Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “No Matter” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

No Matter

Jana Prikryl

3.25 · Rating details · 103 ratings · 32 reviews

An urgent, visionary collection of poems from the author of The After Party

Jana Prikryl's No Matter argues for the necessity of vision in a time of darkness. Set in cities toppling past the point of decline-and-fall--Rome, London, Dublin, and most of all New York--these poems capture the experience of being human in the late days of empire, when the laws pro ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 112 pages

Published July 23rd 2019 by Tim Duggan Books

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about No Matter, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about No Matter

Lists with This Book

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sona Charaipotra

Best books of July, 2019

58 books — 14 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.25 ·

Rating details

· 103 ratings · 32 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of No Matter

Sep 04, 2019 Maxwell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: poetry, owned, favorites

This is one of the best collections of poetry I've ever read. They are by no means easy or accessible poems to read, but they reward so much on the re-reading. Digging into this particular collection forced me to read poetry in a whole new, almost meditative way. I could sit for a few minutes just thinking about a single stanza of one of Prikryl's poems. I re-read the first 30 pages or so of this collection more times than I can count, each time revealing something new and exciting. I also have ...more

flag 29 likes · Like · see review

Aug 28, 2019 Gerardine Betancourt rated it it was ok

Sorry but not for me. The poetry was a little abstract and difficult to understand.

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Dec 11, 2019 Amy Bruestle rated it liked it

Shelves: giveaways, books-i-own

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review

I love poetry. The poetry in this collection is pretty good. However, it just didn’t pull at my heartstrings very much. Maybe it is because I have recently read another poetry collection (When You Ask Me Where I’m Going) that I couldn’t put down. It was incredible. Maybe I am comparing the two in ways that I shouldn’t. I am trying not to be biased in any way. Don’t get me wrong, this collection is definitely good...just not as moving to me p ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 27, 2019 Peycho Kanev rated it liked it

Shelves: poetry

Epic

Your friends of friends in the city
seduce each other in the strong light
of their ambition by reading long
chapters of long books to each other

not seeing, in bed with this poem
that two chapters want repetition
as though by the guy who made Rome:

You go Book I, II, III then II, III, IV
because the second night of his visit
Dido begged a redo and he did it

although if he glimpsed a new facet or
felt shattered to relive it, or bored—
her reaction tells us he said it
just as he’d said it the night before.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 06, 2019 Emily Blachly rated it it was ok

I am not an avid poetry reader, so this was just too abstract for me and I struggled to find meaning in the poems. I struggled with reviewing this book because poetry speaks to different people in different ways. Ultimately, though, it wasn't my cup of tea.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 26, 2019 Laura rated it it was ok

Shelves: giveaways

Not accessible or meaningful to a casual reader of poetry. And not exciting or challenging enough to want to know more.

My thanks to First to Read for a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2019 Ashley rated it liked it

Beautiful writing, but I agree with some of the other reviews that this did not resonate as much with me. Perhaps if you are from NYC many of these poems would sing true

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 20, 2019 A. rated it really liked it

Shelves: ancient-medieval, historical, poetry

I started reading No Matter by Jana Prikryl not knowing at all what to expect. What I did not want was more poetry of heartbreak. I wanted poetry that worked with language not only to connect with the reader, but also to absolutely confuse them. Jana Prikryl does just this, and I cannot be more grateful for such a master of language.

I had picked this book of poetry from a selection of titles on NetGalley because of its description on the website: “Set in cities toppling past the point of declin I started reading No Matter by Jana Prikryl not knowing at all what to expect. What I did not want was more poetry of heartbreak. I wanted poetry that worked with language not only to connect with the reader, but also to absolutely confuse them. Jana Prikryl does just this, and I cannot be more grateful for such a master of language.

I had picked this book of poetry from a selection of titles on NetGalley because of its description on the website: “Set in cities toppling past the point of decline-and-fall--Rome, London, Dublin, and most of all New York--these poems capture the experience of being human in the late days of empire, when the laws protecting weak from strong are being torn away.” As a classicist studying ancient Roman literature and myth, this seemed right up my alley.

It is true that most of these poems are set in New York - and I probably would understand them better if I knew more about New York culture and geography - but many of the poems are set against language that evokes ancient myth and history. The physical descriptions of the city also use language that hints at archaism, especially the use of “brownstone” to describe the bridges and buildings.

The theme of most of Prikryl’s poems reminds me of The Aeneid, my particular area of study - ergo my interpretation of these poems focuses mostly on that. Prikryl compares New York to Troy in her poem “Ambitious”, telling how heroes pass through and make the city his own and that of his own people (an allusion to Aeneas’ journey from Troy to Italy). Prikryl also features well-known characters from this epic. The character that shows up in the titles of many of the poems is the Sibyl, an oracle who helped Aeneas on his journey into the Underworld. Here she is presiding over what seems to be the change of cities and the people described in these poems. In the second-to-last poem, also called “Sibyl”, there is imagery that alludes to things, especially plants, that grow in the Underworld. Dido is another character from the Aeneid who is featured in this book, exactly twice. With her we see what could’ve happened between Aeneas and Dido if he had to redo his actions. The fact that Prikryl uses the Sibyl more than Dido as a featured voice is really interesting; it is possible that if Dido were the main voice there would be more reference to love rather than the change the Sibyl represents as the liminal figure between the Underworld and the world of the living. A symbol of change.

