Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Bluets

I would give it maybe a 3.5. This book is experimental— that is the best way to categorize it. It uses a very modern "stream of consciousness" first-person narrative style that centers the color blue as a metaphor for a past lover and all the thoughts and emotions that come with separation.

There are some good moments in this— and there are certain "bluets" that will stick with me more than most. However, part of the reason why I rate this book the way I do is because I do not think it is anything particularly special. Nelson often cites from philosophers, historians, and authors. To this narrative style, it works. However, as a literary piece I often found the quotes more compelling than her actual sentiments. It was all just super typical for the modern experimental poem. At the same time, I really do like this "it is what it is" style emerging in the contemporary genre of art, because it's realistic and intimate in ways that older poems are unable to be. If you are someone who likes that style or are just looking for a quick read to get you out of a stump, I think this book is really interesting, accessbile, and has a lot to offer.

Content Warnings

mads_jpg's review

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

1.25

It's ironic that Nelson spends so much of this book debating whether putting something in writing robs it of its essence, since I thought I'd love reading about blue but I actually really disliked this book. Maybe it was her frequent insistence on referring to sex as "fucking". Idk maybe this is just my asexuality showing but I find it so annoying when writers talk about their "lovers" *gag*. There were some lines that I did like but overall it just wasn't what I thought this book would be, I guess.

Content Warnings