Title: Memories
Author: Lang Leav
Genre: Poetry, Romance, Contemporary
First published: October 6th 2015
Finished reading: December 19th 2015
Pages: 256
“I have always thought of memories as fragments, like colored glass shards in a kaleidoscope. It is the source of great beauty in our lives, yet the cause of such heartache.”
It had been too long since I last read poetry anyway, so when I needed to read a book of poetry to help complete a challenge I didn’t mind picking up Memories at all. I have written my share of poetry in the past and I really enjoy reading it in general as well. The poems and thoughts written by Lang Leav are without doubt interesting and some even have the same feel about them as those poems I wrote myself a few years back… But somehow these sad broken relationship poems couldn’t keep my attention right now. It might be the fact that I have been happily in love for the last three years, but the poems and thoughts started to feel melancholic and repetitive as I advanced in the book. This collection might be perfect for those who feel a little heartsick or a hopeless romantic, but I almost felt like I was ruining my reading experience by disagreeing and feeling that true love does exist (even if it sounds corny). It’s a well written collection though, so if you like the genre you might enjoy it a lot better than I did!
Memories is a collection that consists of a mix of the best of Lang Leav’s previous work Lullabies and Love & Misadventure and quite a few new poems. This collection is illustrated by the author and all poems and thoughts have the same general theme: love. Lang Leav explores love and broken relationships in poems and thoughts full of emotion that will sound familiar to most of us.
Lang Leav is able to describe situations and emotions most of us have felt at some point in our lives (unless you’re lucky enough to have happily married your first love). Her prose is both simple, emotional and beautiful and the only reason I couldn’t really connect to them because it’s simply hard for me to identify myself with sad/broken relationship poems right now. Memories is a treat though for those who enjoy the genre and don’t mind reading about bad relationship experiences and negative feelings!