ARC Review: The Octopus Curse by Salma Farook

Title: The Octopus Curse
Author: Salma Farook
Publication: November 1st 2019 by SeaShell Publications
Genre: Poetry
Purchase it on: Amazon 
Rating: 5/5★

Science would have us believe that we are nothing but cell upon cell. I disagree. We are made up of stories. The stories we hear from our mothers, the ones we tell our daughters. The tales we share with sisters and friends. The ones we never say out loud, but are heavy on our minds and run like a fever in our blood.

There are a multitude of great divides between us; race, religion, cultures, the way we dress, the languages we speak, but the stories we tell bridge us together in the universal tongue of smiles, tears, pain and laughter. They remind us that, as women, we’re all chasing similar fairy-tales.

This book is a call to celebrate the bridges, delight in our stories and to focus on the joy in our lives right now, rather than racing behind the happily-ever-after. That will come in it’s own time.

Wow! This was such an amazing read. But the word amazing doesn't even begin to cover this book. It was brilliant and touched me to the core. This is probably going to come out as one big ramble on my part but this collection of poems  really blew me away! Last year I read the author's inspirational nonfiction (What Your Soul Already Knows) and this book also a huge winner for me but I gotta say that The Octopus Curse just confirmed that Salma Farook is such a talented author. I adore her writing so much!

I'm not someone who knows a lot about poetry or even reads a lot of it. I only do it every once in a while. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. I love reading poems and The Octopus Curse was definitely something very special. The poetry was beautifully written, of course, but also very powerful, thought-provoking and just a joy to read. And on top of all that amazingness there were also illustrations. They were so so so gorgeous!

I really loved all of the poems but these titles are some of the ones that were favorites of mine and touched something in me: The Sea And The Shore, I Thought I Would See You Again, Thoughts On An Airplane, When Will It Stop? and Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

Also please don't hesitate to check out my review of What Your Soul Already Knows by Salma Farook here.

About the author:
Salma Farook is a Seychelloise doctor, writer and poet. A mental health and positive-thinking advocate, she strongly believes in the role of interfaith harmony and the power of words in making a positive impact on the world.

She was born in Seychelles to two ‘very Indian’ parents. She grew up on the islands and went on to complete Med-school in India. She believes the scenic beauty of the Seychelles and the cultural impact of one of the world’s oldest civilisations gave her the best of both worlds.

Although adept at observing tiny quirks in people and fascinated with the mechanics of human relationships, she regularly pushes doors that very clearly say PULL.

She currently lives on Mahé with her husband. She loves, loves to hear from her readers so reach out to writer@salmafarook.com
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