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Only Thirty Two
Only Thirty Two is a poignant tale told as a narrative poem and a poetry sequel to 'Kith and Kin.'
After a tragic event, John McGrath is forced into a gruelling line of work which threatens to jeopardise the future of his family and health. Through inner core strength and determination, he self heals and returns to the trade closest to his heart. But at what cost?
After a tragic event, John McGrath is forced into a gruelling line of work which threatens to jeopardise the future of his family and health. Through inner core strength and determination, he self heals and returns to the trade closest to his heart. But at what cost?
31 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2018
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5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 27, 2023
I just finished this one, and to say that I am speechless is an understatement.
I love Sophie's books, and I especially adored Stolen. But this one? God, this is on another level for sure. I really love tragic stories, so John's journey was just right up my alley.
He went through so much pain in the beginning, it kept breaking my heart. To see him take a chance on himself and go for what he wanted was so inspirational. The ending left me smiling.
I finished the entire thing in one setting. This is such a short book, yet an amazingly written one. Definitely one of my favourite poetry books in a while. I am so happy I chose to read this one despite not reading the first book. There was no point that I felt confused or like I was missing something.
Instead, I was fully immersed in John's story from start to finish. What an amazing poetry book! If you like emotional poetry, definitely check this one out!
I love Sophie's books, and I especially adored Stolen. But this one? God, this is on another level for sure. I really love tragic stories, so John's journey was just right up my alley.
He went through so much pain in the beginning, it kept breaking my heart. To see him take a chance on himself and go for what he wanted was so inspirational. The ending left me smiling.
I finished the entire thing in one setting. This is such a short book, yet an amazingly written one. Definitely one of my favourite poetry books in a while. I am so happy I chose to read this one despite not reading the first book. There was no point that I felt confused or like I was missing something.
Instead, I was fully immersed in John's story from start to finish. What an amazing poetry book! If you like emotional poetry, definitely check this one out!
January 15, 2021
Got me so highly spiritual enough to work on double verses!
It's definitely a must read for anyone who believes in self love.
Thanks for this wonderful masterpiece, Sophie. :)
It's definitely a must read for anyone who believes in self love.
Thanks for this wonderful masterpiece, Sophie. :)
December 5, 2018
As a beautiful follow up and tribute to the characters from her novel "Kith and Kin", Sophie has revisited Victorian England and yet again conjures the warmth and real personality of the now familiar characters. Choosing to tell the story in a long narrative poem, in one sense flies against the trend of internet poets publishing books of micro poetry. But this proves that longer forms have much to offer and is wholly successful in telling the story in a wonderful manner. The strength is partly to do with the strength of characters and situation, but also the skill in which Sophie paces events and descriptions. This leaves the reader feeling very satisfied with the completion of the story. If you've read the earlier work, this is a must to read, so as to see where the story goes. Even if you haven't, there is plenty to love here as well; and it might just tempt you to find the earlier novel and see where the story comes from. A wellAs a beautiful follow up and tribute to the characters from her novel "Kith and Kin", Sophie has revisited Victorian England and yet again conjures the warmth and real personality of the now familiar characters. Choosing to tell the story in a long narrative poem, in one sense flies against the trend of internet poets publishing books of micro poetry. But this proves that longer forms have much to offer and is wholly successful in telling the story in a wonderful manner. The strength is partly to do with the strength of characters and situation, but also the skill in which Sophie paces events and descriptions. This leaves the reader feeling very satisfied with the completion of the story. If you've read the earlier work, this is a must to read, so as to see where the sorry goes. Even if you haven't, there is plenty to love here as well; and of might tempt you to find the earlier novel and see where the story congress from. A well recommended read. recommended read.
June 20, 2019
Book_Review
📖 Only Thirty Two by Sophie Bowns is a touching and sentimental narrative poem. This is the very first narrative I have read and it was fantastic. Sophie has poured a lot of deep and heartfelt emotions in these 63 pages. “Only Thirty Two” is a sequel to her novel “Kith and Kin”. However I didn’t feel lost as I haven’t read the novel. It’s a tragic yet impressive story of a middle age man John Mcgrath and his friend who Caine. John visits his friend and supporter during his last days. And how his own life changed after Caine’s demise.
