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The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place
The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place is a poetry book that describes nature, the fear of drowning, friendship, love and loss in a world that is at times dark but beautiful. My writings here are somewhat influenced by the classic style of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost; but the words, the mood and the settings are entirely my own.
- GenresPoetry
136 pages, Paperback
Published September 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 13, 2025
5 stars because I'm the author of this book and I believe in my own work! However, don't solely take my word for it.
I think my poems are best enjoyed if you read them aloud, with F.E.E.L.I.N.G.
Although my poems have the Old English feel to it, in my opinion it actually is written with a more modern vibe so don't feel too intimidated by the blurb of my book.
And, if you happen to read my book and enjoy it, I'd love to know which poem(s) are your favourite(s).
Get my book for free at Everand app (Scribd) or you can buy it at Amazon or from my publisher TheInspiration Hub.
This book was published during Covid times (27th December 2019) so I hope more people will read it since it used to be lonely sitting on shelves in bookstores during lockdown.
Thank you for your support! Happy Reading!
Love,
Carol Meiyin
Updated on: 13th November 2025
I think my poems are best enjoyed if you read them aloud, with F.E.E.L.I.N.G.
Although my poems have the Old English feel to it, in my opinion it actually is written with a more modern vibe so don't feel too intimidated by the blurb of my book.
And, if you happen to read my book and enjoy it, I'd love to know which poem(s) are your favourite(s).
Get my book for free at Everand app (Scribd) or you can buy it at Amazon or from my publisher TheInspiration Hub.
This book was published during Covid times (27th December 2019) so I hope more people will read it since it used to be lonely sitting on shelves in bookstores during lockdown.
Thank you for your support! Happy Reading!
Love,
Carol Meiyin
Updated on: 13th November 2025
June 4, 2020
One of these stars alone is for the poems dedicated to the poet’s mum and dad.
This collection draws on man facets of life and explores a few different types of poetry. All were enjoyable but none hit me like the parental poems as noted above.
This collection draws on man facets of life and explores a few different types of poetry. All were enjoyable but none hit me like the parental poems as noted above.
October 5, 2021
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via the author.
The world is a dark and lovely place is a very heartfelt, touching book of poetry with true emotion laced throughout its pages.
I lived how Carol managed to include so many different aspects and elements to this poetry collection and am amazed at how beautiful it is together. The poems are about love, family, hope, and friendship as well as nature being mixed within these too.
I reread many of these poems and felt the words resonate within me and reach deep down into my heart, mind and soul.
Such a beautiful book I urge all poetry lovers to read and enjoy.
The world is a dark and lovely place is a very heartfelt, touching book of poetry with true emotion laced throughout its pages.
I lived how Carol managed to include so many different aspects and elements to this poetry collection and am amazed at how beautiful it is together. The poems are about love, family, hope, and friendship as well as nature being mixed within these too.
I reread many of these poems and felt the words resonate within me and reach deep down into my heart, mind and soul.
Such a beautiful book I urge all poetry lovers to read and enjoy.
December 13, 2019
I’ve been reading a lot of poetry books lately. And I loved every single book that I read especially this one.
The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place is a collection of poems that included everything about life. Love and hope. Family and friends. Even about the people’s interest in books.
I loved the choice of words and the arrangement of the poems in this books. All the poems are beautifully written and they are meaningful. Some poems are deep and I needed to read them slowly in order for me to get the meaning behind those words.
On the author’s note, the author wrote a bit about this book, about her previous work and a bit about herself. Don’t skipped that. And I love what she said “love books well and, they will love you well.”
My favorite poems from this book are Trust Not Your Broken Heart, Enough and The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place 1 & 2.
Thank you Carol for sending me a copy of The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place. And thank you to Untitledbc for organizing this book review program. This book is available at MPH bookstore.
The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place is a collection of poems that included everything about life. Love and hope. Family and friends. Even about the people’s interest in books.
I loved the choice of words and the arrangement of the poems in this books. All the poems are beautifully written and they are meaningful. Some poems are deep and I needed to read them slowly in order for me to get the meaning behind those words.
On the author’s note, the author wrote a bit about this book, about her previous work and a bit about herself. Don’t skipped that. And I love what she said “love books well and, they will love you well.”
My favorite poems from this book are Trust Not Your Broken Heart, Enough and The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place 1 & 2.
Thank you Carol for sending me a copy of The World Is A Dark and Lovely Place. And thank you to Untitledbc for organizing this book review program. This book is available at MPH bookstore.
October 28, 2019
Stars: 4 stars
Synopsis:
-- A collection of beautifully-written poems. The poems have influences of Early Modern and Late Modern English. Most of the poems display the feelings and thoughts about life, love, nature, God, and others; written in the first person point of view.
