Reviews

A Map of My Want by Faylita Hicks

siobhans_shelf's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.0

ohlaurds's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective

mudlizard's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective

5.0

rmagika's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

Characters - 1
Story - .5
Writing - .5
Message - .75
Vibes - .25

relearning_to_read's review

Go to review page

challenging dark inspiring tense fast-paced

3.0

I had trouble comprehending it, may come back to it once I’ve gotten back into reading poems.

hmccarthy95's review

Go to review page

reflective fast-paced

4.25

yellowbinge's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful slow-paced

3.0

Publishing date: 09.07.2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Haymarket Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own. 

The book as a meal: A buffet where I can eat any meal I want
The book left me: Questioning my gender once again

Negatives:
Formatting was a little hard to read and process

Positives:
Several connective themes (erotism, freedom, gender fluidity) 

Features: 
A nonbinary person exploring their gender, erotic and sexual themes, navigating gender in society and family situations

Why did I choose this one?
Poems for days for a poem loving woman. Also, nonbinary rep. Love to see it

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
In between. The formatting didn't allow me to read for a prolonged time, but the poems made me want to continue. I prioritized preventing a headache, and read bit by bit instead of swallowing it whole. I think this would fit best as a physical book. 

What was the vibe and mood?
A little uncertainty, a lot of curiosity, wanting to fit in, finding out you can make your own mold, exploring myself a little, and most important: feeling free. 

Final ranking and star rating?
3 stars, C tier. Although I appreciated the themes going on and the stunning writing style, I could not connect with the work. I recognized some parts of the work in myself, but not enough to truly appreciate it. I think I could come back to it later after reading some more biographies to understand the work and the author. This book would fit those seeking to understand themselves and others in the LGBTQ+ community. I have some in my circle that would adore and find some use for this work. 

Favorite poems: 
Foreign bodies
Gawd forgive me
The skybridge in their divorce

mixedreader's review

Go to review page

emotional slow-paced

4.0

“I bite back. I arc and sift, writes Faylita Hicks in the striking poetry collection A Map Of My Wants. Hicks writes about desire, the complexity of the body (and really feeling *through* the body), and self-discovery. My favorite poetry finds a balance between lyrical and direct verse, and this one does that. At the beginning, a dedication that struck my chest: “For every version of me that has known great love and loss—and still managed to reclaim my dignity.” This start sets the tone for Hicks’s powerful voice. Let this poetry collection remind you how to welcome yourself back into yourself. Get home. 

jypaiz's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Thank you to Haymarket Books via Netgalley for providing me with this ARC! A very visceral and compelling collection of poems. I read this collection very quickly but get the feeling that this is a collection I will return to and find something new each time. 

slaapkameractivist's review

Go to review page

4.5

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in July. This was a very good interesting collection of poetry dealing with themes of race and queerness. I got sucked in and finished it in two sittings.