📖 The language is mostly simple and easy to understand but you might find yourself lost for a moment or two between the sudden changes happening. Writing style however is engrossing and won’t let you leave the book until you have finished it. I would like to appreciate the writer here for the incredible outcome, writing a poetry and narrative is a big challenge.
📖 John is just like all of us. He is hard working, responsible and want better things for his family. I admire how he worked tirelessly inspite of being sick himself. And I was happy when finally found the job he always wanted to do. I am now hooked on the story of John, Caine and Maira and would love to read “Kith and Kin” as well.
Title: Only Thirty Two
Writer: @se_bownsfiction
Genre: Narrative Poem
Pages: 63
Language: English
Version Available: Kindle
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
📖 Only Thirty Two by Sophie Bowns is a touching and sentimental narrative poem. This is the very first narrative I have read and it was fantastic. Sophie has poured a lot of deep and heartfelt emotions in these 63 pages. “Only Thirty Two” is a sequel to her novel “Kith and Kin”. However I didn’t feel lost as I haven’t read the novel. It’s a tragic yet impressive story of a middle age man John Mcgrath and his friend who Caine. John visits his friend and supporter during his last days. And how his own life changed after Caine’s demise.
📖 The language is mostly simple and easy to understand but you might find yourself lost for a moment or two between the sudden changes happening. Writing style however is engrossing and won’t let you leave the book until you have finished it. I would like to appreciate the writer here for the incredible outcome, writing a poetry and narrative is a big challenge.
📖 John is just like all of us. He is hard working, responsible and want better things for his family. I admire how he worked tirelessly inspite of being sick himself. And I was happy when finally found the job he always wanted to do. I am now hooked on the story of John, Caine and Maira and would love to read “Kith and Kin” as well.
Title: Only Thirty Two
Writer: @se_bownsfiction
Genre: Narrative Poem
Pages: 63
Language: English
Version Available: Kindle
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
January 20, 2019
Quite a nice story to it!
I know of the story the poem is based on and I much prefer the poem. I could visualise what was happening however I did feel some of the verses didn't flow as well as others.
There were some difficult lines to rhyme, some worked and some didn't but in parts it had a great rhythm. The story itself is short and sweet with bumps in the road that every person meets!
I know of the story the poem is based on and I much prefer the poem. I could visualise what was happening however I did feel some of the verses didn't flow as well as others.
There were some difficult lines to rhyme, some worked and some didn't but in parts it had a great rhythm. The story itself is short and sweet with bumps in the road that every person meets!
January 7, 2019
Lovely little back story
Such a moving piece of work. Having read Kith And Kin previously, I know of the bond between John and Caine. So to read about it a bit more in depth, and then a follow on story to what happened to John afterwards is quite touching. In such a sad time, it's nice to read that John had some success in life.
Such a moving piece of work. Having read Kith And Kin previously, I know of the bond between John and Caine. So to read about it a bit more in depth, and then a follow on story to what happened to John afterwards is quite touching. In such a sad time, it's nice to read that John had some success in life.
March 21, 2019
This is the second work that I've read by this author and I was happy to see that Only Thirty Two followed up on Kith and Kin's main character, John. I don't want to give the details away, but this narrative poem creates great imagery and emotions in few words and pulls the reader in while expanding on John's life and those closest to him. I definitely recommend picking this up.
March 15, 2019
I loved it!
This poetic story blew me away. I will admit I'm not a huge poetry reader, but I found it to be such a great read. I can not begin to imagine the amount of work and artistic ability required to rhyme an entire story and do it so well.
This poetic story blew me away. I will admit I'm not a huge poetry reader, but I found it to be such a great read. I can not begin to imagine the amount of work and artistic ability required to rhyme an entire story and do it so well.
April 14, 2019
My first narrative poem to read and I enjoyed it. It was well written and you can feel the emotions in the story thru Sophie's clever use of words. It's truly interesting how a story can be told thru this genre of writing. Well done!
