Something Bright, Then Holes: Poems

Maggie Nelson is a genius. No really, she actually is. Have no doubt when it comes to this. Her prose and poetry shines and is enchanting to the very last word. I have read close to 3 books by her and I can say with complete confidence that there is no one like her. Sometimes I do not even know if her writing is prose or poetry or a combination of both. Whatever it is, it is glorious and deserves to be read by one and all.Something Bright, Then Holes is full of empathy. Everything she writes is as a matter of fact. To me that stands out in her writing and the only reason why I love her writing the way I do, beside of course the language. However, you cannot separate the two anyway. Also, this collection cannot be compared to Bluets and you shouldn’t if you have read Bluets. This collection is divided into three parts – a new relationship being embarked on and a polluted waterway in Brooklyn, the second is the aftermath of a paralysing accident that Nelson’s friend goes through and the third is her attempt to get over a failed relationship.Each section is raw, intense and utterly heartbreaking. It is as though you are being tied to a chair and the person you love the most is walking away from you, and you cannot do anything about it. The collection is unapologetic and she doesn’t put on a brave face – her writing conveys, mostly painfully, what she is going through. Each sentence stands out from the other and lends itself a new voice. Maggie Nelson as usual doesn’t disappoint at all. Everything is satisfactory, even the hurt and the pain, especially the hurt and the pain. Read it. Please be prepared to weep.

Difficult to say what I really think about this book. The first half is splendid and reminds me of "Autobiography of Red" by Anne Carson. Poems about taking care of paralyzed best friend are really difficult to read, because the hurt bleeds through the pages, but that makes those really powerful, too. But then there's the third part, which I couldn't really get into, and which felt a bit scattered. Interesting read, nevertheless.

I’m inspired by her writing and her canal series resonated so much with me...in part because I lived near them once upon a time and was in love during that same time. I love the simplicity of her verse/voice and well, I’d definitely recommend this to book to others.

I had loads of fun reading this, a good read. A great writer, a good teacher and I really enjoyed knowing that I took a class with a great writer who wrote an awesome book.

The writing style here is similar to Annie Dillard who was acknowledged at the end- but unlike Dillard, I could never connect to the writing here. It felt like it was always just on the edge of being something bold and honest and unique, but never quite got there.