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Cyclical
'Cyclical' is a chapbook of poetry that features topics of mental health, specifically bipolar disorder, and childhood trauma.
24 pages, Unknown Binding
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 3, 2021
I want to start this review off by mentioning a very unique thing about this book - it's hand-bound!
I have to say that this is the first time I've ever read a hand-bound book before. (Believe it or not, sometimes little things like this actually affect the reader's experience.)
As I read this book, one word stuck in my mind - real.
There is a trigger warning for mature topics like depression and sexual abuse. But, it's how those themes are presented that makes me think, "This book is just REAL". The word choice and poem structures are clear and straightforward. Bryan doesn't use fiction elements and pretty much tells it how it is.
While themes in this book can be hard to read about, the book itself - combined with the fact that it is hand-bound - hammers home the feeling of just how personal the poems are to Bryan. That's why it's real.
The poems in the book all tell a story that, sadly, can be relatable. I think this book is a strong representation of the negatives of humanity, how trauma can affect us, and how we do often find ourselves running in circles. We may even end up realizing we're not as different from our parents as we'd like to be.
Overall, this book hits hard - but hard in a way that makes it a fantastic book because of its relatability and honesty. (And I do, again, love the fact that it's a good quality, hand-bound book!)
I have to say that this is the first time I've ever read a hand-bound book before. (Believe it or not, sometimes little things like this actually affect the reader's experience.)
As I read this book, one word stuck in my mind - real.
There is a trigger warning for mature topics like depression and sexual abuse. But, it's how those themes are presented that makes me think, "This book is just REAL". The word choice and poem structures are clear and straightforward. Bryan doesn't use fiction elements and pretty much tells it how it is.
While themes in this book can be hard to read about, the book itself - combined with the fact that it is hand-bound - hammers home the feeling of just how personal the poems are to Bryan. That's why it's real.
The poems in the book all tell a story that, sadly, can be relatable. I think this book is a strong representation of the negatives of humanity, how trauma can affect us, and how we do often find ourselves running in circles. We may even end up realizing we're not as different from our parents as we'd like to be.
Overall, this book hits hard - but hard in a way that makes it a fantastic book because of its relatability and honesty. (And I do, again, love the fact that it's a good quality, hand-bound book!)
September 24, 2021
4.5 stars! starting my fall reading with a banger - I was able to purchase this handbound self-published work alongside a bunch of the author's stunning art prints! This book is simple in its format and most of the poems are only a page long, but they all hit SO hard. Like really, really hard. As someone working on writing her own poetry chapbook, I aspire to write something this beautifully poignant. Thank you Bryan Drew for writing this - you can support the author by purchasing from his Etsy store where they sell art prints, stickers and ebook versions of their poetry collections (sadly, he is no longer selling physical copies): https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheAnxiousH...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews