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happyknitter2020's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
A black young woman's lived experience voice of exploitation, abusive & the love within her family.
New poetry, listened to the audio book, which felt more like poetry essays.
New poetry, listened to the audio book, which felt more like poetry essays.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexism
jodiesbookishposts's review against another edition
3.0
I picked the audiobook from this from my library as I've wanted to read more poetry in 2023 and I kept seeing this one around. I like audiobooks for poetry as I think sometimes it can be best to hear it aloud.
I loved the authors use of language in this collection. They had a powerful way of moving through phrase that carried me along. I think it explored interesting concepts and I would want to get this physically to read it in more indepth detail.
My issue was this felt too brief. There was so much ground that could have been covered with this theme - even 20/40 pages more would have helped. I felt left wanting a bit by the time it got to the end.
I would definitely look for further works by this poet.
I loved the authors use of language in this collection. They had a powerful way of moving through phrase that carried me along. I think it explored interesting concepts and I would want to get this physically to read it in more indepth detail.
My issue was this felt too brief. There was so much ground that could have been covered with this theme - even 20/40 pages more would have helped. I felt left wanting a bit by the time it got to the end.
I would definitely look for further works by this poet.
eviereads124's review
1.0
I always feel so mean when I give a small book one star, especially when it’s something personal like poetry. But this kind of poetry isn’t my thing! I was gifted this book by a friend as part of a random selection from a bookshop, so the rating is on me really as I wouldn’t have picked this book for myself.
It feels like the poems we had to read in GCSE English where you study the meaning behind the words and rhythm, and I prefer poetry that is explicit in its meaning and open and vulnerable in its words.
Anyway, this wasn’t for me, but 100% personal taste. It was definitely great to finally have some diversity in this genre as there’s definitely a big big gap that really needs to be addressed!
It feels like the poems we had to read in GCSE English where you study the meaning behind the words and rhythm, and I prefer poetry that is explicit in its meaning and open and vulnerable in its words.
Anyway, this wasn’t for me, but 100% personal taste. It was definitely great to finally have some diversity in this genre as there’s definitely a big big gap that really needs to be addressed!
jodiesbookishposts's review against another edition
3.0
I picked the audiobook from this from my library as I've wanted to read more poetry in 2023 and I kept seeing this one around. I like audiobooks for poetry as I think sometimes it can be best to hear it aloud.
I loved the authors use of language in this collection. They had a powerful way of moving through phrase that carried me along. I think it explored interesting concepts and I would want to get this physically to read it in more indepth detail.
My issue was this felt too brief. There was so much ground that could have been covered with this theme - even 20/40 pages more would have helped. I felt left wanting a bit by the time it got to the end.
I would definitely look for further works by this poet.
I loved the authors use of language in this collection. They had a powerful way of moving through phrase that carried me along. I think it explored interesting concepts and I would want to get this physically to read it in more indepth detail.
My issue was this felt too brief. There was so much ground that could have been covered with this theme - even 20/40 pages more would have helped. I felt left wanting a bit by the time it got to the end.
I would definitely look for further works by this poet.
decodethebooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.25
this is a beautifully written poetry collection that weaves through the authors life and experiences.
Rachel Long delves into girlhood, womenhood (the pressure, the want, and the waning), being a person with a womb, being being biracial, being darker skinned, being African, being a daughter, being a brown daughter, being a daughter of a black African mother, being a daughter of a white father, being raised in a white Britian, being a Chrisitan, being someone who believes in ancestral spiritual magic, in being a sister, being a friend, being lover, being a sexual being.
a few quotes from the poems that I like:
from Hotel Art, Barcelona
- “Contorting myself three ways in the toilet mirror,
I decide I won’t look like this forever.
I don’t even look like this now.”
from Psalm 51:7*
-“wash me and i shall be whiter than touched by the hand of his clock i am instantly older”
from The Garden
- “Go, now. Fasten the black veil
though no woman has shown you how.”
- “Beg forgiveness for the thing you haven’t done yet.
Say the prayer to rid you of bloom.
Say it in the tongue your mother might’ve taught you.
Who will you be this time around?”
from The Yearner
- “A part of me is dead. Now
I can shake my own hand,
meet myself again for the first time.”
- “I am another.
