Joyce's First Book

Chamber Music by James Joyce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This small collection of lyric poems, first published in 1907, has a good deal going for it. Joyce clearly had command of meter, and most lines are very musical to the reading ear. I am surprised that there is little innovation or creativity of language, but there are no forced rhymes and everything seems to flow smoothly. There are no wasted words or phrases. Though there are some nice lines and nice sentiments, the collection, as a whole, is merely that: nice. I'm sure any lover would be thrilled to receive one of these poems from a beloved. However, there is little that is special or memorable.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed Chamber Music. This is a fine read for a rainy day and a warm cup of tea. But not much more.

Get the book at Gutenberg for free here. More information about the book can be found here.

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