Soak by Kerri Cull (Breakwater Books, 2012)

Pro:

• As a first collection, these poems strive towards some level of depth in their assessment of youth and the process of maturing. Memories burn intensely throughout the work, often with a social impetus that reaches adulthood in the latter pages of the book. A variety of relationships, familial and otherwise, are treated throughout the collection.
• The style is uncluttered and refuses to ramble; Cull instead writes shorter lyrics that work best when the fat has been trimmed. e.g.: “Skating” has a mere thirty-three words organized into fifteen short lines, but the images of an aged father nearing death watching figure-skating and the connection to the “fragile / frozen ponds” of his youth are to the point and capture the subject beautifully.
• The poems that deal with loss of loved ones (literal or figurative) are the strongest. “Miles” is a heartbreaking poem that elegantly handles the speaker’s meeting with one who has Alzheimer’s. The honesty of feeling and expression present is refreshing and hard-hitting.
• Poems of note: “Soak”, “After that Argument”, “Skating”, “Miles”.

Con:

• Some poems illustrate a use of overmodification by employing to excess adjectives and other superfluous words, which evoke the “show, don’t tell” response. For example, “Apartment” begins, “You always slept on our unforgiving couch”, which, besides the awkward sound placement in the line, tells the reader what the following two lines show in a much more effective way: “It was faded to a feverish sand on the arms / and where bottoms sat the most”. Other poems illustrate a movement away from this element in the writing, and hint at promise in Cull’s future as a poet.
• The first section of poems, while intended to play with an immaturity that will blossom later, makes for the least engaging in the book and runs the risk of reader disinterest before meatier poems are found further into the work.
• The inclusion of suggested book club topics/questions at the end of the volume is unnecessary and serves to guide the reader too stringiently. The best volumes of poetry are those that lay the poems bare to the reader without any suggestion of what’s important or noteworthy in the work. Let the reader decide.

Edmond Dantès is one of the great characters in literature. His multiple transformations from lively and optimistic sailor, to defeated prisoner, to man of means with a god complex obsessed with obtaining vengeance against his enemies, finally to one regretful of mistakes he’s made along the way is truly stunning and the great draw of the work for me. The meticulous and precise way in which he enacts his revenge on his enemies Danglars, Fernand, and Villefort shows a master manipulator, who believed the world the puppet to his puppet master; how he manages the ruination and/or death of these people without having to lay a hand on them is brilliant. But it’s the realization that everything comes with a price that makes Dantès such a significant character in the canon of Western classics: his inability to fully control all outcomes, though he feels he has successfully prepared for them, leads to the deaths of innocents (in particular, the young Edward, son of Villefort); collateral damage in his war on the world.

I purposely slowed down my reading of the book so as to make it last, but in the end I had to finish it and as I got closer to the end I became wrapped up in every word, wishing there to be more schemes enacted by the Count. As a fan of his character, I wanted him to achieve his goal of vengeance so badly it hurt, but as a reader I knew that once he had his revenge all would be over and I’d be looking through my bookshelves for something else to read. A book that has me conflicted in such a way is successful in my option.

If you haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo, do yourself a favour and pick it up, devote the time to it, and see why it’s become such a famous narrative. You’ve probably heard mention of the book or characters in it and how it has become one of the great revenge stories, but it really means nothing until you try it for yourself and see the level of intricacy involved.

Up next: finding a film version that’s worth a viewing.

It’s great when you find an interesting website that promotes authors and books; The Book Fridge is certainly that. Operated by Kerri Cull, who has recently released her first collection of poetry Soak, this site includes many author interviews, book features, and the odd contest or two. I particularly like the Midnight Snacks section, which provides a quick book questionnaire answered by a variety of readers, writers, and others in the book business.

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth a pop over to The Book Fridge to satisfy your appetite. 

Twitter has been fantastic with many congratulatory tweets aimed my way, as has facebook. Thanks to everyone who helped make my day that much better because of your kind words.

There is upcoming publication news from me as well, the details of which I will post as the time draws near.