April is National Poetry Month, which has always been a favorite for me -- not only do I enjoy scribbling lines of verse, and reading it (of course!), but it happens in
April. That glorious month when it's starting to be warm more than it's cold, the days are longer, and the world is not only green but blooming as well. (In case you couldn't tell, I have a serious case of spring fever!) There's something about spring that gets in your blood, making the everyday sparkle and shine in a way that just beckons for verbal expression. Starting to see the connection, in my mind, to Poetry Month?
In the last few years, I've started to appreciate a new form of poetry -- the verse novel. While I haven't read a
lot of verse novels, those I have read I've enjoyed greatly. If you've never read one before, it's a novel-length story told entirely in poems. Sort of like really short chapters (although some are shockingly long), but with all the rhythms and patterns of poetry. And like that broad spectrum of "poetry," verse novels feature a variety of poem types - even within the same novel. It adds a whole new level of artistic expression to storytelling, and can make for a surprisingly enjoyable read. On the other hand, sometimes the restraints of verse for telling such a long story can be frustrating. With such short "chapters" it can be harder to get to know characters, or keep up with the pacing. Here's where it's desperately important to have a good writer at the helm.
Two of my favorites are Terra Elan McVoy's
After the Kiss and Lisa Schroeder's
The Day Before, both YA novels (and both published by Simon Pulse, coincidentally). In each of these novels, the use of poetry to tell the story builds tension, creating emotional connections and adding depth and even a little mystery.
Verse novels appear to be a growing trend in YA literature (
Ellen Hopkins' novels are hugely popular), which I find rather interesting, and I look forward to exploring more ... I have a historical fiction verse novel about the journey of Lewis & Clark sitting on my To Read shelf, and there are a lot of contemporary novels being written in verse.
What about you? Have you read any novels in verse and/or have any recommendations?
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