites were swan song, ararat, something there is that doesn’t love and the titular piece. work about ancestry and connection to grandparents always touches me, maybe partially because i was never close with my grandparents and they all died when i was fairly young.

[Magen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly tender, almost desperately do against a backdrop of estrangement and global tragedy. Stunning, I must own a physical copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review. The intricate tenderness as well as gorgeous prose of this collection is sublime. I loved it, especially due to the war climate we are currently experiencing. It is a piece of kindness and such a joy to read.

[The_J · Rating 1 out of 5]

tired tropes and strained readability - with this little almost buried gem -

...
Later, in the obvious light
of the train you almost miss. I can see again
why we settled
for what was difficult.

[यास्तिका · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my favorite contemporary poetry book rn and I love teaching it to my undergrads. it makes me so sad but all the poems sound beautiful. I like teaching this with Auden and these poems make my students respect rhyme so much

[Mya Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Recast the self-fulling ring / Auden forecast Bin Laden by: that those / to whom evil is done, must do preemptive evil–/ the nonsense palindrome whereby we live.”

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vivid language and structured verses lend a postmodern feel to this first collection of poetry.

[Arianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 starts. This was a beautiful debut poetry collection.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"More than in God, I believe in the nameless wife
of Lot, who knew she would never find a home
outside of Sodom, and therefore choked on salt."

[Shira · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars; some of poems were really wonderful, but the use of form wasn't quite for me at certain places

[Fatiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these poems are realll 5 star material ('Coming out of the Shower' in particular!!) so I'm giving this half a star more than I think I should be to be honest

[julian 🪐 · Rating 4 out of 5]

close to 3.5, but still—

“later, in the obvious light / of the train you almost miss, i can see again / why we settled / for what was difficult.”