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Review: Commandments, by Jackie Wills

Kate North Mslexia Issue 36 Jan, Feb, Mar 2008

Commandments, divided into two sections, is Wills' fourth collection. In it, her talent for thoughtful and occasionally humorous observation, accompanied by brisk injections of the personal and the strikingly real, is indisputably clear.

The first section focuses on the biblical commandments of Moses. Here she liberates herself from the 'Don't make idols' constraints and uses images from many religions to turn the idea on its head, to actively celebrate the creation of idols...

The second section has a change of register as Wills takes on a more delightfully sombre and measured manner... Wills demonstrates her range and depth with this collection - and also hints at her trajectory to come. Not only is this both a humorous and thought-provoking read, it is also witness to Wills development as a poet of worth.