Promise? This time will be different.”
from Red Hoover
- “Don’t tell me
you’ve ruined it already”
from Mum’s Snake*
- “Hair is a crowning glory.
A source of not only beauty but power.”
- “Lord deliver me. My enemies wage war against me.”
from And then there was the time I got into a fight
-“his real brown daughter.”
from Wire
- “so manageable, such a quiet curl.”
from Inside
- “A diary
isnt a diary till
you won;t show anyone.”
- “Jehovah, if you save me I will-”
from Divine Healing
-“She’d forgotten the language
of her girlhood, but there, on the floor, remembered
three words and repeated, Amin, Jesu Kristi.”
from Night
-“You knew, somehow,
that to die was to be hungry.”
from Communion
- “Behold the miracle of afro hair
Blackness so complete
you could put your hand in,
never get it back.”
- “Girl, you’re the blackest you will ever be in here,
stop pulling away”
* the poems with asterisks are my favourite ones
other favourites (that were not quoted above):
- Bike
- Orb
- Helena
- Black Princess! Black Princess!
** i have to mention that the audiobook contained two additional poems that were not in the ebook. i don't have an explanation for this. these two poems were The Sharks and Victoria Beckham and The Sunflower**
Would I recommend this book??
Yes, I would recommend this beautiful poetry book.
Will I re-read this book?
If I acquire a physical copy, then I would re-read this, yes.
Rachel Long delves into girlhood, womenhood (the pressure, the want, and the waning), being a person with a womb, being being biracial, being darker skinned, being African, being a daughter, being a brown daughter, being a daughter of a black African mother, being a daughter of a white father, being raised in a white Britian, being a Chrisitan, being someone who believes in ancestral spiritual magic, in being a sister, being a friend, being lover, being a sexual being.
a few quotes from the poems that I like:
from Hotel Art, Barcelona
- “Contorting myself three ways in the toilet mirror,
I decide I won’t look like this forever.
I don’t even look like this now.”
from Psalm 51:7*
-“wash me and i shall be whiter than touched by the hand of his clock i am instantly older”
from The Garden
- “Go, now. Fasten the black veil
though no woman has shown you how.”
- “Beg forgiveness for the thing you haven’t done yet.
Say the prayer to rid you of bloom.
Say it in the tongue your mother might’ve taught you.
Who will you be this time around?”
from The Yearner
- “A part of me is dead. Now
I can shake my own hand,
meet myself again for the first time.”
- “I am another.
Promise? This time will be different.”
from Red Hoover
- “Don’t tell me
you’ve ruined it already”
from Mum’s Snake*
- “Hair is a crowning glory.
A source of not only beauty but power.”
- “Lord deliver me. My enemies wage war against me.”
from And then there was the time I got into a fight
-“his real brown daughter.”
from Wire
- “so manageable, such a quiet curl.”
from Inside
- “A diary
isnt a diary till
you won;t show anyone.”
- “Jehovah, if you save me I will-”
from Divine Healing
-“She’d forgotten the language
of her girlhood, but there, on the floor, remembered
three words and repeated, Amin, Jesu Kristi.”
from Night
-“You knew, somehow,
that to die was to be hungry.”
from Communion
- “Behold the miracle of afro hair
Blackness so complete
you could put your hand in,
never get it back.”
- “Girl, you’re the blackest you will ever be in here,
stop pulling away”
* the poems with asterisks are my favourite ones
other favourites (that were not quoted above):
- Bike
- Orb
- Helena
- Black Princess! Black Princess!
** i have to mention that the audiobook contained two additional poems that were not in the ebook. i don't have an explanation for this. these two poems were The Sharks and Victoria Beckham and The Sunflower**
Would I recommend this book??
Yes, I would recommend this beautiful poetry book.
Will I re-read this book?
If I acquire a physical copy, then I would re-read this, yes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Abortion
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Death, Pregnancy, and Medical content
beytwice's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review! A decent and sweet little collection of poems exploring femininity, Blackness, and family relations among other nuanced ideas I of course won't pick up on from a personal level. I really enjoyed the intimate and oftentimes lyrical tone Long takes on and as a debut collection I enjoyed the imagery used within. It is hard for me to fully relate or understand the poignance delivered of course but I have done my best to not let that detract from my review! I did feel some poems felt a bit more disjointed and thus struggled to fully grasp my attention.