Title: The Day Is Ready for YouAuthor: Alison Malee
First Published: May 15, 2018
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Pages: 144
Genre: Poetry
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Rating:
Synopsis:
I will tell you
again and again:
in some small way,
everything matters.
The Day Is Ready for You is a prose and poetry collection weaving together the fractured, gritty pieces of the past, and the light that can break through an open window if you let it.
This is the first book of a two-book series about grace, heartbreak, and breathing freely.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
The Day is Ready for You starts off really strong with the first quarter of the book comprising of some of Malee’s better poems. As the collection carried on though it started venturing into the type of one line inspirational poetry that feels like greeting card sentiments, something common it seems with many instapoets. Short, simple, easily digestible, not all that heavy hitting or memorable. The book dragged to me during the middle of the book, I think many of these poems could’ve used better editing or been excluded altogether.
Malee covers several themes: love, heartbreak, motherhood, depression, and self-acceptance among others. Name You is a particularly sweet poem about motherhood that touched my heart. The handful of stand-out poems in the collection was relatable and honest, so I did have to give Malee some credit.
I think that the author definitely has the potential to be a wonderful poet, though at the moment her work is very similar to many other instapoets – too simple with flowery language that doesn’t mean anything. There are times that a poem will read nicely, a story told through metaphor, but then the final line will repeat the previous statements in a blunt way that to me felt unnecessary. A good poem can stand on its own without needing to explain itself to the reader.
Her work could use a little more development and that’s fine for a new author finding her footing. This book was really a middle-of-the-road read for me. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t love it either. I think it could be great for folks that enjoy poets such as Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace.
Quote
“today i am going to move
and leave nothing behind.
which is to say, i am going
to unwind like porcelain stars.
which is to say, i will be my own miracle.
which is to say, this day will be endless.
which is to say, i have given up
on black and white.”
About the Author
About Alison Malee
Alison is a writer and coffee drinking extraordinaire. She lives in NYC because she likes busy streets and the whirling lights of the city. At any given moment she can be found with caffeine in her hand and dreams in her eyes.
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