House Arrest begins at home and ends in space. From the intensely personal opening narrative sequence, to the closing poems about adult responsibility for the planet, Kroll’s writing is distinguished by lively metaphor, irony and humour. Between these two poles, she develops the motif of confinement in illuminating poems about the trappings of family life and young people on the margin.
“Jeri Kroll’s fourth book establishes her as a strong presence in Australian poetry. And strong is the appropriate word; there is a strength and vigour in her best poems that makes the work of many of her contemporaries seem enervated and vapid. Her characteristic style is direct and forthright, engaging the reader immediately and sustaining that engagement by taut rhythms, metaphoric inventiveness and ironic wit.” Bev Roberts, Australian Book Review.
