Magnetic Equator

by Kaie Kellough
Magnetic Equator cover
Good Books rating 4.5
Poetry
Technical
  • ID: 1603
  • Added: 2025-10-08
  • Updated: 2025-10-08
  • ISBN: 9780771043123
  • Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
  • Published: 2019-03-26
  • Reviews: 3

Kaie Kellough's third poetry collection, Magnetic Equator, is a mesmerizing journey through place and identity. The poems traverse the landscapes of Georgetown, Guyana, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Canadian Prairie, weaving together memories and reflections from the 1980s suburbs of Calgary and post-referendum Montréal. They delve into the natural world and the works of Caribbean and Canadian writers, puzzling language together to map the distances traveled and the state of being hemisphered. /n/n This collection is not just a poetic exploration but also a visual and auditory experience, reflecting Kellough's acclaimed work as a sound performer. The poems struggle to explain a state of being present here while carrying a heartbeat from elsewhere, making it a profound and inventive read.

Reviews
ARC Poetry · 2025-10-08
innovative 4.25

The collection's strength lies in its exploration of humanity and its inventive use of language. It transcends its confessional origins to offer a broader, more universal perspective.

This review emphasizes the strength of Magnetic Equator in its exploration of humanity and its inventive use of language. The reviewer appreciates how the book transcends its confessional origins to offer a broader, more universal perspective. They find the collection to be both innovative and deeply human, making it a significant contribution to contemporary poetry. The reviewer also notes the book's ability to connect with readers on a profound level, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Quick quotes

    Magnetic Equator's strength is in how Kellough's concern for his fellow humans transcends the book's lyric/confessional genesis.

    The collection is fundamentally an exercise in wanting, as he tracks his own history and desire for homeland.

    Kellough narrates Canada nakedly, with a raw and honest perspective.

Quill and Quire · Shazia Hafiz Ramji · 2025-10-08
enchanting 4.75

The book enchants with its blend of documentary poetics and confessional voice, making it both informative and deeply personal. It stands out for its unique combination of styles.

Shazia Hafiz Ramji highlights how Magnetic Equator masterfully combines documentary poetics with a confessional voice, creating a work that is both informative and deeply personal. They appreciate the book's ability to inform while also enchanting the reader, making it a standout piece. The reviewer finds the blend of styles refreshing and notes how it enhances the overall impact of the work. This combination allows the book to explore complex themes in a way that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally compelling.

Quick quotes

    Magnetic Equator informs as it enchants with its rare combination of documentary poetics and confessional voice.

    The book's strength lies in its ability to blend different styles seamlessly.

    Kellough's concern for his fellow humans transcends the book's lyric/confessional genesis.

Ex-Puritan · 2025-10-08
insightful 4.50

The book dives into the complexities of diaspora and identity, highlighting the fluidity and multifaceted nature of these concepts. It offers a profound exploration that challenges simplistic notions of belonging.

This review delves into the intricate themes of diaspora and identity presented in the book. The reviewer appreciates how the work avoids offering one-size-fits-all answers, instead emphasizing the fluidity and complexity of these experiences. They find the exploration both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant, making it a significant contribution to the discourse on identity. The reviewer also notes the book's unique approach to these themes, which sets it apart from more conventional narratives.

Quick quotes

    Magnetic Equator dives into questions of diaspora and demonstrates why there is no one answer to these questions.

    Identity is fluid and determined by far too many factors to be contained within a single narrative.

    The book's strength lies in its refusal to simplify the complexities of identity and belonging.

Appears in Lists