Prominent journalist, poet and literary critic for The Observer<br> newspaper, Al Alvarez, called the posthumous re-release of the book,<br> after the success of Ariel, a "major literary event" and wrote of<br> Plath's work:<br> <br> "She steers clear of feminine charm, deliciousness, gentility,<br> supersensitivity and the act of being a poetess. She simply writes<br> good poetry. And she does so with a seriousness that demands only that<br> she be judged equally seriously... There is an admirable no-nonsense<br> air about this; the language is bare but vivid and precise, with a<br> concentration that implies a good deal of disturbance with<br> proportionately little fuss."<br> <br> Seamus Heaney said of The Colossus: "On every page, a poet is serving<br> notice that she has earned her credentials and knows her trade."