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  • Writer's pictureDanielle Holian

Book Feature: Carol Chu Mei Yin ‘The World is a Dark and Lovely Place’


BOOK REVIEW

“Circumstances produce something in us that make us hate and grow apart.”


The World is a Dark and Lovely Place, is a collection of poems written by Carol Chu Mei Yin since she was 19.


Opening with the title poem, it sets the tone of what’s yet to come with endearing writing. As the book progresses, the beautiful poetry embraces the reader to flow through the pages intriguingly with just over 100 pages, it’s full of outstanding stories the writer penned effortlessly.


There’s a great pace to follow along to revealing excellent poems that are heartfelt with curiosity on where the book will take the reader. When sadness is present, there’s a sense of gratitude with resonating storytelling finding pieces of ourselves in-between what’s on the paper. There’s a great flow in mood changing through the book as some poems hit deep in the feels from touching on insecurities, uncertainties, to wholesomesomely not feeling in tune with oneself, it’s a powerful read from beginning to end.


With poems displaying how we sometimes hold back on ourselves when worrying rather than becoming free to let what others say and think be dismissed, the poetry contains some empowering moments that leave a memorable mark. And while reminiscing on memories, there’s enchanting poems dedicated to her parents.


There's a burning passion present for the writer's art with words exposing as she pours her heart out in a sensational way. Although there's many poems that appear all doom and gloom, there's elements of this particular book that's needed in the poetry market today, being imaginative and real. It's a captivating read that when finishing the last book there's a sense of reading parts here and there that will inspire the reader all over again.


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. Her 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 her own.


Words by Danielle Holian


INTERVIEW


Tell us a bit about your writing background.


I started writing when I was maybe like 9 years old, just bits and pieces of some stories together with my elder brother Ben who illustrated some of the scenes of the story. One of our story series was The Exciting Six featuring 6 children with superpowers. For poetry or poems, I started writing them in my teenage years. I do write throughout my adult years too but progress was slow because I procrastinate often. Actually deep inside me, I think my calling is to write and publish a full-length novel but due to me having problems in writing the endings for some of my stories, I could never completely write a story or a novel in complete because the ending would be so lame. That was how I started writing poetry and if you notice, some of my poetry/poems are actually short stories of a sort.


What, or who, inspired you to start writing?


I started reading Enid Blyton's books from a very young age and am amazed at the worlds she created. Somehow this author (a stranger) inspired me to start writing. Although now some of my peers commented that my favourite author wrote such elitist, sexist and racist books, but I as a reader of her books can safely say that I'm a balanced, open-minded and well-rounded person (or you can be the judge of that, if you meet and know me in person).

And what influenced your poetry book The World is a Dark and Lovely Place?


My poetry book was inspired by Robert Frost's last stanza of the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. I love it so much and wish that there were more to it. Therefore I wrote this book. Also I'm a fan of Emily Dickinson's works though I need to read more of what she wrote.

How do you find the balance between writing about your own personal experiences and exploring topics that may not necessarily be autobiographical, but still speak to so many people?


To be honest, when I wrote about my own personal experiences I tried to make it more relatable to others by making it not too personal. I was figuring that if I chose to write it too personally then maybe a day would come where I'd write a memoir of my life.


What makes a piece of your writing right to post on your Instagram, versus the ones that stay in the book only?


I only started my Instagram after I published my first poetry book, The World Is A Dark And Lovely Place. My poems used to be up on websites like Hello Poetry before I published them as an ebook or physically as a paperback but I took most of them down once my book got published.


And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?


Keep on writing even though what you write is not perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect book until the day you've completed writing one.

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