September 5, 2023
As always, I admire Sophie's writing - "Only Thirty Two" is an enjoyable read with great wordplay throughout. I have also enjoyed her other more recent works, which any avid reader should check out!
January 3, 2019
Beautifully crafted. Review to follow!
February 14, 2019
Only Thirty Two
Kindle e-book
By Sophie Bowns
Only Thirty Two is a poignant tale told as a narrative poem and a sequel to Sophie’s previous book Kith and Kin.
After a tragic event, John McGrath is forced into a gruelling line of work which threatens to jeopardise the future of his family and his health. Through inner core strength and determination, he self-heals and returns to the trade closest to his heart.
This is a beautifully crafted narrative poem that oozes atmosphere and warmth.
Sophie Bowns is a natural story teller and a widely read and developing poet.
She lives with her words and in this 63 page book takes you by the hand, a guides you through a touching tale of loss, bitter memories, hope, and the promise of new beginnings.
The poetic journey has a steady narrative and good pace, paved with emotion and love.
Highly recommended.
Kindle e-book
By Sophie Bowns
Only Thirty Two is a poignant tale told as a narrative poem and a sequel to Sophie’s previous book Kith and Kin.
After a tragic event, John McGrath is forced into a gruelling line of work which threatens to jeopardise the future of his family and his health. Through inner core strength and determination, he self-heals and returns to the trade closest to his heart.
This is a beautifully crafted narrative poem that oozes atmosphere and warmth.
Sophie Bowns is a natural story teller and a widely read and developing poet.
She lives with her words and in this 63 page book takes you by the hand, a guides you through a touching tale of loss, bitter memories, hope, and the promise of new beginnings.
The poetic journey has a steady narrative and good pace, paved with emotion and love.
Highly recommended.
July 30, 2019
Splendid lengthy narrative poem
I didn’t even know the backstory of John, but I wanted to as I got deeper into the poem. I could feel the tension and emotions in the storyline. I loved how the images read so smoothly and I could almost hear this being performed. I think it would be lovely if the poet/author performed this piece so as a reader I could understand further the emotions and depth behind the story of John and his life. This makes me want to read the prequel to this! Well done on a lovely, albeit a bit of a sad story crafted through a beautiful poem.
I didn’t even know the backstory of John, but I wanted to as I got deeper into the poem. I could feel the tension and emotions in the storyline. I loved how the images read so smoothly and I could almost hear this being performed. I think it would be lovely if the poet/author performed this piece so as a reader I could understand further the emotions and depth behind the story of John and his life. This makes me want to read the prequel to this! Well done on a lovely, albeit a bit of a sad story crafted through a beautiful poem.
January 28, 2019
Very well written, rich prose, that tells a very personal story. Excellent imagery. I very much enjoyed Sophie's writing, and look forward to her future works. If you're looking for poetry that tugs at your heart, has excellent rhythm and moves you, look no further than "Only Thirty Two".
January 25, 2019
To be fair I’ve never been a huge fan of poetry, its just never been my style but this one may have converted me. Described by the author as a narrative poem, which is accurate.
It flowed beautifully and had depth which is sometimes hard to achieve with a smaller word count. It didn’t lose momentum and I felt like an outsider looking in as the descriptions weren’t overly descriptive but they were enough to invoke an image in my head much like a slow moving film.
It had a delightfully melancholic feel to it which I love and was akin to Susan Hill’s writing, particularly The Woman in Black and The Travelling Bag. I really enjoyed reading the poem and I was really impressed by it. I must mention that the rhyming was pretty impressive, I know I would struggle to ensure everything rhymed.
Sophie Bowns is a masterful writer and I do hope to read more of her works, long form poetry is definitely her strong suit.
It flowed beautifully and had depth which is sometimes hard to achieve with a smaller word count. It didn’t lose momentum and I felt like an outsider looking in as the descriptions weren’t overly descriptive but they were enough to invoke an image in my head much like a slow moving film.
