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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
gave this a go because a friend seemed to really enjoy it, and meh. it wasn't for me. i did like how the book was thematically structured though; it's a shame it didn't quite live up to its potential imo.
I love the messages, but dislike it as poetry. Whilst she has, to date, written my favourite poem (93 Percent Stardust, found in this book too), the imagery is pretty repetitive and she uses the same ideas a lot.
There are some wonderful lines and quotes within these poems, but the same ideas were used over and over, and as poetry they began to lose their appeal.
There are some wonderful lines and quotes within these poems, but the same ideas were used over and over, and as poetry they began to lose their appeal.
(4.5 stars)
This is only my second Nikita Gill book but I’ll go as far to say that she’s my favorite. I remember reading Wild Embers and feeling like her poems were reaching into my heart and soul exposing every negative thing I’ve ever felt and then telling me I’m be fine while wrapping me in a warm blanket in the end. Your Soul Is A River did exactly that for me again. She knows how to write and speak to my soul indeed.
Sometimes it became a bit repetitive but overall this was a beautiful collection of poems. Listening to Lana Del Rey’s Young and Beautiful also made the reading experience that much more memorable.
This is only my second Nikita Gill book but I’ll go as far to say that she’s my favorite. I remember reading Wild Embers and feeling like her poems were reaching into my heart and soul exposing every negative thing I’ve ever felt and then telling me I’m be fine while wrapping me in a warm blanket in the end. Your Soul Is A River did exactly that for me again. She knows how to write and speak to my soul indeed.
Sometimes it became a bit repetitive but overall this was a beautiful collection of poems. Listening to Lana Del Rey’s Young and Beautiful also made the reading experience that much more memorable.
Unfortunately, cliched imagery and line breaks do not by themselves a poem make. And what really disappointed me about this book is how unpoetic everything in it actually is. Nikita Gill's work just doesn't in any way read like poetry, and even if it did, it wouldn't be good poetry. The only fit comparison I can think of is that it's like someone very pretentiously typeset my middle school diary with the intention of leaving as much empty, wasted space on the page as possible. Your Soul Is a River is arranged in eight sections according to which already-overused metaphor will be repeated over and over ad nauseum; I can't help feeling that her time would have been better spent writing eight good poems that felt like more than thirty seconds each had been spent on them. Two stars rather than one only because it's utterly lackluster rather than actively unpleasant, and because every now and then something salvageable pops up.
we have calcium in our bones,
iron in our veins,
carbon in our souls,
and nitrogen in our brains.
93 perfect stardust
with souls made of flames,
we are all just stars
that have people names
sometimes you appreciate books a little more when you're older. something seems more relateable or more prominent than when you were younger. i read this almost 4 years ago and something told me to pick it up. this was something grand. this was brilliant. all of nikita gill's poetry is brilliant (especially if it includes space metaphors!!!)
iron in our veins,
carbon in our souls,
and nitrogen in our brains.
93 perfect stardust
with souls made of flames,
we are all just stars
that have people names
sometimes you appreciate books a little more when you're older. something seems more relateable or more prominent than when you were younger. i read this almost 4 years ago and something told me to pick it up. this was something grand. this was brilliant. all of nikita gill's poetry is brilliant (especially if it includes space metaphors!!!)
3.5/5. I enjoyed it, but I have some inherent block about this kind of stylistic "Tumblr poetry" writing thing. However, even in poems I wasn't vibing with, most of them had at least one line or turn of phrase that really stood out as beautiful and complex. I think I would really enjoy rereading this in times of strife to get a boost.
If you have a liking for the same weird and effed up stories as I do, then this book is right up your alley. It begins with an unnamed girl being interrogated by the police. She and 23 other girls had just been rescued from someone named 'The Gardener.' We are then introduced to the story of how the girls were kidnapped and brought to a place called "The Garden." As the story unfolds, we get deeper and deeper, and things get darker and darker. But, how does the main character fall into all of this? You will have to read to find out.
For a recommendation, this book is very reminiscent of The Cellar by Natasha Preston. Fair trigger warning for both books. Sexual assault has an occurrence in both. This is a thriller/mystery/suspense novel that pokes at the edges of group mentality and human decency.
Oh No's
I disliked the format of the story where it would switch points of view from the interrogation room to the past. It's not really my cup of tea and I also felt that the investigators were really two-dimensional. They were just your standard bad cop/good cop.
The author liked to go into detail about the main character's past before her kidnapping a little too much. I had no interest in learning all of these girls stories and names only to have to learn about two dozen more names later on. It was just too much of an overload of information. I understand how it ties in to the whole story but it felt a little thrown in to me.
I did not like the twist at the very end. It was too big of a coincidence to me and therefore not very realistic. Although it did explain the main characters actions and gave them reason.
Yay's
This book is great and the story had so many dark and dangerous twists. "The Gardener" and "Maya" were great characters and their stories were so unique to tell. The Wow factors were great as well. I'm trying to keep this a spoiler free review since this book really has some Wow factors to accommodate "The Garden" and everything that goes on inside. You will just have to read and find out the details but it is really worth it.
The lengths at which this book went to include each aspect of the kidnappings was extraordinary. From the control "Maya" was able to accomplish through this to the passive neutrality of Desmond and his active role in this. The end comes full of fury and wrath the likes of which I have not seen. The end was a true end and showed that there are truly limits you can reach.
This book was such a quick read and had quite a few twists aside from just stating facts and moving through the story line from when the main character was captured to their inevitable "escape." It was quite a ride and the ending was extremely satisfying. Fair warning, you will have a new understanding of butterflies and it will not be the best.
For a recommendation, this book is very reminiscent of The Cellar by Natasha Preston. Fair trigger warning for both books. Sexual assault has an occurrence in both. This is a thriller/mystery/suspense novel that pokes at the edges of group mentality and human decency.
Oh No's
I disliked the format of the story where it would switch points of view from the interrogation room to the past. It's not really my cup of tea and I also felt that the investigators were really two-dimensional. They were just your standard bad cop/good cop.
The author liked to go into detail about the main character's past before her kidnapping a little too much. I had no interest in learning all of these girls stories and names only to have to learn about two dozen more names later on. It was just too much of an overload of information. I understand how it ties in to the whole story but it felt a little thrown in to me.
I did not like the twist at the very end. It was too big of a coincidence to me and therefore not very realistic. Although it did explain the main characters actions and gave them reason.
Yay's
This book is great and the story had so many dark and dangerous twists. "The Gardener" and "Maya" were great characters and their stories were so unique to tell. The Wow factors were great as well. I'm trying to keep this a spoiler free review since this book really has some Wow factors to accommodate "The Garden" and everything that goes on inside. You will just have to read and find out the details but it is really worth it.
The lengths at which this book went to include each aspect of the kidnappings was extraordinary. From the control "Maya" was able to accomplish through this to the passive neutrality of Desmond and his active role in this. The end comes full of fury and wrath the likes of which I have not seen. The end was a true end and showed that there are truly limits you can reach.
This book was such a quick read and had quite a few twists aside from just stating facts and moving through the story line from when the main character was captured to their inevitable "escape." It was quite a ride and the ending was extremely satisfying. Fair warning, you will have a new understanding of butterflies and it will not be the best.