Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - Poeta X

Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Poeta X by Elizabeth Acevedo

96 reviews

kozzumes's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

this is a beautiful book and i'd recommend it to anyone looking for a story that follows a girl finding their voice.

i love that this was written in verse and yet, it doesn't feel forced. instead, the poetics of it feel intentional and natural, especially later on. the flow gets more refined, the imagery more vivid and it reflects the way that xiomara finds and then cleans up her voice and makes it powerful for her. her poetry, her voice are strong and they paint such tangible images and it's lovely.

the only thing that keeps me from committing to a full five stars is the conflict resolution at the end.

the situation with twin and cody feels a little forgotten, and the situation between x and her mom is wrapped up a little too neat. i love that her mother ends up being supportive and it shows a beautiful moment between a mother and a daughter who have been at odds for years. however, there's very clearly been a lot of abuse and religious trauma places onto x by her mother and it's a little confusing for a few weeks of talking to their pastor completely solve all of it, especially when acevedo spends the whole time delving into x's internal conflicts regarding her mom and religion. it just feels a little too clean cut, but i still do love that x's mom finds a way to be supportive of her daughter.

ultimately, it's a beautiful book with beautiful storytelling. acevedo is a ridiculously talented author and poet, and i'm very excited to continue reading her work.

Content Warnings

sarah984's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a YA novel written in verse about a high school girl with a difficult family situation who comes into her own through poetry. Novels in verse have been kind of hit and miss for me but the rhythm here was easy to follow and I felt like I actually got something out of the poetry.

I liked seeing how far Xiomara could go with the support of people (both other kids and adults) who cared about her and believed in her, but I did feel like things with her mom wrapped up a little too neatly after what had happened between them.

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readswithnatalieb's review against another edition

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4.5

Wow. I'm so glad I was able to not only read this story, but listen to Elizabeth Acevedo's audio narration as well. I still consider poetry pretty new for me so anytime I can listen while reading, I feel I’m able to fully immerse myself in the author’s creation. In a way, I feel as if I’m reading it how Acevedo intended.

In such few words (because most pages are maybe half a page), this book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s beautiful, it’s painful, it very much reminded me of how difficult high school is for so many kids.

Besides high school, Xiomara’s mother is very religious, which causes a bit of friction among Xiomara and her twin. Her and twin’s relationship made my heart smile.

Despite the troubles Xiomara is having at home and school, she finds comfort and encouragement from a teacher, who pushes her to join a poetry club. It’s there that Xiomara finds her voice and a community to uplift her when she’s in need.

Content warnings: bullying, racism, abuse, harassment, cheating, mental health, religion (used to justify abusive behavior).

Content Warnings