Literary reviews by Tim Love.
Warning: Rather than reviews, these are often notes in preparation for reviews that were never finished, or pleas for help with understanding pieces. See Litref Reviews - a rationale for details.

Thursday, 7 June 2001

"The Asylum Dance" by John Burnside (Jonathan Cape, 2000)

he density varies, but the style's the same, depending heavily on liminal effects. "something I almost recall" (p.77) is near self-parody, using some of his most popular words. I don't understand much of the layout either.

And yet through the mist there's much detail to admire, and some poems which last no longer than they should. I like "Husbandry". "A Smoke", "The Men's Harbour" and "The Unprovable Fact: A Tayside Inventory" - they brim with evocative phrases.

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