Thursday 14 May 2015

Darkness & Decadence




Signed copies of Darkness & Decadence - the début poetry collection by Lynn Gerrard priced at £5.99 are available (priced inclusive of postage below) by clicking on the Paypal BUY NOW button for your area.

The book is also available unsigned on Amazon in paperback and of course there is a Kindle version too.


Please note that the prices below include postage to seperate regions. Please only use the BUY NOW button relevant to where you live (e.g. France - the European Delivery button or America - the International Delivery button).


UK Delivery: £8.99 P&P Inclusive.


Price includes UK Postage



European Delivery: £9.99 P&P Inclusive.




Price includes Europe Postage



International Delivery: £11.99 P&P Inclusive.


Includes International Postage







A full review of Lynn's Live Spoken Word Show of 'Darkness & Decadence' can be found on the online blog ralphslife.co.uk






Amazon review by: Bodica

"When I found out this long-awaited collection was out at last I bought it straight away and wasn't disappointed. I loved this collection of dark gargoylian grumblings from the poetress Lynn Gerrard. Lynn takes humankind and lays open every hidden emotion. She made me laugh, made me sad and then made me laugh again. A fabulous collection of emotive prose which can be read again and again to find new depths."


Amazon review by: sagababe

"This is the long awaited debut volume of the poet's work. I have been a fan of her poems for several years, but they have only been available to read on her blog. It is rare to find a poet comfortable in so many formats: tiny exquisite micro-poems glitter like jewels. Descriptive poems paint pictures in your head that linger well after you have closed the book. Longer 'political' or social poems have you nodding in agreement. This is a volume to read at leisure, or to devour in one sitting. But however you choose to access her work, you will return to re read and savour it. Recommended."


Amazon review by: Peter Davey

What struck me first about Lynn Gerrard’s wonderful collection of poems ‘Darkness and Decadence’ is that it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. So many contemporary poets just sound like different versions of each other, with their studied, self-consciously poetic language and desperate, gimmicky strivings after originality. Lynn Gerrard just tells it how it is, straight from the shoulder, without a hint of poetic posturing – and thus her poems are accessible to everyone. In many of them, she does what she has already become notorious for on social media – taking our deepest and darkest childhood nightmares and blasting them with her humour. 

One of my favourites is ‘An Appointment with Death’ where the Grim Reaper comes into the doctor’s surgery to pick up his anti-depressants. If Death can be seen as a ridiculous figure we all recognise, why should we fear him? Other poems, such as ‘How Quiet the Grave’, handle similar themes but always in a tone that, however macabre, is faintly tongue-in-cheek. God may not be able to redeem us, she seems to say (I don’t think she has much time for God) but humour can. Others poems, such as ‘The Lovers’, are wry comments on everyday life. 

Others are beautiful and poignant reflections on things we all share and recognise – relationships, separation, betrayal, creativity and the fragility of human love. Then there’s the hypocrisy of politics, religion and materialism – nothing escapes Lynn Gerrard’s pen. One of the most poignant – ‘A Dragon and a Gargoyle’ - mourns the popularity of the old storybooks that used to fire children’s imaginations. Despite the huge canvas, Lynn’s voice throughout is one of honesty, compassion and humanity as well as her irresistible humour. 

She also has a considerable talent for performing her own work – so far I’ve only seen her on YouTube but would love to see her live one day. I can thoroughly recommend this beautiful collection and can’t wait to see how her work, and her career, develop.

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