Author Name: Deniz Besim
Publisher Name: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 12, 2014)
Reviewed By: Jessica Bucci
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Valley that Calls is a collection of one hundred and twenty poems divided into sestinas, villanelles, pantoums and sonnets. The poetry uncovers extraordinary themes including through an exploration of nature and a narration of personal tales. Not only are the stories told guaranteed to captivate readers but you are sure to be stunned by the grace of the valley and the beauty of the poetry narrated. Each and every tale told is remarkable and designed to be cherished.
MY REVIEW
Rating: 3/5
‘The Valley that Calls’ contains three times the amount of poems as Deniz Besim first poetry collection. The structure of the collection and four poetic forms, sestinas, villanelles, sonnets, and pantoums, stay consistent. Once again, Deniz explores various topics within her poems under the umbrella of nature and life. Some contain beautiful imagery of the outdoors and animals, while others act as conversations and memories of peoples’ jobs, relationships, and lives. The former group appealed to me more. Some of my favorite pieces included, ‘The Clock,’ ‘Spring Cherries,’ ‘The Island,’ ‘March,’ ‘The Valley at Night,’ and ‘The Mountain Goat.’
Although I was thoroughly impressed by the vast compilation of poems that Deniz Besim wrote, the poems seemed to be scattered throughout the collection in no particular order. Deniz organizes the poems by poetic form; however, I think that if organized by topic or theme, I could appreciate the pieces more. As I read the collection, I found myself skimming through certain pieces that didn’t hold my attention to find those that did. If I was able to read, say all the nature pieces together, I feel as if I could establish a stronger connection to those pieces.
As with Deniz’s other poetry collection, I would recommend ‘The Valley that Calls’ to those who appreciate poems in all forms. I’m confident readers will be able to find multiple poems that they will enjoy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deniz Besim is a thirty-two year old lady who lives in London and used to teach creative writing to adults. She enjoys reading fiction and sometimes enters short-story competitions. She self-published two poetry books in 2014 (http://poetry-heaven.my-free.website). She enjoys walking, swimming and playing tennis in her spare time and sometimes attends author readings.
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DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.