The way Prikryl uses language in these poems, besides the language that reference The Aeneid, is astounding. The manner in which she constructs her verses really draws the eye to what’s important. The way I feel reading it is how I imagine my own thoughts would look if they were written down on paper.

My biggest issue was understanding a lot of the poems, though I would say that is the way it is with most poetry. It is personal, and not every poem is meant for everyone (and, as I said before, I am sure New Yorkers would have a much easier time understanding). However, even if we don’t understand, I wholeheartedly recommend giving Prikryl’s verse a chance, even if just to enjoy the clever mastery of language and ancient allusions. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 02, 2019 Madeline Brainard rated it really liked it

Quality of Writing: 9/10
Pace: 10/10
Plot Development: N/A
Characters: N/A
Enjoyability: 10/10
Insightfulness: 5/10
Ease of Reading: 3/10
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my first review for NetGalley.
Poetry is an art form that many people don't understand. Here's my opinion: poetry is a celebration of language, and does not need to be understood in order to be appreciated. Only about one eighth of the poems were dissectible into clear meanings, but they were still beautifully written. There were some ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 04, 2019 Kathy rated it did not like it

Shelves: netgalley, 1-star-not-for-me, poetry

I enjoy poetry in its many creative forms of expression. Some is easily read, some takes some work to understand, and some just give me a headache! Unfortunately, for me, this collection falls in the last category I mentioned.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this collection in exchange for an unbiased review. Opinions stated here are my own.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 08, 2019 Beth rated it it was ok

Shelves: 3-early-galley-copy, 3-kindle, poetry

Not my cup of tea. I could appreciate some of Prikryl's clever language and there were a few poems that seemed to have some life to them, but overall I just found these boring and generally "trying too hard."

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2020 Joseph Spuckler rated it it was amazing

Shelves: poetry

“Now begins to rise in me the familiar rhythm; words that have lain dormant now lift, now toss their crests, and fall and rise, and falls again. I am a poet, yes. Surely I am a great poet.”
― Virginia Woolf, The Waves

No Matter by Jana Prikryl is the poet's second full-length collection of poetry. Prikryl earned her BA from the University of Toronto and her MA from New York University. Her poetry and criticism have been published in a variety of publications and journals. Currently, she is a seni
“Now begins to rise in me the familiar rhythm; words that have lain dormant now lift, now toss their crests, and fall and rise, and falls again. I am a poet, yes. Surely I am a great poet.”
― Virginia Woolf, The Waves

No Matter by Jana Prikryl is the poet's second full-length collection of poetry. Prikryl earned her BA from the University of Toronto and her MA from New York University. Her poetry and criticism have been published in a variety of publications and journals. Currently, she is a senior editor at the New York Review of Books.

Prikryl combines the new and the old. Rich history meets with contemporary reason and artifacts. Sibyl claims she is no messenger but speaks cryptically in the poems. Historically, how much different would things have been for Dido if she could have followed Aeneas' social media accounts when he left for Sicily.

Aeneas left by sea, and throughout the collection, the sea or the effects of the sea display themselves in many forms. The poems mention green oxygen, patina, Ishmel, and verdigris as visual indicators. The feeling of the sea is present in the repetition of the poem titles; reinforced by the poems titled "Waves." Repetition also exists in the repeating of phrases and clever wording that creates soft redundancy.

There is almost a Woolfish feeling to the poetry that goes beyond waves and whitecaps. There is the tide and the in and out movements that create the cyclic image of waves. Cities alluded to by landmarks rather than names are all places with rivers and tides. In the flow and rhythm of No Matter, the poet leaves small obstacles that challenge one's smooth sailing. Uncommon words represent hazards on a nautical chart that need addressing before passing, an unexpected break in the flow.

No Matter presents an enjoyable poetry experience that tends to a more traditional form and feeling — the words and repetition play on the reader's mind. No Matter may have a connection to the poetry beyond its more common connotation of unimportant. It may mean the absence of matter -- nothingness:

“I see nothing. We may sink and settle on the waves. The sea will drum in my ears. The white petals will be darkened with sea water. They will float for a moment and then sink. Rolling over the waves will shoulder me under. Everything falls in a tremendous shower, dissolving me.”
Virginia Woolf, The Waves.