Likes:
-- My favourites are "Rainbow's End", "A Friend", and "Trust Not Your Broken Heart". I love reading these three poems especially. Despite being a Linguistics graduate and having learned a minor course in Literature, I am not good in poetry and have not read many (apart from what I've learned in school and university). I'm amazed how people can write poems so beautifully, and this collection of poems is a really nice read. Thank you, Carol. :)
Synopsis:
-- A collection of beautifully-written poems. The poems have influences of Early Modern and Late Modern English. Most of the poems display the feelings and thoughts about life, love, nature, God, and others; written in the first person point of view.
Likes:
-- My favourites are "Rainbow's End", "A Friend", and "Trust Not Your Broken Heart". I love reading these three poems especially. Despite being a Linguistics graduate and having learned a minor course in Literature, I am not good in poetry and have not read many (apart from what I've learned in school and university). I'm amazed how people can write poems so beautifully, and this collection of poems is a really nice read. Thank you, Carol. :)
December 1, 2019
The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place is a collection of poetry about love, hope, pain, nature and so much more! I had no choice but to read and finish it in one whole sitting yet I'm hoping for this book to never end as it is so beautifully written.
Some of the poems rhyme together and it works really well which I find it so fresh because its been quite some time since I've read poetry books like this. It also has an old english feel with the style of writing and the way the writer string and interwoven the words into one are absolutely lyrical.
There were certain aspects that I couldn't relate so much with whereas there are other certain aspects that I totally could relate. For me, I read the love part in a breeze since I don't think I've been in that situation so I'm still so new with that but other than that, some of them were pretty relatable that I wanted to read it over and over again. Its the one where it cuts right through you and it'll stay that way for a long time. That's the impact of how good a poem can be just like this lovely book.
Its so interesting that the writer has also decided to add her extra thoughts and explanations for each piece of poetry. This way, it makes the reading experience much more personal and readers will be able to uncover the messages of what is trying to convey all along.
I thoroughly enjoyed so much reading this short poetry book packed in with emotions so deep and impactful meanings. I highly recommend anyone to pick up this book and explore this world that is both dark and lovely.
Some of the poems rhyme together and it works really well which I find it so fresh because its been quite some time since I've read poetry books like this. It also has an old english feel with the style of writing and the way the writer string and interwoven the words into one are absolutely lyrical.
There were certain aspects that I couldn't relate so much with whereas there are other certain aspects that I totally could relate. For me, I read the love part in a breeze since I don't think I've been in that situation so I'm still so new with that but other than that, some of them were pretty relatable that I wanted to read it over and over again. Its the one where it cuts right through you and it'll stay that way for a long time. That's the impact of how good a poem can be just like this lovely book.
Its so interesting that the writer has also decided to add her extra thoughts and explanations for each piece of poetry. This way, it makes the reading experience much more personal and readers will be able to uncover the messages of what is trying to convey all along.
I thoroughly enjoyed so much reading this short poetry book packed in with emotions so deep and impactful meanings. I highly recommend anyone to pick up this book and explore this world that is both dark and lovely.
Read
December 26, 2019I find that the poems I've enjoyed most are those written in ways that seem wildly specific to the author's personal history, yet somehow capturing a universal experience or feeling that readers can relate to.
Sadly, this collection didn't do that for me.
I thought it was a pity that some poems felt a little generic, as I think there was potential for deep diving into some of the themes. I wanted to see more of the author in her stories. I think the style isn't quite up my alley either, but that's a matter of preference. I did enjoy the musings on love, and I thank Carol for sharing her story.
Poetry tends to be a very personal experience for me, they either speak to me or they don't; so check out other more favourable reviews, you might enjoy it more than I do.
~~~
Thank you Carol for sending me your poetry collection through a collaboration with @untitledbc ✨ It's available at MPH bookstores.
Sadly, this collection didn't do that for me.
I thought it was a pity that some poems felt a little generic, as I think there was potential for deep diving into some of the themes. I wanted to see more of the author in her stories. I think the style isn't quite up my alley either, but that's a matter of preference. I did enjoy the musings on love, and I thank Carol for sharing her story.
Poetry tends to be a very personal experience for me, they either speak to me or they don't; so check out other more favourable reviews, you might enjoy it more than I do.
~~~
Thank you Carol for sending me your poetry collection through a collaboration with @untitledbc ✨ It's available at MPH bookstores.
April 9, 2020
Beautiful, beautiful writing. Congratulations to Carol for publishing this gem, and thank you for being so generous and temporarily posting it up for readers to enjoy during quarantine! I love and admire Carol's beautiful style of writing (sometimes it feels like I'm reading a fairy tale!), and enjoyed many poems from this collection, especially the ones about friendship and longing for home. Although I don't normally enjoy classic poetry because it's difficult for me to interpret them, i could still appreciate the way it's written and how fitting it sounds, and I'm very impressed with how Carol did it in her poems. Looking forward to read more!<3
April 25, 2020
Writing Style - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Overall Rating - 5 / 5
Cover - 5/5
Overall Rating - 5 / 5
May 20, 2020
Utterly, utterly amazing. This mind-blowing collection of poems clearly demonstrated the poet’s mastery of the genre. My favourite poems within, in no particular order, were:
‘The Old Oak tree’ for its sheer beauty and profundity;
‘Untitled’ for the déjà vu it led me to experience, as I found myself transported back to those waking moments when I struggled to remember the dreams I had before I woke – those that appeared to have unravelled my life’s mysteries and purposes;
‘My Little Butterfly’ for it made me want to weep tears of joy through the force of unconditional love expressed within (in fact, my eyes were moist by the time I finished reading the poem!);
‘Trust Not Your Broken Heart’ for I fell in love with the line ‘your heart is crushed and bleeding blue’ (both because of the imagery and the ‘bleeding blue’ alliteration);
‘Beautiful friend’ for celebrating friendship and bringing to life so vividly the joy of having a close friend (for some reason, I heard Straus’s ‘Radetzky March’, smelt chocolate glazed doughnuts and felt as though I was transported to a New Year Countdown Party surrounded by loved ones, with no strangers around [in other words, a cosy, tightly-knit party, pun not intended] – I experienced all of these things whilst reading the poem!);
‘The Hard and Horrid Truth of Being Someone Utterly, Utterly Famous’ for the wisdom within;
‘Worry No More’ for the timeless reminder of the perils of having toxic friends and for the empowering message, ‘Don’t let anyone stop you from being yourself, especially not toxic friends and frenemies.’;
‘I Remember When the Night Sky Called Out My Name’ for it seemed to speak for me, articulating my struggles with forgiveness, moving on and letting go;
‘What My Dreams Are Made of’ for it captured the pains of battling with oneself and ignoring one’s goals and dreams (I had the same struggles, hence my use of ‘oneself’ and ‘one’s goals and dreams’);
And last but not least,
The series of haikus because they were tiny and powerful, like espresso.
It was also interesting to read the author’s note’s at the back, to compare and contrast my own interpretations of the poems and the sources of inspirations for those poems. I would like to thank the author for sharing her writing journey in the notes, because her journey was truly inspirational.
As highlighted by the numbers of poems I enjoyed, this was indeed one of the best poetry collections I had ever read. Really looking forward to the author’s next collection!
‘The Old Oak tree’ for its sheer beauty and profundity;
‘Untitled’ for the déjà vu it led me to experience, as I found myself transported back to those waking moments when I struggled to remember the dreams I had before I woke – those that appeared to have unravelled my life’s mysteries and purposes;
‘My Little Butterfly’ for it made me want to weep tears of joy through the force of unconditional love expressed within (in fact, my eyes were moist by the time I finished reading the poem!);
‘Trust Not Your Broken Heart’ for I fell in love with the line ‘your heart is crushed and bleeding blue’ (both because of the imagery and the ‘bleeding blue’ alliteration);
‘Beautiful friend’ for celebrating friendship and bringing to life so vividly the joy of having a close friend (for some reason, I heard Straus’s ‘Radetzky March’, smelt chocolate glazed doughnuts and felt as though I was transported to a New Year Countdown Party surrounded by loved ones, with no strangers around [in other words, a cosy, tightly-knit party, pun not intended] – I experienced all of these things whilst reading the poem!);
‘The Hard and Horrid Truth of Being Someone Utterly, Utterly Famous’ for the wisdom within;
‘Worry No More’ for the timeless reminder of the perils of having toxic friends and for the empowering message, ‘Don’t let anyone stop you from being yourself, especially not toxic friends and frenemies.’;
‘I Remember When the Night Sky Called Out My Name’ for it seemed to speak for me, articulating my struggles with forgiveness, moving on and letting go;
‘What My Dreams Are Made of’ for it captured the pains of battling with oneself and ignoring one’s goals and dreams (I had the same struggles, hence my use of ‘oneself’ and ‘one’s goals and dreams’);
And last but not least,
The series of haikus because they were tiny and powerful, like espresso.
It was also interesting to read the author’s note’s at the back, to compare and contrast my own interpretations of the poems and the sources of inspirations for those poems. I would like to thank the author for sharing her writing journey in the notes, because her journey was truly inspirational.
As highlighted by the numbers of poems I enjoyed, this was indeed one of the best poetry collections I had ever read. Really looking forward to the author’s next collection!
November 9, 2019
I seldom read poetry although I have my fair share of liking it. One of my earliest poetry collection was Shakespeare's. I remember being enthralled by the prose, the rhyme, and just the beauty of language in the poems and odes. And The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place let me experience those feelings again.
I was surprised and pleased when I read the first few poems. It undoubtedly reminded me of classic poems. I genuinely adored this kind of style and to see that the poet used it gracefully in her poems excited me! If you ask me to choose my favourite poem out of this collection you won't get the answer because I just loved many of them! Thank You For Being My Friends, The Old Oak Tree, Those Ten Words, and Rain to name a few. But this one poem: Silence Is Your Way Of Saying Things especially resonated with me due to personal reasons.
The themes of the poems varied from love to friendship, to God to family, and the emotions churning beneath the words were a mix of yearning, heartbroken, joy, and blessings. I'm sure there's something for every reader if not all. The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place is indeed a dark and lovely poetry collection. Seeing that this is the poet's debut collection, I'd love to see her growing from this point. She truly has the potential to become a great poet!
I was surprised and pleased when I read the first few poems. It undoubtedly reminded me of classic poems. I genuinely adored this kind of style and to see that the poet used it gracefully in her poems excited me! If you ask me to choose my favourite poem out of this collection you won't get the answer because I just loved many of them! Thank You For Being My Friends, The Old Oak Tree, Those Ten Words, and Rain to name a few. But this one poem: Silence Is Your Way Of Saying Things especially resonated with me due to personal reasons.
The themes of the poems varied from love to friendship, to God to family, and the emotions churning beneath the words were a mix of yearning, heartbroken, joy, and blessings. I'm sure there's something for every reader if not all. The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place is indeed a dark and lovely poetry collection. Seeing that this is the poet's debut collection, I'd love to see her growing from this point. She truly has the potential to become a great poet!
March 9, 2020
What can i say? Well, I'm grateful to have come across this gem.
December 29, 2019
" That certain smile of yours,
that radiate the soul of my heart "
When it comes to poetry, it's all in the matter of preference. Some prefer to read a more classic one, some prefer a modern one, some prefer a good mixture of both. As for me, I'm more into modern poetry. Hence, The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a tad bit too classical to fit my taste. It took me time to decipher the meaning or to hit that certain spot in my heart and be all 'ah, relatable'. I believe that is how it is when it comes to classical poetry. They are to be written in bombastic words, meaning so deep you need to read, pause, reread, pause and reread again to really understand it and find the hidden meanings if any. Beautiful. The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is beautiful.
But to me, it is not as raw. I feel like it lacks certain emotions. But again, it's all in the matter of preference. Another thing I noticed is the repetitive usage of 'for' at the start of sentences in certain poetries. [eg; for your voice affects me]. It did make it sounds more poetic, but having four to five in one poem seems like ruining the mood for me.
All in all, it is a nice collection of poetry. A perfect cozy read during rainy days with a cup of coffee or tea.
Thank you Carol for sending me a copy of The World is a Dark and Lovely Place in return for an honest review. Shout out to Untitled Bookclub for organizing this book review program. This book is now available in MPH Bookstores.
that radiate the soul of my heart "
When it comes to poetry, it's all in the matter of preference. Some prefer to read a more classic one, some prefer a modern one, some prefer a good mixture of both. As for me, I'm more into modern poetry. Hence, The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a tad bit too classical to fit my taste. It took me time to decipher the meaning or to hit that certain spot in my heart and be all 'ah, relatable'. I believe that is how it is when it comes to classical poetry. They are to be written in bombastic words, meaning so deep you need to read, pause, reread, pause and reread again to really understand it and find the hidden meanings if any. Beautiful. The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is beautiful.
But to me, it is not as raw. I feel like it lacks certain emotions. But again, it's all in the matter of preference. Another thing I noticed is the repetitive usage of 'for' at the start of sentences in certain poetries. [eg; for your voice affects me]. It did make it sounds more poetic, but having four to five in one poem seems like ruining the mood for me.
All in all, it is a nice collection of poetry. A perfect cozy read during rainy days with a cup of coffee or tea.
Thank you Carol for sending me a copy of The World is a Dark and Lovely Place in return for an honest review. Shout out to Untitled Bookclub for organizing this book review program. This book is now available in MPH Bookstores.
December 4, 2019
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place read like diary entries of the author's life. A dedication of love for nature, books, parents, friends and wisdom. The collection of poetry covers various aspects of life, certainly, there are some that you are able to connect with.
Here's a slice of my favourite poetry in the book:
"Worry No More"
I tend to worry,
about what others say,
what others think,
No matter how hard I tried,
to let it go,
it still stings,
When others look at you with such disdain,
Those friendships I tried hardest,
to put a distance,
For the hurt that they gave,
was not worth,
in the life that I live.
There are parts that are hard to get through. A certain choice of words and descriptions are hard to interpret and have to reread several times to understand it (yet, some still failed), especially those about nature. The writing is inconsistent. Some are brilliant, but some are mundane.
Besides that, I find the author tried too hard to write a love poem, it's forced and awkward. Here an example:
"Naked"
You rendered me speechless,
by the way you held me in your regard,
I stood on my own, bare for all to see,
I wish, I could blend in with the air I breathe,
and pray for everything I feel to finally discard
To sum up, there are poems I enjoy, but some left me confused and forgettable. Overall : 3 stars
*Here to thanks the author for sending me a free personalized copy for review :)
Here's a slice of my favourite poetry in the book:
"Worry No More"
I tend to worry,
about what others say,
what others think,
No matter how hard I tried,
to let it go,
it still stings,
When others look at you with such disdain,
Those friendships I tried hardest,
to put a distance,
For the hurt that they gave,
was not worth,
in the life that I live.
There are parts that are hard to get through. A certain choice of words and descriptions are hard to interpret and have to reread several times to understand it (yet, some still failed), especially those about nature. The writing is inconsistent. Some are brilliant, but some are mundane.
Besides that, I find the author tried too hard to write a love poem, it's forced and awkward. Here an example:
"Naked"
You rendered me speechless,
by the way you held me in your regard,
I stood on my own, bare for all to see,
I wish, I could blend in with the air I breathe,
and pray for everything I feel to finally discard
To sum up, there are poems I enjoy, but some left me confused and forgettable. Overall : 3 stars
*Here to thanks the author for sending me a free personalized copy for review :)
April 14, 2020
The way I see it, the poet certainly had a burning passion for words and it's very see-through as she pours her heart and imaginative mind into action. I also think the way she wrote it very classy and sensational. As usual, my mediocre level of understanding is one to be blamed.
There's a whole lot of words I can't comprehend which makes it difficult for me to get the right feeling. It also makes me feel terrible because most of my friends enjoy them so much. I totally understand them. And if my current preference and experience were different I could easily immerse myself into the poem entirely. It seems I lack a lot of creativity to imagine things beyond my normality or I'm just a dull person as the truth is her poems make me recall the feeling of serene on a cloudy day.
There's a lot of wow element but the one that manages to capture me was at the end. I really should thank the author because she's a dedicate person and doesn't leave thing halfway as she put everything into consideration. She cares to explain what's her poem all about and where she gets the inspiration for writing them. I love reading that part as it does help make me see the poems in a different light and could start it all over again.
There's a whole lot of words I can't comprehend which makes it difficult for me to get the right feeling. It also makes me feel terrible because most of my friends enjoy them so much. I totally understand them. And if my current preference and experience were different I could easily immerse myself into the poem entirely. It seems I lack a lot of creativity to imagine things beyond my normality or I'm just a dull person as the truth is her poems make me recall the feeling of serene on a cloudy day.
There's a lot of wow element but the one that manages to capture me was at the end. I really should thank the author because she's a dedicate person and doesn't leave thing halfway as she put everything into consideration. She cares to explain what's her poem all about and where she gets the inspiration for writing them. I love reading that part as it does help make me see the poems in a different light and could start it all over again.
November 23, 2019
I was given this book for winning a giveaway (Thank you Carol 💗) and for an honest review. First of all I am not a poet and I don’t really understand deep or classical poems (I have never read english classic poems). Thus the reason why I give it 3 stars.
Some poems in this book doesn’t intrigued me and I found it hard to understand. There are times when I had to repeat the sentence in my head and read them aloud. But still, I failed to interpret them.
But there are also those which are interestingly drew me into it. I turned on slow music while reading them and the poems just speaks to my soul. My favourites are definitely the ‘Dark Clouds’ and ‘What Is in Me I Use Them To Write Myself Out’. I guess because this poems resembles how I feel when I write. I can relate to them, that’s why I love them!
But I also like: Trust not your broken heart, A friend, Worry no more, To love in doubt, Enough and An ode to books.
Some poems in this book doesn’t intrigued me and I found it hard to understand. There are times when I had to repeat the sentence in my head and read them aloud. But still, I failed to interpret them.
But there are also those which are interestingly drew me into it. I turned on slow music while reading them and the poems just speaks to my soul. My favourites are definitely the ‘Dark Clouds’ and ‘What Is in Me I Use Them To Write Myself Out’. I guess because this poems resembles how I feel when I write. I can relate to them, that’s why I love them!
But I also like: Trust not your broken heart, A friend, Worry no more, To love in doubt, Enough and An ode to books.
November 13, 2019
A collection of poem that is nicely written. I love the whole book especially the lines the author include as borders of each chapter. Some of my most favourite poems are "The Rainbow's End", "Words", "It Was a Shadow of Words I Thought" and "What is in Me I Use Them to Write Myself Out". The poems written in here managed to put my feelings and emotions into words. They took the words out of my mouth. Thank you for making me feel less lonely and all the best for your journey in this poetry world :')
October 29, 2019
Definitely solid 5 stars! Tell me why isn't this author & her book famous yet? It has potential of being an international piece of art!
I'm not done yet. This is going to be continued. I need to sleep now 😂
And yeah. Anyone, just get a damn copy already! Go to her IG NOW! (I mean anythime anyone sees this recommendation 😂)
I'm not done yet. This is going to be continued. I need to sleep now 😂
And yeah. Anyone, just get a damn copy already! Go to her IG NOW! (I mean anythime anyone sees this recommendation 😂)
September 27, 2019
A collection of intense, well written poetry. Each carries it's own style and I have to say I really enjoyed most of the poems. A MUST READ FOR ALL POETRY LOVERS! 5 BRILLIANT SHINING STARS!
November 16, 2019
3.5 stars
TWIADALP starts off with something promising, something new with the reminiscent of the past(the early poems have the style and prose of late English poet, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost prose); my favorites being the first half: The Old Oak Tree(written when she was 19!), The Rainbow's End, Untitled,IRWTNSCOMN, FILYTBTIF. Then after the second half,unfortunately,the poems plunged into bleak melancholic mundaneness, there is intensity in feelings but somewhat felt repressed;no fire.
