Poems and Prose Rossetti

Christina Rossetti is such an amazing poet! I am not usually one for poetry, but her writing gave such depth to her private thoughts. The book itself is very nicely put together, with line numbers and notes. I think this is just a very lovely book for anyone who wants to become more worldly/cultured/exposed.

This is a fantastic collection of the oft-overlooked poet, Christina Rossetti. I had ordered it at a bookstore, at first thinking I had ordered another book. When it came I was pleasantly surprised. It was much better than the one I thought I had ordered! The timeline and biography that editor Jan Marsh provides at the beginning of the book are invaluable. The book, as the title suggests, is divided into two sections--poetry and prose. What is not indicated is that included in Rossetti's short fiction are some of her letters which grant a bit of insight into her character. As for the fiction, it is evident that if Rossetti had turned her focus in that direction, she could have established a fine writing career. "Commonplace" rivals any of Jane Austen's work, with its wit and insightful charactersation. The poetry section provides a variety of poems that prove Christina Rossetti one of the finest Victorian poets. Ranging from more well-known pieces like "Goblin Market", "Pilgrim's Progress" and the Monna Innominata sonnet sequence; to her less-read poems for children, this edition brings a wide variety of Rossetti's best work together. I highly recommend it.

I would like to say read Christina Rossetti! She's very underappreciated. Her poetry is lyrical and musical with a kind of magic about it. Simple yet elegant. And her themes are on the surface "Victorian" but her sincerity and honesty are refreshing.