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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Reading this collection of poems feels like Nikita Gill sitting you down and telling you: from one angsty bitch to another, you got this babe!
And I fucking loved it
And I fucking loved it
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
I really loved all of these, they were very inspiring.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Nikita Gill had my heart in her fist for the whole time I spent reading Wild Embers. She has such an emotive style of writing, that some of her distinctly descriptive poems had my stomach twisted in knots - especially her opening phase of poems; which tended to focus on the universe, often comparing it to the body. This first "chapter" genuinely gave me vertigo at certain points (in a good way, though (??)) and had me physically holding my eyes open at 2 in the morning because I felt like I needed more of Gill's insight.
The second "chapter" (the quote marks are there because they aren't actually separated in chapters, but there are such obvious distinctions between pieces of her work) had distinct imagery based on fantasy-sources, e.g.:
The second "chapter" (the quote marks are there because they aren't actually separated in chapters, but there are such obvious distinctions between pieces of her work) had distinct imagery based on fantasy-sources, e.g.:
'We are the blood
of the witches
you thought were dead.'
'Girls like you
were born
to tame dragons,
to fight in wars,
to lead armies.'
'Everyday, I magic myself alive again
from the near death experience of trauma.'
before transitioning into poems highly centred on healing and recovering from trauma. This whole section was really female-centred, and really empowering. I especially loved 'Your Trauma', 'Burning', 'Wolf and Woman', and 'Anger' - though every single one of these poems were amazing - but my absolute favourite, and a necessary read for anyone who is hurting is 'Reminders about Healing'.
The third "chapter" is full of poems based on fairytales and I was in love from the first poem - in which, Gill talks about how her version of Sleeping Beauty 'will be a fairytale about consent before it is a fairytale about true love' when she tells it to her daughter. She then goes on to cover just about every major fairytale princess - mentioning how they should have been known as strong before they were known as beautiful (Belle); how Ariel wouldn't resent her body and wish for legs; how her Snow White would be able to defend herself, rather than fall on the mercy of men - 'because little girls who grow up with the constant threat of a parent who does not love them...learn to listen for footsteps'; and so on. These were some of my absolute favourites of this whole collection (rivalled only by a similar series of poems based on Greek goddesses).
The fourth phase is all about self-love - with Gill talking about how she realised she didn't love herself, and advice for some of them low moments - as well as loving others. Just a lot of love. I want some of them painted on my eyelids, so I can keep her words of wisdom with me wherever I go.
Everyone you love
is capable of doing
great and terrible things
things you never
thought they cold do
when they are clawing,
panicking,
breaking
to survive.
Remember this
when you watch them
at their very worst moments.
And forgive them
their survival too.
"Chapter" five is very short, but has strong imagery of nature - of fire, of wilderness, of cliffs and water, of women and womanhood. Like the rest of this collection, all of these poems were really female-centred and a few of them are savage - which were my favourites, of course.
The next section focuses on mythology - with a series of poems based on the women of Greek myths: 'Helen had never belonged to anyone the way she had belonged to herself', 'her mother always told her, she could be anything she wants because her beauty is boundless, her essence incredible . . .', 'Girls like Artemis are made of volcanoes and earthquakes, everything that scares people and the world can't handle', 'she is given a throne made of fire, a crown made of thorns and the fear and exaltation of the dead as they watch her in awe', etc.
The final "chapter" centres on the victimisation of women,
'We have always felt so unsafe in this world
Like soldiers, always on the alert
A secret language between us women
are you safe?'
'We blame women
for the very violence that
destroys their lives.'
and also a really good poem about 'how boys will be boys' (which genuinely, shouldn't need to be discussed anymore - why are people still saying this?). This section also discusses beauty standards for women really poignantly, for example, 'Teach her that her body is her most beautiful, powerful gift. The way it heals her. The way it sacrifices for her. The way it aches.'
As a whole - this collection of poems is wonderful, and I know I will read it time and time (and time) again.
As a whole - this collection of poems is wonderful, and I know I will read it time and time (and time) again.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
ghosts of the person you used to be are so proud of who you are, they live on inside you applauding you for living on despite your scars.
wild embers felt like a collection of poems exploring the human condition in a way that addresses our mental health, our need for self-love and healing after a traumatic event.
while i felt like there were some good gems in this book, i also felt like there was a lot going on, from poetry to rewritten fairy tales, from empowering manifestos to deep personal reflections, which made this feel like a few books shoved under the same cover.
forgive yourself for everything you broke when you were trying to survive.
i also felt like gill was using the same metaphors and drawing the same conclusions over and over, which started to wear on me as i got through the book.
that having been said, i really did appreciate some of the content, especially the poems that were heavy on intergalactic information which i thought was such a cool approach.
wild embers felt like a collection of poems exploring the human condition in a way that addresses our mental health, our need for self-love and healing after a traumatic event.
while i felt like there were some good gems in this book, i also felt like there was a lot going on, from poetry to rewritten fairy tales, from empowering manifestos to deep personal reflections, which made this feel like a few books shoved under the same cover.
forgive yourself for everything you broke when you were trying to survive.
i also felt like gill was using the same metaphors and drawing the same conclusions over and over, which started to wear on me as i got through the book.
that having been said, i really did appreciate some of the content, especially the poems that were heavy on intergalactic information which i thought was such a cool approach.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced