Official Review: Love strands by Alex jace
Posted: 06 May 2020, 22:10
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Love strands" by Alex jace.]
Love Strands by Alex Jace is a book of erotic poetry brimming with passion and sensuality. With over 150 poems, each spanning only a page or two, this collection traces the ups and downs of life through somewhat ambiguous, entertaining wordplay. The main topic is undeniably love. Jace illustrates that while love can be wonderful and exciting, it can also be saddening and frustrating. These challenging feelings are peppered in with the positive ones, mirroring the complex cycle of human emotion.
Though not a quick read, Love Strands enticingly pulls in readers from start to finish. Almost all of the poems consist of varying line lengths in a single stanza, making each a complete thought. Each poem has a common thread but different focus; each word is intentional, and some are even invented. Many phrases tickle the tongue and evoke curiosity: “Be cautiously correct / Did blindness just unfold where control was once kept?” (from “A Purity of Passionitis”). Jace’s writing is heavy in adverbs and double nouns, which I admit to disliking at first. However, I quickly grew to appreciate their whimsical nature and contribution to alliteration. The rhyming scheme is fascinatingly unpredictable, keeping readers on their toes. There were only a few instances where it felt forced.
In describing variations of love, Jace’s voice is generally lofty and musical but can sometimes be casual and clear. As with the rhyming, the voice changes are unpredictable but welcome. The more direct phrases are the solid ship, while the rest are stunning waves that glitter in the light. Continuing with this analogy, I see the titles as the anchor of each poem. Most are short and curious, giving readers an overarching reference point. For example, in “Timely Responsive,” Jace explores sensuality through a symbolic wrist watch. Glimpsing the theme at the beginning provides the opportunity to appreciate the lovely language throughout.
This poetry has a lot of underlying erotica, abstractly describing the silky feelings of love in every form yet leaving a lot to the imagination. The most vivid poem, in my opinion, is “Sunset Adora,” which mixes a mesmerizing sunset with the warmth of touch. My personal favorite was a two-part poem titled “Lucid Contentment, Resentment.” It describes growing feelings of endearment and resolve: “Perseverance did prove an underlined mission / Integrity did remove negative opposition / Carefree caress in cruise controlling mode / Tickling the mind body and soul.” As for the signature poem, “Love Strands,” you’ll have to read this book to find out!
I regret to acknowledge that there were more than 10 grammatical errors; almost all were misplaced apostrophes. Though minor mistakes, readers paying attention to the weight of each word will notice. This was what I disliked most about the book. Overall, I rate Love Strands 3 out of 4 stars. The poetry is beautiful to read, especially for logophiles, and is quite thought-provoking. It does require time and analysis to fully absorb, so it may not appeal to readers who prefer directness to abstraction. This book is suited for a mature audience due to the conceptual but not graphic erotic content, yet, tastefully, there is not a single instance of profanity. For those who love an interpretive read or are looking for romantic poetry, Love Strands is entrancing.
******
Love strands
View: on Bookshelves
Love Strands by Alex Jace is a book of erotic poetry brimming with passion and sensuality. With over 150 poems, each spanning only a page or two, this collection traces the ups and downs of life through somewhat ambiguous, entertaining wordplay. The main topic is undeniably love. Jace illustrates that while love can be wonderful and exciting, it can also be saddening and frustrating. These challenging feelings are peppered in with the positive ones, mirroring the complex cycle of human emotion.
Though not a quick read, Love Strands enticingly pulls in readers from start to finish. Almost all of the poems consist of varying line lengths in a single stanza, making each a complete thought. Each poem has a common thread but different focus; each word is intentional, and some are even invented. Many phrases tickle the tongue and evoke curiosity: “Be cautiously correct / Did blindness just unfold where control was once kept?” (from “A Purity of Passionitis”). Jace’s writing is heavy in adverbs and double nouns, which I admit to disliking at first. However, I quickly grew to appreciate their whimsical nature and contribution to alliteration. The rhyming scheme is fascinatingly unpredictable, keeping readers on their toes. There were only a few instances where it felt forced.
In describing variations of love, Jace’s voice is generally lofty and musical but can sometimes be casual and clear. As with the rhyming, the voice changes are unpredictable but welcome. The more direct phrases are the solid ship, while the rest are stunning waves that glitter in the light. Continuing with this analogy, I see the titles as the anchor of each poem. Most are short and curious, giving readers an overarching reference point. For example, in “Timely Responsive,” Jace explores sensuality through a symbolic wrist watch. Glimpsing the theme at the beginning provides the opportunity to appreciate the lovely language throughout.
This poetry has a lot of underlying erotica, abstractly describing the silky feelings of love in every form yet leaving a lot to the imagination. The most vivid poem, in my opinion, is “Sunset Adora,” which mixes a mesmerizing sunset with the warmth of touch. My personal favorite was a two-part poem titled “Lucid Contentment, Resentment.” It describes growing feelings of endearment and resolve: “Perseverance did prove an underlined mission / Integrity did remove negative opposition / Carefree caress in cruise controlling mode / Tickling the mind body and soul.” As for the signature poem, “Love Strands,” you’ll have to read this book to find out!
I regret to acknowledge that there were more than 10 grammatical errors; almost all were misplaced apostrophes. Though minor mistakes, readers paying attention to the weight of each word will notice. This was what I disliked most about the book. Overall, I rate Love Strands 3 out of 4 stars. The poetry is beautiful to read, especially for logophiles, and is quite thought-provoking. It does require time and analysis to fully absorb, so it may not appeal to readers who prefer directness to abstraction. This book is suited for a mature audience due to the conceptual but not graphic erotic content, yet, tastefully, there is not a single instance of profanity. For those who love an interpretive read or are looking for romantic poetry, Love Strands is entrancing.
******
Love strands
View: on Bookshelves
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