Improvised Explosive Device

by Arji Manuelpillai

Improvised Explosive Device is a startlingly innovative exploration of extremism, hate crime and violence by poet Arji Manuelpillai. In this powerful and unsettling first collection, Manuelpillai presents a vision of the contemporary haunted by Melville’s image of the whale – the terror beneath the surface of the sea. His uncompromising focus on violence is laced with gallows humour and the surreal, framed against the mundane detritus of modern life: two boys playing Mortal Kombat; a field of old trainers; the lonely glare of laptop light; a suspicious looking package in the back seat of a van.

The poems in Improvised Explosive Device emerged through research and interviews with academics, sociologists, and former members of extremist groups and their families – from the English Defence League and the National Front to ISIS and the Tamil Tigers. These complex, unnerving texts ask a series of important questions. What drives a person to commit a radical act of violence? How is that violence mediated through screens and social media? And how does the British government police marginalised groups? Improvised Explosive Device is a brave, surprising and risk-taking book; it will change the way you look at the world.

"Refusing glib analysis and easy answers, Improvised Explosive Device is a work of radical empathy, fuelled by honesty and compassion, both for those stirred to violence against minorities, and those who suffer from it." Rishi Dastidar

"The project of Arji Manuelpillai’s Improvised Explosive Device leans into the mighty disciplines of poetry, sociology, and reportage to formulate an arresting debut which contests the ways we’re conditioned to internalise notions of terrorism, nationalism and belonging...a bold and startling new work." Anthony Anaxagorou

Genres: Poetry

85 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 22, 2022

Reviews

[Caspar "moved to storygraph" Bryant]

really interesting number which is a contender for most consistent treatment of violence in poetry I've read. I thought of Jay Bernard's Surge here and there, probably because they're both collections about political violence and terror in the UK, especially as it affects marginalised groups. thought of longley too but he's never far from the brain these days

The Mortal Kombat poem in here was a Big one for me I really appreciate. such a deft work
I think the reason I bought this collection in the first place is Arji's wonderful reading of Mistaken Identity which you can find on the Penned in the Margins website, or here:
https://www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk/...

[Stéphanie Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

thought provoking in more ways than one but the writing just wasn’t my style

[Goodreeds User · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRACING

[Lewis Isbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

another angry 4

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poetry is such a personal thing. For the author to write and for the consumer to read.

I think that a lot of things can affect someone's enjoyment of a poetry collection. Personal experiences or when the book is read or someone's mood at the time.

All this is just to say that, objectively I think that this was an interesting collection of poems and I think if it interests you, then definitely pick it up. It covers some really important and thought-provoking topics from a point of view I think is really important to read from.

However, I think there was just something in this collection that didn't work for me. It may have been the writing style that just didn't gel with my brain. Sadly, this didn't quite have the impact on me I was hoping for.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars