In an Invisible Glass Case Which Is Also a Frame

by Julia Guez

A close look at the rigors of our current cultural moment, In an Invisible Glass Case Which Is Also a Frame offers readers a way to navigate vital what does it mean to be “secure”? How do we make art amid complexity? In Guez’s debut, readers will witness realities of income inequality, climate change, and the opioid epidemic alongside a series of reliable art, music, humor, and love. “Have we made it across the vast plain of night?” asks one poem. No, not quite. There is more night, but there is singing, too. Rich in its sophisticated engagement of a “still life” series, dilemmas large and small, political and personal, are treated with generosity, curiosity, and a precise investigation of the heart.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

Reviews

[Raf Kader · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an Invisible Glass Case Which is Also a Frame by Julia Guez is designed to provide readers with an emotional rollercoaster of words unique to each reader. The mannerisms Guez writes is unlike most novelists. She uses abnormal punctuation in efforts to assist the reader in their interpretation. Another notable distinction is the openness the author has for the audiences’ opinion when controversy arises, as opposed to trying to influence the reader to remain consistent with the author’s ideologies. Guez’s brilliance is exemplified by portraying lessons through her poems that enlightens the reader. For example, poems like “On the Airstrip at Tambor, en Route to Monteverde” italicizes the word ‘anywhere’ to emphasize a deeper meaning behind the text. The title strengthens how unhappiness is internal -- no matter where in the world. Readers may come up with different interpretations intended to form a deeper connection regardless of the poem’s length. In “This Winter”, soothing and calming words are used to create a profound story. She uses words like ‘chamomile’ and ‘klonopin’ to describe an intense feeling to the story. Guez writes ‘no help, have a saltine’ triggering childhood memories where saltine crackers and ginger ale was the remedy for many illnesses. She ends by saying ‘Fatigue is the new normal’ explaining how people conform to pain. Guez beautifully tackles worldwide issues with key literary elements in “Still Life with an Opioid Epidemic” using the word ‘hairpin’ to resemble a problem. This written masterpiece expresses many obstacles faced by society today.

[Rem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Guez’s collection of poems in In an Invisible Glass Case Which Is Also a Frame all grapple with different themes of life, however weave into one understanding: there is no true reconciliation. The author takes a different approach of technique emphasizing different frames within larger epidemics such as opioids, poverty, and immigration. Guez uses reflections of objects that draw the reader into the exact moment of events, for example referencing a hairpin in association to the addiction of opioids, making a peculiar, yet beneficial comparison to its prominence stating, “The hairpin behind/ orphaning several of them/ on the bedside/ now and after, all.” Guez goes on to juxtapose images in each of the still life scenarios in a way that is creative and surprising once discovered. In “Still Life with Worsening Income Inequality” Guez states (“A gathering music in those tea-light windows, so many mouths/ the primrose platform edge”). In another poem, “Still Life in Another Neighborhood We Can’t Afford” Guez points to (“A park whose piers secret away a song/ only fish and the drowned know to sing”). Guez interprets through her many frameworks how there is no true answer for the mess that life has to offer and how it just is what it is, unescapable.

[Anon37 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, In An Invisible Glass Case Which is Also a Frame, by Julia Guez, takes readers along a long and dissenting pathway towards a blurry ending, but one that is up to interpretation, while simultaneously challenging the readers to see the poem in the way in which they perceive it. Guez’s debut piece brings together life and death and lessens the reader’s basic understanding of them to challenge them. Poems like “this, Winter,” present Guez’s findings in a calm and soothing light in spite of content being extremely eventful and hectic. This seems to be a common theme that pervades throughout several of Guez’s poems. For instance, Guez describes the scene of her capturing a picture of a neighborhood in which immigrants are running from their homes in “Still Life in Another Neighborhood We Can’t Afford”. Guez beautifully captures this moment through the use of describing the hecticness of the events occurring, yet there is a sense of calm in the manner in which it is presented, worded, and formatted. I urge fans of literature to give this book a try because it is worth the while to read the masterpiece Guez has crafted.

[Andrew Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poems and stories help paint a picture of strong , vivid imagery of different viewpoints and influences that makes you feel as if you are looking at the world through her eyes. The details of the feelings and emotions are strong, as if viewing different situations through an invisible glass case. The poems are written as though the situations are viewed through a different lens which includes a variety of topics including narcotics, inequality, philosophy, myth, and much more.The passages are viewed in a way that brings little situations, sensations, and images to life.
Although the poems have very strong imagery, I feel as if the poems can be a little complicated. Some of the poems require a deep understanding in order to understand the full image Julia is trying to portray. But the intelligent design of the poems kept me interested and amused.

[Andy Oram · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magnificent mastery of language. Guez manages to offer hints that I can't quite understand, but are close enough to simplicity to make me think I'm on the verge of understanding--a wonderful position for a poet to hold the reader at. It's also nice to see positive, hopeful imagery. Poems are mostly quite short, sometimes just a heading followed by a single line or even nothing at all. Guez does indulge in flaunting her literary expertise with lots of quotations, and frankly I'd rather have her own words without the quotations. But I also benefited from this evocation of tradition, and came away very inspired.

[Ann Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is simultaneously ethereal and grounded, mythical and embodied. In poems smart and spare in their use of language, Guez invites us to shift our angle of vision and understanding and follow her into new ground, even to turn the book in our hands at times to read poems positioned vertically rather than horizontally. The unexpected here is refreshing and powerful, especially in the final sequence of poems.

[Amie Whittemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my review here: https://www.usi.edu/sir/reviews/the-m...

[Nishneet Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book In an "Invisible Glass Case Which Is Also A Frame" , is as unique as its title. The
book is an arrangement of poems, each serving a purpose to the minimalistic things in life. A
similar theme seen throughout the book is recognition. This book is intriguing because it shows a
path into the unknown and allures one into wanting to find out more. An example of this is the
poem “Have We Made It Across the Vast Plain of Night” and the single word that consumes this
page “No.” So what should a reader make out of this? What was the author making out of this,
why did she write it? The beauty about this book, or just the beauty about poetry is that it can be
molded into what the reader wants. Although it might not be everyone’s forte, the book has
something to offer to a diverse pool of people. Another strategic use of literature is shown just in
the titles of the poems. The titles should be read after the poem for a better reading experience
because otherwise they can be deceiving and create a bias in the beginning before the poem is
even read for a much more significant effect.