Crush

by Richard Siken
Crush cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Poetry
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Paperback • £12.99–£15.99 Hardback • £28.00
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Technical
  • ID: 1497
  • Added: 2025-10-07
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • ISBN: 9780300107210
  • Published: 2005-01-01
  • Formats: 16
  • Reviews: 4

Crush is a powerful collection of poems that fearlessly explores the depths of obsession. The poems are confessional, revealing the raw and unfiltered emotions of the poet, yet they are also graceful and savage in their execution. This collection is a testament to the poet's ability to capture the complexities of human emotion in a way that is both intimate and universal. The language is vivid and evocative, drawing the reader into a world of intense feeling and deep introspection. /n/n The poems in Crush are not just about obsession; they are about the human condition itself. They delve into the darker aspects of love, desire, and longing, but they also celebrate the beauty and strength that can be found in these experiences. The collection is a journey through the highs and lows of the human heart, and it is a journey that will leave readers both moved and transformed.

Reviews
roofbeamreader.com · 2022-07-29
excellent 4.00

The collection avoids the pitfalls of repetitive and predictable material, making it a triumph of emotional depth and complexity. The reviewer appreciates the raw and confessional nature of the poetry.

This reviewer admires how Crush avoids the common pitfalls of obsessive material, such as becoming boring or repetitive. They see it as a triumph in its ability to maintain emotional depth and complexity throughout. The reviewer appreciates the raw and confessional nature of the poetry, which they find both compelling and authentic. They highlight how Siken's ability to capture intense emotions makes the collection a powerful and unforgettable read. The reviewer suggests that Crush is a book that will resonate with anyone who appreciates poetry that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Quick quotes

    The risk of obsessive material is that it may get boring, repetitious, predictable, shrill. And the triumph of Crush is that it writhes and ...

    Crush's complexity comes from the way the book revives confessional poetry with a new terror—a complexity lost on the reader who wants to know ...

    Each poem leaves you breathless like a punch to the emotional solar plexus

Long River Review · 2021-03-17
powerful 4.50

The book is described as raw and tender, with each poem delivering an emotional punch. The reviewer emphasizes the powerful and unforgettable impact of the collection.

This reviewer describes Crush as a collection that is both raw and tender, with each poem leaving a lasting emotional impact. They compare the experience of reading the poems to receiving a punch to the emotional solar plexus, highlighting the intensity and depth of the emotions conveyed. The reviewer emphasizes how the collection is unforgettable and highly recommended for its powerful and moving content.

Quick quotes

    This book is raw; it's tender, both like an embrace and a wound

    each poem leaves you breathless like a punch to the emotional solar plexus

    The poems in Crush are raw, tender, and deeply moving.

falwriting.com · 2020-03-16
brilliant 4.50

The collection is hailed as one of the greatest of the 21st century, with a raw and powerful emotional impact that captivates readers. The poetry is described as passionate, tender, and deeply moving.

This reviewer believes that Crush is not just a standout work by Richard Siken but possibly one of the most significant poetry collections of the 21st century. They emphasize how the book's raw and powerful emotional impact makes it a must-read. The poetry is seen as deeply personal and tender, with a ferocity that draws readers in and leaves a lasting impression. The reviewer suggests that anyone who reads Crush will be moved by its passion and intensity.

Quick quotes

    Hands down Siken's best work and perhaps one of the greatest collection of poems of the 21st century

    The poetry is confessional, gay, savage, and charged with violent eroticism

    Siken writes with ferocity, and his reader hurtles unstoppably with him

minnesotareview.wordpress.com · 2015-02-14
great 4.00

The book transformed the reviewer's perception of poetry, making it something passionate and tender. This collection is described as a powerful and emotionally charged experience.

This reviewer found that Crush completely changed their view of poetry, making it something that feels passionate and tender. They highlight how the collection is filled with raw emotion and powerful imagery that resonates deeply. The reviewer suggests that Crush is a book that stays with you long after you've finished reading, leaving a lasting impact. They appreciate the way Siken's poetry captures the complexity of human emotions in a way that is both intimate and universal.

Quick quotes

    Richard Siken's Crush changed poetry for me; after reading this book, poetry suddenly became something that was passionate, tender, and ...

    This book is raw; it's tender, both like an embrace and a wound, and each poem leaves you breathless like a punch to the emotional solar plexus

    The risk of obsessive material is that it may get boring, repetitious, predictable, shrill. And the triumph of Crush is that it writhes and ...

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