Fionnáin reviewed Autobiography of Red (Cape Poetry) by Anne Carson
No word is wasted
5 stars
This book is a marvel. It's a story told in poem form, reimagining an ancient Greek tale in the 1990s. The protagonist Geryon is a monster who sees only red and has wings, although this is mostly unimportant. More than this, he is an awkward male archetype who feels a bit like a character from a John Waters film.
The story keeps circling back to volcanoes, and their role in Geryon's life. And his relationships with family and lovers help steer this obsession with a return to red. I think Carson is a wonderful writer; Every word is carefully chosen, and I read this book with pure joy.
This book is a marvel. It's a story told in poem form, reimagining an ancient Greek tale in the 1990s. The protagonist Geryon is a monster who sees only red and has wings, although this is mostly unimportant. More than this, he is an awkward male archetype who feels a bit like a character from a John Waters film.
The story keeps circling back to volcanoes, and their role in Geryon's life. And his relationships with family and lovers help steer this obsession with a return to red. I think Carson is a wonderful writer; Every word is carefully chosen, and I read this book with pure joy.