It had a delightfully melancholic feel to it which I love and was akin to Susan Hill’s writing, particularly The Woman in Black and The Travelling Bag. I really enjoyed reading the poem and I was really impressed by it. I must mention that the rhyming was pretty impressive, I know I would struggle to ensure everything rhymed.
Sophie Bowns is a masterful writer and I do hope to read more of her works, long form poetry is definitely her strong suit.
January 15, 2019
The beauty of the written word is that there are no real .. barriers, from which to confine a writers talent. Poetry, for instance, has so many different genres and styles that it's often times intimidating to start off.
Long form poetry is a very unique style that often times can be misconstrued or done incorrectly, in some ways. That withstanding, the long poem is often times some of the most important work a writer will produce.
A magnum opus if you will.
One thing an author must take into consideration is the period of time in which we exist. Long form anything has become pray to a Youtube generation.
That said, what Bowns has done here is craft a thoughtful, intriguing piece. Sometimes with longer works, the words may feel out of place, contrived and insulting. But I was never taken out of the moment during the read to ponder why Bowns used a certain word or phrase.
One stanza that stood out for:
Fighting sleep, water he finally drank observing that room damp and dank he pulled on a cardigan, making some tea sipping from the china cup thoughtfully.
Descriptions and picture painting like this, throughout, made this long form poem breeze and breathe easily.
I do not regret, in anyway, purchasing this - and look forward to more musings by Bowns.
Long form poetry is a very unique style that often times can be misconstrued or done incorrectly, in some ways. That withstanding, the long poem is often times some of the most important work a writer will produce.
A magnum opus if you will.
One thing an author must take into consideration is the period of time in which we exist. Long form anything has become pray to a Youtube generation.
That said, what Bowns has done here is craft a thoughtful, intriguing piece. Sometimes with longer works, the words may feel out of place, contrived and insulting. But I was never taken out of the moment during the read to ponder why Bowns used a certain word or phrase.
One stanza that stood out for:
Fighting sleep, water he finally drank observing that room damp and dank he pulled on a cardigan, making some tea sipping from the china cup thoughtfully.
Descriptions and picture painting like this, throughout, made this long form poem breeze and breathe easily.
I do not regret, in anyway, purchasing this - and look forward to more musings by Bowns.
January 23, 2019
Today, something beautiful happened and it’s all thanks to Sophie Bowns!
After viewing her Instagram stories I decided to give her narrative poetry a whirl... its called Only Thirty Two and available on kindle for an amazing price of £1.99 🤭... I’m not really one for poetry (or so I thought) however reading this was such a breath of fresh air that I would highly recommend to everyone (poetry readers or not!) There was such depth to the narrative, however the poetry made it captivating and welcoming. Thank you Sophie 🥰
After viewing her Instagram stories I decided to give her narrative poetry a whirl... its called Only Thirty Two and available on kindle for an amazing price of £1.99 🤭... I’m not really one for poetry (or so I thought) however reading this was such a breath of fresh air that I would highly recommend to everyone (poetry readers or not!) There was such depth to the narrative, however the poetry made it captivating and welcoming. Thank you Sophie 🥰
June 30, 2019
Incredible read !!!
This book resonated with so many different emotions in me, it was incredible and I loved every second of it. I can’t wait to read more of this authors work.
This book resonated with so many different emotions in me, it was incredible and I loved every second of it. I can’t wait to read more of this authors work.
April 26, 2019
A trilling read
This is a really well written piece which I really enjoyed reading. As it captured the emotions of the characters perfectly.
This is a really well written piece which I really enjoyed reading. As it captured the emotions of the characters perfectly.
April 12, 2019
"Only Thirty Two" is an engrossing story of friendship, loss, fortune and favour told in verse in a period drama setting. An overall enjoyable read⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 19, 2023
Sophie bowns never fails to entertain, i am not usually a fan of poetry and yet i have binged my way through her collection. Look forward to seeing what she creates next
April 20, 2023
I enjoyed this short story.
The responsibilities really weigh him down but he finds a way to work through and find a new life for his family.
The responsibilities really weigh him down but he finds a way to work through and find a new life for his family.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews