natashak1's Reviews (265)

I'm not quite sure how to rate a selection of poems from other works, but I'll go with "poems are all brilliant, go together pretty well considering it's not an original collection, no real complaints". 

That was much, much weirder than I expected it to be. Pretty good, but lacking something I can't quite figure out. Maybe it's that the main character is the sort of person you aren't really meant to identify with, but while I enjoyed it while I was reading, I doubt I'll be coming back to this at any point.

As a whole, an enjoyable take on an interesting premise. The idea behind the book is much more interesting than the plot in of itself, which is both the fault of and a credit to the short and fast paced structure. 

All in all, the plot, however, is somewhat lacking. The narrow insight is suited for a POV from just one character who is largely an outsider to the rest of the world, but leaves a lot of sparse world building and plotlines to seem a little overlooked.

Luckily, the themes and ideas behind the whole thing are much more substantial and well thought through. 

More important that any aspect of the book isolation, though, is the afterword. 
After finishing the final chapter, with its abstract takes on daily life, reading the authors words about his own illness and mortality is so much more poignant than any extract from the book itself, except perhaps that final chapter. 

Not necessarily what I expected, but worth a read, all the same.

Oh wow, I really wasn't expecting this to be so good that I finished it in half a day, but here we are. Just so gorgeous. I can't describe it in any other way.

Definitely my favourite Armitage collection I've read, the premise alone puts it into high regard and the mix of free verse and more traditional poems sets the pacing very nicely.

Not the most refined of Kings books but I do stand by the fact that the shorter the work of his the better.

Simon Armitage is probably my favourite poet, certainly my favourite living poet, and this is my favourite complete collection of his. An eclectic mix of projects culminating in my favourite of the bunch, The Brink. 
My copy is battered and full of sticky tabs, which is usually a good sign. Definitely best read aloud.

Well written, and with a scope that almost outstrips its 800 pages. Luckily the pacing just about manages to smooth out any rough patches. The characters are all brilliant, and despite some trope-y bits the overall plot was refreshing enough to overlook the classic fantasy story beats that made their way into the book.