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jacksons_books_and_music's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Profound, lyrical, visceral, enlightening, and moving poetry. It sheds light of the predatory prison system and its long-lasting impacts on those it incarcerates and their families.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Gun violence, Genocide, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Torture, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Rape, Addiction, and Adult/minor relationship
mfrisk's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I will admit poetry is not something I typically pick up so I’m not surely I fully understood each and every poem in this book however the redacted poems in particular stuck out to me and were incredibly powerful. This is a book about incarceration and it’s wide reaching impacts and how we can continue to fight against them. Highly recommend everyone gives this book a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Torture, Murder, Racial slurs, and Domestic abuse
courtneyfalling's review
fast-paced
3.5
The redaction poems are so well-crafted and powerful. Lots of good lines and powerful rumination on how incarceration compounds harm and is its own harm. I wasn't as sold on how the collection returns to women and love and harm in relationships.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence
francestea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Despite being a newbie to poetry this collection was emotional and thought provoking. I was particularly moved by "When I think of Tamir Rice While Driving". The four redacted poems really are something special and I went back at the end to reread them. If you are also new to poetry I would recommend watching/listening to some of them read by Betts on YouTube.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Confinement
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence
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