I’ve never read this poet before, but I really enjoyed this collection. The viewpoints as well as the craft that is contained within this book are well worth the visit — insightful and powerful verse.

Sleepers Awake by Oli Hazzard, in short, was not for me. An avid reader of poetry, particularly contemporary poetry experimenting with form and hybridity, the description of Sleepers Awake seemed right up my street. Instead, I found what I'd personally describe as self-indulgent poetry that becomes so digressive that it is difficult for any reader to connect with it.

Hazzard's lines are either run-on to the point of running out of steam and meaning, or terse and empty. At every point there was a disjointed and disharmony that rendered reading utterly dull. If an attempt to make some sort of point, it fails to do so because of the aforementioned digression. I didn't feel called to ponder, to analyse, or consider. I didn't feel like Hazzard was truly ever saying anything.

A disappointment that others may find ground-breaking but it honestly feels like a response to the unnecessary criticism of 'popular' poetry and thus has become a caricature of itself.

This is a modern day poetry. It's not an Instagram poetry, or old school one.
It's Oli's own style, unique, different, at times hard to understand, yet fresh, full of layers, textures, different sounds of words. It's all over the place, yet, it makes sense, somehow. It describes reality, harsh at times. It describes the city life.
It would be perfect to read during the fall, not summer or spring. You need to be in a mood for it- at times, weird, and have an open mind.
I wanted to experience something out of the box, and got it. It's 3,5 stars.
This is a Net Gallery shelf ARC.

Reading "Sleepers Awake" left me feeling confused and uncertain. The book explores the pain of forgetting and the unexpected opportunities it brings, but I struggled to understand their connection.

The poems are characterized as satirical, allusive, tender, and hopeful. I encountered some difficulty in fully grasping their intended meaning.

If you enjoy poetry that requires deep thinking and complex interpretation, you might find something in this collection. However, if you prefer clearer and more straightforward poetry, this book might be difficult to understand. Overall, "Sleepers Awake" left me feeling like I missed the point and was not able to fully appreciate its depth, its lyrical quality and emotional resonance are commendable.

Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me this ARC.

I’m just gonna be honest: I have absolutely no idea what I just read. The prose was… way over my head? Maybe I’m just not smart enough for this book? Because of my continuous confusion, I have to rate it three stars.

I appreciate the thought and time that went into this collection, though!

(Thank you, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)