There are some recurring themes throughout the poems, of dreams and imaginary land, of unattainable past, and darkness(mood that prevails throughout the book). Like a bird who has ascended to the sky the poems soar only to descent deeper into the time. The second half of the book can be said as an attempt to revisit time, there are fear and longing, traces of remorse of love lost, hopelessness at times but fortunately, perhaps the poet finds consolation in the darkness of the world.
Unless it is intended by the poet, I found something problematic with the title, TWIADAL and the phrase itself..shouldn't it be The World is a Dark but lovely Place? This I failed to fathom, perhaps the poet has reconciled with her darkness, or she has had the realization of the bleak nature of life?
There is inconsistency in style, some poems desired to be modern but are fettered by rhyme while others attempted for grandeur but turn out to be commonplace. I really hope the poet can play more with metaphor, flirt with juxtaposition and sprinkle it with some irony, perhaps some humor in the face of fatality. Instead, the poems seem to be layered with a thin disguise of flamboyant words with no underlying enigma(a poem needs to be something to ponder upon).
However, I do applaud the attempt of the poet to bring back the beauty of late English prose, not many have done the same with much success(even some of the contemporary bestselling poets have second rate prose). I sincerely hope the poet recognizes her strengths and implement them into prose. In short, I'm looking forward to read more from her.
TWIADALP starts off with something promising, something new with the reminiscent of the past(the early poems have the style and prose of late English poet, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost prose); my favorites being the first half: The Old Oak Tree(written when she was 19!), The Rainbow's End, Untitled,IRWTNSCOMN, FILYTBTIF. Then after the second half,unfortunately,the poems plunged into bleak melancholic mundaneness, there is intensity in feelings but somewhat felt repressed;no fire.
There are some recurring themes throughout the poems, of dreams and imaginary land, of unattainable past, and darkness(mood that prevails throughout the book). Like a bird who has ascended to the sky the poems soar only to descent deeper into the time. The second half of the book can be said as an attempt to revisit time, there are fear and longing, traces of remorse of love lost, hopelessness at times but fortunately, perhaps the poet finds consolation in the darkness of the world.
Unless it is intended by the poet, I found something problematic with the title, TWIADAL and the phrase itself..shouldn't it be The World is a Dark but lovely Place? This I failed to fathom, perhaps the poet has reconciled with her darkness, or she has had the realization of the bleak nature of life?
There is inconsistency in style, some poems desired to be modern but are fettered by rhyme while others attempted for grandeur but turn out to be commonplace. I really hope the poet can play more with metaphor, flirt with juxtaposition and sprinkle it with some irony, perhaps some humor in the face of fatality. Instead, the poems seem to be layered with a thin disguise of flamboyant words with no underlying enigma(a poem needs to be something to ponder upon).
However, I do applaud the attempt of the poet to bring back the beauty of late English prose, not many have done the same with much success(even some of the contemporary bestselling poets have second rate prose). I sincerely hope the poet recognizes her strengths and implement them into prose. In short, I'm looking forward to read more from her.
December 3, 2019
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place speaks the truth about love when it meets the world in an Old English lyrical wording laced with genuine emotion to each poem.
I enjoyed this book so much that I slowly savored it like Old World red wine. The book starts out with Carol introducing us to whimsical woodlands that could rival Narnia's woods. Then she meets a Faerie and falls in love. She tells us the tale of her love and the adventures they had. When it, unfortunately, came to the end of that love story, she shares her sorrow and grief with us in words that I cannot express how deeply they touch me.
Her poems carry a timeless old soul feel to it that could have been written in Old England or the modern world. It is a mixture of traditional poetry with the freshness of pop poetry. It was an absolute delight to read her book. As a Tolkien fan, I especially loved "The Breaking of the Fellowship". It hit home. "Those Ten Words" is another one that raises questions about love and the luxury of it. Lastly, "What my Dreams are Made of" reminds us to never give up on our dreams no matter how high they are for you never know how high you can soar until you grow wings to chase your dreams. There were many poems in tribute for books and her love of reading, all of which I adore deeply. A phrase that I need to be plastered on the walls of bookshops is... "Love books well, and they will Love you well."
10 out of 10 for this gem. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! <3
I enjoyed this book so much that I slowly savored it like Old World red wine. The book starts out with Carol introducing us to whimsical woodlands that could rival Narnia's woods. Then she meets a Faerie and falls in love. She tells us the tale of her love and the adventures they had. When it, unfortunately, came to the end of that love story, she shares her sorrow and grief with us in words that I cannot express how deeply they touch me.
Her poems carry a timeless old soul feel to it that could have been written in Old England or the modern world. It is a mixture of traditional poetry with the freshness of pop poetry. It was an absolute delight to read her book. As a Tolkien fan, I especially loved "The Breaking of the Fellowship". It hit home. "Those Ten Words" is another one that raises questions about love and the luxury of it. Lastly, "What my Dreams are Made of" reminds us to never give up on our dreams no matter how high they are for you never know how high you can soar until you grow wings to chase your dreams. There were many poems in tribute for books and her love of reading, all of which I adore deeply. A phrase that I need to be plastered on the walls of bookshops is... "Love books well, and they will Love you well."
