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There are currently 18 member reviews
for The Poet's House
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Leslie R. (Arlington, VA)
Hard to review
Usually I have no trouble expressing my opinion about a book, but this time I want to ask the other reviewers "What did you think?" I don't have a feel for whether other readers will like this book or not. What I know for sure: I was never bored; the writing was supremely readable; the narrator heroine was witty, intelligent, feisty, almost debilitatingly insecure, and totally believable.
As a dyslexic young adult (she never uses that word), she has avoided college and works as a landscaper. Both her mother and his boyfriend try to encourage her to reach higher, but it is her chance involvement with a group of poets that helps her see herself in a different light. Her interactions with these artistic poets and writers, and with the poetry itself, change her; and in some strange way, at the end of the book I felt changed, too.
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Lorraine D. (Lacey, WA)
Quality, Emotion, Humor - The Poet's House Exudes It All
What a delight it was to read this book! It has it all. Jean Thompson's characters, each distinct from one another, provide an understanding of poets, poetry, the lives of artists in general. One gets a front row seat and view of the life styles, emotions, competitiveness, and quirks of this unique group of individuals. This book will motivate some readers to pursue a greater exposure to, or understanding of, poetry in general. It is all presented in the story, enmeshed in a tale of complex relationships, and laugh out loud humor. This is a read that I have truly appreciated and will recommend to as many groups and people as possible. It prompted me to read more of Jean Thompson's novels and to "follow" her.
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Betsey V. (Austin, TX)
For the love of poetry
Jean Thompson has a talent for creating characters who visibly mirror ourselves and the people who help shape our lives. This talent is well on display in POET'S HOUSE, a narrative of people grappling with early, middle, and late life decisions. Poets/writers have their art that they hold up as their core passion, but within their hearts, Thompson demonstrates that we all share similar desires to make our lives meaningful.
Twenty-one-year-old Carla is a landscape artist stuck in moving forward with a career path. A community college dropout, she is very bright, intelligent, but she's wired differently. Reading comprehension is a challenge, because she doesn't process words well (likely a form of dyslexia). But one day, while landscaping a famous poet's house, she hears the poet, Viridian, recite a poem out loud, and bam—Carla is captivated. A whole new world has opened up for her, and Viridian, the lovely, seventy-ish poet, befriends and wants to help her.
Carla's love life generally seems centered, but her vague sense of the future periodically interferes, even with steadfast Aaron, her boyfriend. In the meantime, Carla is compelled deeper into the world of poetry and poets. Viridian is a superstar in that esoteric world, and her poet friends flock around her to support, cling, or just be in her company.
Viridian had a past lover, Mathias, a poet who died many years ago. Apparently, he burned what was left of his poems, but everyone thinks that Viridian has secreted them somewhere in her house, but nobody has ever been able to turn them up, and Viridian is mum. Even though she struggles financially, and the recovery of Mathias' lost poems would earn her a windfall, she won't budge. Her stubbornness is as enigmatic as her own past. She's a tenacious feminist who insists on her own principles and resources. And Carla admitted to her poetry crush that began with the first of Viridian's poems that touched her.
"I wanted to keep living this way, among people who talked about writing, sometimes frivolously, sometimes seriously, often both in the same conversation."
POET'S HOUSE is compassionate, exploring the struggles of lives, family, health, habits, and individuality. Strip the surface of our skin and feel the keenness below. Peel away the words we speak and write and know the heart and humanity from where they came. "You write poems because you want to take hold of an aspect of experience and examine it, push it a little further, find out why it speaks to you. You want to speak back at it."
Read and enjoy this comely story!
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Mitra V. (Stamford, CT)
An outstanding read
I always start a new book with no expectations and just a hope that my love for reading is rewarded. The Poet's House not only rewarded me, it did so most handsomely and in great style. I loved the development of the main characters Carla and Viridian. And the subtlety with which the inescapable and daily fact of male bonding and fight for control has been portrayed. Although the plot was predictable the presentation was original. And there were a few surprises like the relationship between the mom and Oliver that defied the beaten track. I was grateful to the author for the realistic ending. There was no fanciful outburst of poetry from a protagonist with a reading disability which would have spoilt the entire effect of the book. Her reunion with an errant lover was actually a relief. Her back to university and classes was a great end to a most enjoyable adventure of the mind in which I was happily transported along. And the dignified end to a tremendous Viridian was noteworthy.
Altogether a very enjoyable read and a book I would recommend to my own and other book clubs.
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Louise E. (Ocean View, DE)
A Fun Read!
I enjoyed reading The Poet's House very much. It was fun following the adventures of Carla, a young landscaper, and how she decided her career and life path. Carla was very willing to try new things and Viridian, a long-time poet and client, was very willing to befriend her and take her under her wing. Viridian exposed Carla to many new experiences and people which Carla enjoyed. I could not wait to find out what Carla would do next and was very happy with her choices. I look forward to reading Jean Thompson's other books now.
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Janice P. (South Woodstock, VT)
The Lives of Poets
This is a novel for anyone who loves poetry—a bildungsroman that begins when a capable, bright but insecure young woman accidentally falls in love with poetry. To her great surprise: Carla is convinced she's not college material, not a reader let alone a writer. While working for a garden service, she's sent to the home of an elderly client, the famous poet Viridian, a woman of striking looks and intriguing personality who treats Carla as a more than a hired hand. So when Carla happens to notice a poster advertising a poetry reading by Viridian, out of curiosity she decides to attend.
The poems shake her to the core. Her honest reaction touches the poet, who begins to mentor her gardener with poetry books on tape, life advice, friendship and respect, drawing her into a social circle of quirky poets, editors and agents. Carla has no ambition to write, but she begins to push herself to explore new work opportunities in the "poetry biz"—despite conflicts with her boyfriend—and to gain important insights into poems, those who write them, and into herself. She becomes the one in whom Viridian confides, indirectly, an important piece of information that will leave Carla with a key role to play in the poet's legacy.
It is delightful and refreshing to read a novel where affairs of the heart take second place to the more compelling question, How should we live? One where romance is found above all in the joy of learning to see poetry, and life, in a new way.
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Joyce W. (Rochester, MN)
Something different
I enjoyed this book. Jean is a good storyteller and it was funny and warmhearted. I was pleased that some of the writers were so kind and accepting, especially Viridian who was willing to open the world of poetry to other people. I felt Carla's insecurities were believable and I was glad she kept trying things in spite of them. Jean writes with a sensitivity and good insights. I would have liked more poems. I also would suggest not using the book, "Less" as similar because my book club of 70 year olds really disliked it and I almost didn't read this book because of that comparison. This book was much better and I plan to try another of her books as she has 8 other novels.
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