Unfortunately, not available until July 23, 2019 ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 26, 2019 Caroline added it

It should be illegal to rate books of poems -- living writers get 5 stars, and flowers for their efforts. But I rank my laziness as a reader in this order:

1. Essays
2. Novels
3. Poetry

I come here to have it go over my head, then puzzle the incomprehensible out over screenshots with friends. I'm glad there are still new books of poems to be written about living in New York City. It's thrilling to not know, exactly, what something means:

Sibyl

I have a case

If you know the code
you can try it up to t ...more

flag Like · see review

Nov 17, 2019 Danielle rated it it was ok

This poet is just not for me. I also read her first book and had the same issues connecting with the material. The poems in this collection are too private -- the language is distorted and chaotic in a way that seems to reference experiences unknown to us. I'm sure many of these word associations have meaning to the writer, but they don't translate to an everyday reader. The best poems were those that were more grounded, like the opening poem -- we have solid images and associations that balance ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 22, 2019 K B rated it really liked it

this collection was really impressive. it’s like a landscape where the medium is poetry. prikryl did a fantastic job of capturing urban environments, especially in the “waves” poems. not just the physicality of it, but the way people are here. her “anonymous” poems describing people were some of my favorites, as well. the circular nature of the collection’s structure was really effective in highlighting her keen observations. my copy had some confusing wording, but that might just be because I d ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 10, 2020 Jeff rated it really liked it

Shelves: 20x25-iii

My first encounter with Prikryl. The movement in her poems is fascinatingly disjunctive, urbane, and literary in a wary crouch. Her engagements rate her much more Bob Silvers than Ellen Willis; but she dedicates poems to both. Poetry, on this view, is highly exclusive which may be why the persons of this volume (each person a title repeated multiple times) seem a little like a clique. Or like a coterie, it's also full of mistrust. I long for the Long Island pastoralism of Frank O'Hara. But Prikr ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 15, 2019 Amy Ingalls rated it liked it

Shelves: poetry, giveaways

I won this book in a giveaway. This is not an easy book of poetry. The poems demand to be read and reread until the meaning is slowly worked out. Some of the poems resonated with me, and I thought they were really good, with clever use of metaphor. Others didn't really do it for me. My favorites were Got, Friend, and Snapshot. I also loved this line from Friend: I said the wrong thing again but really meant it. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 30, 2019 Marci rated it it was ok

Shelves: first-read

I received a copy of No Matter by Jana Prikryl from First to read in exchange for an honest review. I can't really give an opinion on this book because I did not realize that it was a book of poetry when I signed up for it. I am really not that into poetry. I did not understand the book and found it depressing. But that is just me, no reflection on the author. ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 22, 2019 Kathleen rated it really liked it

Reading this I shared the experience of the poet:

Got
off a stop early but no harm,
A pleasant walk. This is a different place.

The fragmentary observations and poignant visions in this book carried me to "the shores of speculation" (p. 15), but the riddles and shards ultimately lacked emotional power ...more

flag Like · see review

Oct 21, 2019 Victoria Zieger rated it liked it

Shelves: poetry, own, giveaways-won

I received this book from a goodreads giveaway. The poems were okay. I found some of them to be a bit repetitive and dense in parts. I think some of the poetry was a bit too much in the surface and not filled with enough depth or emotion. Some were good and interesting/ though provoking. This was just okay for me.

flag Like · see review

May 22, 2019 Kaleigh added it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, first-reads, poetry, women-authors

did not take me

flag Like · see review

May 28, 2019 C.M. Crockford rated it really liked it

Shelves: poetry, women

Reviewing for Shelf Awareness

flag Like · see review

Sep 27, 2019 Katy rated it it was ok

Very New York- perhaps someone more enamoured with the city would enjoy this collection. For me it was intelligent yet placid.

flag Like · see review

Oct 29, 2019 Holly added it

Only read about half before had to return to library. Is poems

flag Like · see review

Dec 13, 2019 Robert Walkley rated it really liked it

I didn’t get much out of this book the first time I read it. But when I read it again the way Prikryl uses words jumped out at me. The Waves poems were my favorites.

flag Like · see review

Jan 07, 2020 Jessie McMains rated it liked it

3.5 stars? I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this book.

flag Like · see review

Feb 20, 2020 Alexander Wilson rated it it was ok

Shelves: poetry

I'm sure I would have liked this book of poetry better if I was a resident of New York City and was familiar with the region. ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 02, 2019 Juli rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-arcs

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of poems brings cityscapes to life. Emotions and the nature of a city can mimic each other - who would've thought

The poems ooze the love the author feels for cities like New York, London, and Dublin. She doesn't sugarcoat them. She presents them raw and vulnerable. There is admiration and hate. There is praise and criticism. Prikryl does an excellent j ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 16, 2019 Gabriel rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc-reviews

ARC won through Goodreads Giveaway

I wanted to enjoy this collection of poems, I really did, but almost all pieces seemed to be hollow and instead of substance it was overfilled with too many ostentatious words. One poem in particular did resonate with me titled "Stoic". I found it's simplicity and meter enjoyable, raw, and well written. The rest really came off as pretentious and abstract which forced me out of any enjoyment.

I don't think I'll be giving Jana's work another due to personal prefer ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 22, 2019 Ashtyn rated it it was amazing

Honestly, I don't have words after this book. I connected with this book in a different way than I ever have and some parts brought so much emotion. I loved it so much! 5/5 stars because I'm speechless! ...more

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 next »