Reviews with content warning for Racism - Time is a Mother

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

49 reviews

soswiin's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

2.5

still was just reading words on a page but had to stop and think about "because everyone knows yellow pain, pressed into american letters, turns into gold."

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ka_cam's review

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emotional fast-paced

3.75

While some of the poems were very striking/compelling, and I enjoyed hearing the authors voice and cadence etc., I wouldn’t recommend this as an audiobook unless you really enjoy audiobook poetry. Some of the poems needed more time for me to process which just isn’t as easy when listening. Some had very powerful moments and lines, and all and all enjoyed the collection.

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winterisvague's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad

3.0

"Because everyone knows yellow pain, pressed into American letters, turns to gold.
Our sorrow Midas touched. Napalm with a rainbow afterglow."

There's something special about Ocean Vuong's writing. I felt the emotional undercurrents behind every carefully chosen word. However, this book falls short when it comes to accessibility and clarity. The poems often veer into abstract territory that can be quite challenging to decipher. While ambiguity and open interpretation can enhance the poetic experience, I believe it is crucial to strike a balance. Poetry should possess a certain level of accessibility that allows readers to grasp the underlying essence of the verses. There were verses that left me bewildered, preventing me from fully appreciating their depth, but that isn't necessarily the author's fault.

That said, one cannot deny the raw power of the emotions that emanate from every page of this collection. My favorite poem was 'The Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker'. Just by listing down his mother's Amazon purchases before and after she was diagnosed with cancer, he was able to paint such a vivid story that exuded so much emotion. Here's what I wrote after I finished the poem: "I didn't know where this was going at first, but my heart dropped as soon as realization struck me. This tugged at my heartstrings and moved me in a way I didn't expect it to. I just need a moment to pause, breathe, and let the emotions settle before I move on to the next poem."

In conclusion, I loved this book despite the challenges I faced while reading. Ocean Vuong never fails to move me with his beautiful words.

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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that_reader's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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an_library_stan's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful reflective medium-paced

3.75

I don't think I spent enough time with this to fully appreciate it. A few of the poems esp. stood out to me - Not Even and Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker.

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