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June 5, 2025
I’ve mixed feelings about this book— the first half is magnificent but the second half is a bit of a let-down.
“The Train Leaves Soon” by Li Juan is my first book by this author, a poetry collection with themes spanning from existential crises to human relationships through primarily natural imageries.
The first poem “White flower” is easily my favourite from the collection, setting a high bar for the rest of the book. I love poems that completely befuddle me at first, and clarify on the second and third reads. The first part does exactly just that, as well as most poems in the second part. These creations are musical and profound, not only portray complex speakers, but also prompting me to reflect on life. They are the living pulse of the author.
Then there’s the third part. I don’t know how to make sense of it— the poems are vastly less poetic then the previous ones. I do think that they are raw facets of the author, considering her background, but I don’t feel like they live up to the expectations set by their counterparts…
That said, I do think the third part serves function— connection. There are many poems exploring romantic relationships, which would strike chords with many readers. Since I haven’t been acquainted with feelings of romance yet, I could only navigate the technical aspects of them.
Overall, I would recommend poetry lovers interested in nature/ love to read this, but I don’t think it’s a necessary read. 3.25/5
#bookstagram #poetry #lijuan #李娟 #chinesepoetry #chineseliterature
“The Train Leaves Soon” by Li Juan is my first book by this author, a poetry collection with themes spanning from existential crises to human relationships through primarily natural imageries.
The first poem “White flower” is easily my favourite from the collection, setting a high bar for the rest of the book. I love poems that completely befuddle me at first, and clarify on the second and third reads. The first part does exactly just that, as well as most poems in the second part. These creations are musical and profound, not only portray complex speakers, but also prompting me to reflect on life. They are the living pulse of the author.
Then there’s the third part. I don’t know how to make sense of it— the poems are vastly less poetic then the previous ones. I do think that they are raw facets of the author, considering her background, but I don’t feel like they live up to the expectations set by their counterparts…
That said, I do think the third part serves function— connection. There are many poems exploring romantic relationships, which would strike chords with many readers. Since I haven’t been acquainted with feelings of romance yet, I could only navigate the technical aspects of them.
Overall, I would recommend poetry lovers interested in nature/ love to read this, but I don’t think it’s a necessary read. 3.25/5
#bookstagram #poetry #lijuan #李娟 #chinesepoetry #chineseliterature
Displaying 1 of 1 review