10 out of 10 for this gem. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! <3
September 12, 2019
* A free ebook was sent to me in return for an honest review.*
3.5 STARS
A collection of poems that shares about highs and lows of life.
Carol has a way with words that makes you think deeply about this life that we live. There were poems that dealt with loss, missing someone, faith and love - many different aspects that makes us, us.
I believe that if anyone were to write a good poem, it must be poured out from the deepest part of the heart. It is very evident in the writing here. It was raw and intimate, telling of the griefs and the little things that we don't often pay attention to.
It's great to read a poem and find that you relate to it in ways that even you yourself cannot form into sentences. I felt that way when reading the poem "Rain" and "Trust Not Your Broken Heart". If you're looking for poems that makes you want to reflect, appreciate the many aspects of your life and to be open about the way you feel, this is the collection for you.
This review was first posted on http://skavansieur.blogspot.com/2018/...
3.5 STARS
A collection of poems that shares about highs and lows of life.
Carol has a way with words that makes you think deeply about this life that we live. There were poems that dealt with loss, missing someone, faith and love - many different aspects that makes us, us.
I believe that if anyone were to write a good poem, it must be poured out from the deepest part of the heart. It is very evident in the writing here. It was raw and intimate, telling of the griefs and the little things that we don't often pay attention to.
It's great to read a poem and find that you relate to it in ways that even you yourself cannot form into sentences. I felt that way when reading the poem "Rain" and "Trust Not Your Broken Heart". If you're looking for poems that makes you want to reflect, appreciate the many aspects of your life and to be open about the way you feel, this is the collection for you.
This review was first posted on http://skavansieur.blogspot.com/2018/...
December 22, 2019
This is my first poetry book after a very very long time.
Truth to tell you, I don't really like reading poetry, because I have such sad mindset which I would very much like to control all the time and reading poetry, would mess with that.
But as I said, it's been awhile. So when UntitledBC organized a review program, where Carol offered free arc in exchange for honest review, I jumped at the opportunity.
This book made me cry several time. My mental health is bad this year so I decided to read when I was really tired to feel more.
I found the excerpt that moved me most, is about how your love wasn't appreciate enough by the people you gave your heart and the people you let your guard down and you just gotta accepted it.
This book would hold a special place in my heart and my sad sad thoughts.
Truth to tell you, I don't really like reading poetry, because I have such sad mindset which I would very much like to control all the time and reading poetry, would mess with that.
But as I said, it's been awhile. So when UntitledBC organized a review program, where Carol offered free arc in exchange for honest review, I jumped at the opportunity.
This book made me cry several time. My mental health is bad this year so I decided to read when I was really tired to feel more.
I found the excerpt that moved me most, is about how your love wasn't appreciate enough by the people you gave your heart and the people you let your guard down and you just gotta accepted it.
"And maybe, I still do care for them,
Am I a person who is not fit to live and be happy?
Give me some love or just let me be?
and really my beating heart still aches,"
This book would hold a special place in my heart and my sad sad thoughts.
November 10, 2020
Firstly, this book amazed me because it is written by local author and i am really proud of her. Thank you and congratulations Carol!! 🥰
I love the collection of poems that she write because it’s related to my life, what i have been through as a young adult. Sometimes, what you read can somehow heals you emotionally and spiritually. And that happened to me when i read this book. I believe this book brings life and hope to those who read it.
Love the moods, the style of writings, the choice of the words that the author used to describe what life is. As for me, the author has successfully delivered her message through the poems.
Favorite poem : trust not your broken heart 💔
Indeed, the world is a dark and lovely place. ❤️
I love the collection of poems that she write because it’s related to my life, what i have been through as a young adult. Sometimes, what you read can somehow heals you emotionally and spiritually. And that happened to me when i read this book. I believe this book brings life and hope to those who read it.
Love the moods, the style of writings, the choice of the words that the author used to describe what life is. As for me, the author has successfully delivered her message through the poems.
Favorite poem : trust not your broken heart 💔
Indeed, the world is a dark and lovely place. ❤️
August 9, 2018
I was sent a copy of this collection by the author in exchange for an honest review. I’m not the biggest poetry lover, I am not an expert by any means but I do know what I like. I liked this collection very much. It spoke to me and made me feel in a way that only a few collections can. It is modest but at the same time encompassing. The poem Words was a highlight for me. I certainly recommend picking this up!
March 26, 2020
I like the all the poetry, pretty easy to read and understand the meaning. I can sense the author write this poem in sense of thing thats she feel and happens in her life. I specifically like the poem "Rain" and "Beautiful friend".
February 1, 2020
3.5/5 stars.
