Rating: 
Summary: A moving tribute, although perhaps not great poetry
Review: This volume of poetry, although not "cutting-edge" poetic work to which we are accustomed from the UK's poet laureate, is moving, touching, very approachable, and written at a level that a lay-reader can appreciate. I do not believe that Hughes is the "devil incarnate" responsible for Sylvia's emotional problems ... some of the other reviewers here are completely hung-up, decades later, on assigning Hughes the responsibility for Plath's suicide (not that she didn't already have some psychological problems going in). How about judging Hughes for his own emotions & literary merit. It's not like he ruined the life of 8 friends, singlehandedly, like Elia Kazan. It's not like he was a rapist, like Arthur Koestler.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book written by obnoxious adelterous man
Review: Yes, I have given it 5 stars ?!?! Because the poetry written by him is brilliant as always. This man, perhaps the best poets of all time, was blessed with incredible talent, but was digustingly unapologetic of his adultery and insensitivity. Some here have said that Sylvia was was singularly responsible for death alone?? How dare you! Do not be blinded by his wonderful poetry into overlooking his harsh nature that largely worsened Sylvia's condition.
I am sorry, but even if Sylvia had been a 'nagging' wife as he had claimed, hell, even if she was the most nagging woman in the world, when she was at the VERY depths of her severe depression, not only did he declare that he was leaving her for life, but he also said that the time he had spent with her was the WORST time of his life, and that he had ALWAYS wanted to leave, and was ALWAYS adelterous throughout her marriage. He also said "I was hoping you had killed yourself already. Atleast I could sell this house then."
Some people say that "Sylvia made her own choice". I am sorry, but when words like this are told to a person who was already feeling so suicidal, she HAS NO CHOICE. Had Mr. Hughes been just a BIT more responsible and sensitive of Sylvia's immense pain and miserable condition then,and TONED DOWN HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS I believe that Ms. Plath would still be alive today.BOTH his wives, had killed themselves in despair of his harshness, and despite his so-known "grief" and "undying love" for them, he kept having affairs with other women by the minute, unto his death. How shameful. This book makes an absolutely terrific read, but DONT use this to exonerate him.
Rating: 
Summary: A hoax...
Review: Yes, there are some great lines - a master like Hughes probably couldn't help himself. But I have to agree with Katha Pollit: the sum of the whole adds up for me as a podium from which to cast self-serving stone after self-serving stone. My most immediate impression is that Hughes has woven the more infamous threads of Plath's poetry with threads of her journals and biographies to create the cloth of a relationship to "love" and "ephiphany" that is somewhat akin to the emperor's new clothes.
|
