Reviews

A review of “Raising Sparks” by Michael Symmons
Mark Noonan
 
Raising Sparks by Michael Symmons Roberts is one of the most valuable books I own. He is a poet with a 
clear, unequivocal voice that looks not at the world, but through it. His poetry is a disassembly of the 
moment, of what makes us feel most alive. ‘Smithereens’ is the source of the book’s title, a poem about 
the Hasidic Jewish story of creation and how the power of God’s light smashed the vessel in which we 
were intended to live. 
 

It is life’s goal to find all the pieces of this vessel, to remake it. The poem creates a magical, fantastic

field in which these “sparks” are found in innocence, raised and celebrated. His poetry, though often

narrative, displays a gift for choosing vivid words. The poet doesn’t just create images in the mind of

the reader; he burns them there from the first reading. Sometimes his free verse reads like Robert Browning,

run-on lines flowing so rapidly you can barely keep up (‘A Free Lunch’). The opening poem, ‘Expecting’

is an example of the intricate planning involved in his poetry. Something confusing and a little unusual

is created in the poem, until the closing lines when he shows you “these are the pieces . . .now this is the picture.”

He can command a penny to stop mid-air and wait until he wants it to drop.

The poems of Michael Symmons Roberts mirror the view of the world they portray –

simple, then complicated, then simple again.

Review of “Goodnight Lady” by Martina Cole
Una Ryan
 
“Hired out” in the most despicable sense of the word as a child, simply to provide her family with an income, 
Briony Cavanagh battled for survival from childhood. “Goodnight Lady” tells the story of a woman who struggled
 for everything and paid heavily for every battle she won. For almost a century, London’s underworld felt the
imprint of the Cavanagh fist. Owner of many brothels, queen of London’s underworld, and possessor of untold 
pain and sorrow, Briony progresses from motherhood at 13 to a life of mistrust and loathing of men, while keeping
up a hardened front at all times. Loved by few, feared by many and deeply cynical, Briony’s first priority was 
keeping herself, and her family, out of financial hardship.
 
“Goodnight Lady” is an easy to read novel (not always a bad thing!), with no pseudo intellectual plotline and 
sufficient emotive imagery to keep the reader’s attention through many repeated readings. Brutal attacks, murder, 
and glimpses of a lost little girl behind a rock-hard facade touched a cord with me, and – although I can’t guarantee 
it wasn’t just hormones – some scenes couldn’t help but bring a tear to my eye. A novel I initially dismissed as a 
‘beach read’, or the type of book you buy for your holiday and lose on the aeroplane or donate to Oxfam when 
you get home, “Goodnight Lady” is moving – in an extremely basic, unchallenging manner. Not quite light-hearted, 
but an entertaining and undemanding book to read. Worth a look.

Review of Belfield bus timetable.

Cathy McFadden

I first came across this masterpiece as I passed the services desk while in the process of vacating the Arts building to begin my journey home. That is just one of the places that this book can take you. It is a fantastic journal on the volatile nature of public transport, adventures of the non-rail variety that I would recommend to all.

My first impression was of the conspicuous yet precise prologue placed on the front cover in a new age minimalist style, fitting perfectly with the geometrically astute curvature displayed on the front cover and in the over all design and layout. At first I was not endeared by this notion but I slowly came around to its informative nature, corresponding with the remaining parts of the literatureReview of Belfield bus timetable.

The inner content is informative, exciting and well laid out. The pop up nature is reminiscent of one’s childhood and so takes you home in more ways than one. This map-like spread also reinforces the idea of a traveller and the navigation involved. While writing in a largely linear time frame the time line is rediscovered through many different perspectives giving the piece increased resonance. The epilogue is entirely appropriate leading on from the time line and preparing one for a sequel. Of particular note are the appendices which expand on the previous themes and add another level of analysis to the plot and characters’ points of view. A literary masterpiece I would recommend to all.