Reviews


REVIEWS

London Grip review of HALF OTHER.

Reviewed by Emma Storr

“this astonishing, moving poetry collection that speaks to the pain and pleasure of twinship”

London Grip Poetry Review – Peter Wallis

 

 

Poetry School review of HALF OTHER

Reviewed by Nicola Healey

Review Essay – Half Other by Peter Wallis

 

 

 

“Have just read, cover to cover, Articles of Twinship, by Peter Wallis,

runner-up of Bare Fiction’s 2015 Collection Competition.  I love it.

Witty, profound, sharp, always accessible poems about growing up

as a twin. Not an ounce of self-indulgence in this collection at all,

just great, intelligent, spare poetry that had me contemplating,

and laughing out loud. Edited by Robert Harper, it can be bought from . . .”

http://www.barefictionmagazine.co.uk/buy/books/articles-of-twinship

-by-peter-wallis/

Keith Hutson.

 

 

 

 

The delight of double doubles (Ramona Herdman)

 

and

Nostalgia for twins and school (Helena Nelson)

https://www.sphinxreview.co.uk/index.php/opoi-reviews-2016/124-peter-wallis-articles-of-twinship-2-reviews

 

Sphinx

Poetry Pamphlet Reviews & Features

Run by HappenStance Press

 

 

 

CRITICS

 

“gorgeous, lyrical and heartbreaking poems of twinship, the body; life as something tentative as well as tender”

  • Andrew McMillan

 

 

“You’re quite obviously a good poet . . . you know your stuff . . .”

  • Neil Rollinson

 

 

“These are fine poems, an example of less is more. You let the poem speak.”

  • Gillian Clarke

 

 

“This feels like a fully realised poem, a confident piece of work that avoids cliché and sentimentality; the language sings with half-rhymes and euphony and the rhythm feels heartfelt and personal.”

  • Ian McMillan (Lest They Forget)

 

 

“The poem is really moving and precise in its evocation of loss. A worthy winner . . . ”

  • Esther Morgan (Lest They Forget)

 

 

“ . . . Wordplay densely, but briskly witty . . . “

–  Michael Hulse

 

 

“’Compost Heap’ is dark and starkly powerful.  A relationship on the edge, and the chill is in the detail. . .”

  • Roger McGough

 

 

“I was extremely struck by a poem called “Pencil”, that was included in the leaflet (Poems in the Waiting Room) about two years ago.  I thought it was about perfect.”

  • Dominic Eliot

 

 

“There is real live stuff here. . . You have fierce, accurate perceptions.”

“Compost Heap, yes, best of all I think. The juxtapositions provide small shocks and the detail is absolutely precise. . . It’s a very good poem.”

  • Meg Peacock

 

 

“I must praise you for your children’s anthology – I read the whole lot, bloody brilliant.” (Ways of Looking)

 

“Wow! Extraordinary. Powerful. Memorable.” (In the Small Hours)

 

“Another fine and extraordinary poem.” (A Candle for Joan)

 

‘Splendid – kept wanting to re-read it.  The final line is a triumph.’ (Blush)

 

‘The poem itself (and what I assume it means) makes me weep.”(Pacemaker)

 

“I think this is absolutely stunning  –  literally grabbed me and held me and made me re-read it again and again.  There are so many wonderful images… (Voyeur)

 

“Wow  –  powerful stuff here  – and truly chilling.  Makes me think of Prufrock . . .  (Boxing Day)

 

“Incredibly poignant  –  was almost moved to tears reading it  –  and the last line is a triumph!” (Kitchen Knife)

 

“A really powerful, jugular gnawing piece with wonderful imagery and metaphors!” (Barn Owl)

  • Hilary Mellon

 

 

 

“I would only draw the reader’s attention to the sharp and unforgettable imagery, the economy of expression, and first and last lines which click immediately into one’s private anthology of memorabilia. I like ‘Blackbird’ not only for its neatness and originality, but for the writer’s own ‘fine tuning’ of his work.”

  • Derek Parker

 

 

“As rich and layered as the compost heap it ostensibly talks about, this poem follows the metaphor beyond the breaking down and through to the nourishing heart of the heap and (for me) lays claim to a deep imperfect love.”

 Matt Harvey