October 11, 2021
If you are looking for a new poetry book then have a look here- The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place by Carol Chu Mei Yin is Captivating, interesting, and vivid collection of poetry. And for sure worth reading ,I liked the writing style, simple words with pleasing metaphors used creatively, some poems are really relatable and heart-touching. If you want some kind of real poems and don't want them to end in a blink then grab this beautiful book.It is intriguing, you won't regret having it. ✨
September 12, 2019
5 STARS
*An e-ARC was given by Carol in exchange for an honest review.
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a poetry collection that is relatable. It reflects on the joys, blessings, goodness yet also the backstab, death, loneliness and pain that we feel in our lives.
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a poetry collection that I really enjoyed when I read it the second time when I was in a completely different state of mind. I’ve read it once last year back in October 2018 (almost a year from now, wow!) during its’ initial time of publication but now Carol has added more poems.
It’s a bit strange for me since I am able to relate to it more now and love it a lot more than I did last year. Throughout the whole time I read this poetry collection, I noted down the poems that I liked and there were a total of 11 poems. Some were because of how I could relate it back to my life and how I feel, some were just so fun to read as it rolls off my tongue and the poems were worded beautifully.
Last year, I loved “Rain” and “Trust Not Your Broken Heart”. This year, I have a longer list. Some of my new favourites are “The Hearkened Heart”, “A Friend”, “To Love in Doubt”, “All Those Times I Caught You Unawares”, “Comfort Remains In Places That We Used To Know”, “It Was But A Shadow Of Words I Thought”, “In The Pages Of The World Only Known To Bookworms”, “An Ode To Books”, “There Is No One In This World Like My Papa” and “The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place 2”.
It’s strange to be reading a book the second time around and witness your growth from there and relate to things you couldn’t before. I believe that’s why I loved this poetry collection so much.
*An e-ARC was given by Carol in exchange for an honest review.
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a poetry collection that is relatable. It reflects on the joys, blessings, goodness yet also the backstab, death, loneliness and pain that we feel in our lives.
The World is a Dark and Lovely Place is a poetry collection that I really enjoyed when I read it the second time when I was in a completely different state of mind. I’ve read it once last year back in October 2018 (almost a year from now, wow!) during its’ initial time of publication but now Carol has added more poems.
It’s a bit strange for me since I am able to relate to it more now and love it a lot more than I did last year. Throughout the whole time I read this poetry collection, I noted down the poems that I liked and there were a total of 11 poems. Some were because of how I could relate it back to my life and how I feel, some were just so fun to read as it rolls off my tongue and the poems were worded beautifully.
Last year, I loved “Rain” and “Trust Not Your Broken Heart”. This year, I have a longer list. Some of my new favourites are “The Hearkened Heart”, “A Friend”, “To Love in Doubt”, “All Those Times I Caught You Unawares”, “Comfort Remains In Places That We Used To Know”, “It Was But A Shadow Of Words I Thought”, “In The Pages Of The World Only Known To Bookworms”, “An Ode To Books”, “There Is No One In This World Like My Papa” and “The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place 2”.
It’s strange to be reading a book the second time around and witness your growth from there and relate to things you couldn’t before. I believe that’s why I loved this poetry collection so much.
April 13, 2021
I’m excited to talk about my favorite things in this book—the imagery and wordplay.
I thoroughly love the fantasy-style images in and rhythmic flow of “The Breaking Of The Fellowship”, as well as the purpose and message of “When Dreams Come”. Of course, I always love poems about books & “In The Pages Of The World Only Known To Bookworms” connected with me on a personal, book lover level.
Carol has a unique voice where her poems overall seem simple in their topic/message/etc but if you look deeper, there’s so many more elements that stand out. There are things like contrasting images (that work well together), alliteration, close and loose rhymes, and more. These things just blend into Carol’s poems in a beautiful way & I really appreciated them!
However, there is one thing I stumbled with...some of the phrasing of the lines. When ALL the lines worked together, the poem was incredible! But there were places where I’m not sure if the wording went over my head, if I didn’t understand the intention, or something like that. I think some of the poems in this book, if maybe tweaked a bit, would read like some award-winning poems I’ve read.
Overall though, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I think Carol’s style & perspective is beautiful. I’m interested to see what else she produces!
I thoroughly love the fantasy-style images in and rhythmic flow of “The Breaking Of The Fellowship”, as well as the purpose and message of “When Dreams Come”. Of course, I always love poems about books & “In The Pages Of The World Only Known To Bookworms” connected with me on a personal, book lover level.
Carol has a unique voice where her poems overall seem simple in their topic/message/etc but if you look deeper, there’s so many more elements that stand out. There are things like contrasting images (that work well together), alliteration, close and loose rhymes, and more. These things just blend into Carol’s poems in a beautiful way & I really appreciated them!
However, there is one thing I stumbled with...some of the phrasing of the lines. When ALL the lines worked together, the poem was incredible! But there were places where I’m not sure if the wording went over my head, if I didn’t understand the intention, or something like that. I think some of the poems in this book, if maybe tweaked a bit, would read like some award-winning poems I’ve read.
Overall though, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I think Carol’s style & perspective is beautiful. I’m interested to see what else she produces!
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