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thestarsaresad's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Finished this book so quickly -- it's a quick read but is definitely deep. Several of the poems brought tears to my eyes and some quotes struck hard. This is the perfect book to flip through to find the exact poem to comfort you on your hardest days and to find the right poem to celebrate your joys.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, and Racism
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
I really enjoyed this collection and it felt similar to her earlier work! Loved it more than the last two collections I read from Gill.
Dives into friendship, love, grief, trauma, protest/speaking up for your beliefs, feminism, family, and loving your body. I found a lot of the poems relatable and moving 🩷
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
TW/CW: sexual assault (references), racism, misogyny, homophobia, eating disorder (brief mention), grief, anxiety, depression
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Grief
Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Biphobia
Minor: Eating disorder
queenneehola's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, and Racism
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
4.0
It took me a while to finish this because I was dipping in and out, but the poems are beautiful, emotional, and poignant. Nikita Gill always writes from the heart and that seems especially true of this collection, with some very personal, moving poems. I feel like every reader will find at least one poem that resonates with them in this book; two that were particularly stand outs for me were Soulmates and Us. Gill treats every topic she writes about with care and empathy, and I love the way she speaks to girls and women, looking to empower everyone that reads her work.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Biphobia, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Racism, Rape, Misogyny, Grief, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Sexism
onceuponabookcase's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
5.0
I was sent this proof for free by Macmillan Children's Books / Willow Publicity for the purposes of providing an honest review.
I was delighted when I first heard about These Are the Words by Nikita Gill. I'm such a big fan of her work, when I was offered the opportunity to review her debut YA poetry collection, I jumped at the chance. And it might just be her best yet.
This may be Gill's first poetry collection for teens, but it feels no different from any of her other poetry collections. These Are the Words still has the same tone fans of her previous work will recognise. Using the cycle of the seasons as a framework for these poems, equating a season to different moods and feelings, Gill still touches on the same topics she has previously, in the same way, just with a different audience in mind. Family, friendship, self-love and body image, love and romance, empowerment, fighting for what you believe in, racism, trauma, surviving. Each season starts with poems for each astrological sign that fit with the mood, feeling, or theme she gives to each season. Along with her beautiful words, we get the beautiful imagery fans will recognise, of the natural world, the universe, the moon and stars.
This is a collection aimed at teenage girls, and while not every poem is aimed at all girls - Gill addresses girls of colour, girls who aren't straight, and girls who are fat, as a few examples - there is something I can imagine all girls, no matter what their age, can get from These Are the Words. Reading this book is probably the most emotional I've been reading her work; Gill had me sobbing at one point. And it feels a little more emotional on Gill's part, too. At times, there are poems where she is speaking directly to people in her life - her brother, her sister, her parents - and at times to herself, or her younger self, but the majority of poems feel like Gill is talking to you. That's one thing I adore so much about Gill's poetry, her innate ability to feel like she is talking to you personally, specifically. And there's so much compassion and understanding in this book; this isn't anything new for Gill, but it just felt like she upped the ante with this book. In These Are the Words, with fierce love, Gill reaches through the pages, takes hold of your by the hand, says, "Look at me, listen to me!" and tells of her certainty of your worth, of your bravery, of how you are whole even with your pain. It feels so personal, and there's such raw honesty in her words, you can't help but listen to what she is telling you.
These Are the Words isn't published until August, but it felt appropriate to review now, during Pride month, as sexuality is one of the topics Gill covers. Gill is bisexual, and there are poems in this book about loving people both of the same gender and other genders. Poems of first crushes, of accepting and loving yourself, of coming out, of coming out to your parents specifically, of finding the people who love you and accept your as you are - finding your people. They are just so beautiful, and sometimes painful, but again, written with understanding and love and certainty of your worth. Her two poems When You Come Out to Your Parents and Are Not Met With Love, and When You Come Out to Your Parents and You ARE Met With Love are simply stunning.
These Are the Words is a triumph. It's beautiful, emotional, and so powerful, I honestly feel this is a poetry collection that is so, so important for teen girls to read. But adult readers will also get something from this book, too. I honestly believe it's her best yet. My proof is full of sticky tabs of lines or whole poems that really struck me, and I can't wait for August when it will be released, so have my own finished copy, to share excerpts and whole poems, to see the illustrations I know will be gorgeous, as they have been in Gill's previous work. I will treasure it forever.
I was delighted when I first heard about These Are the Words by Nikita Gill. I'm such a big fan of her work, when I was offered the opportunity to review her debut YA poetry collection, I jumped at the chance. And it might just be her best yet.
This may be Gill's first poetry collection for teens, but it feels no different from any of her other poetry collections. These Are the Words still has the same tone fans of her previous work will recognise. Using the cycle of the seasons as a framework for these poems, equating a season to different moods and feelings, Gill still touches on the same topics she has previously, in the same way, just with a different audience in mind. Family, friendship, self-love and body image, love and romance, empowerment, fighting for what you believe in, racism, trauma, surviving. Each season starts with poems for each astrological sign that fit with the mood, feeling, or theme she gives to each season. Along with her beautiful words, we get the beautiful imagery fans will recognise, of the natural world, the universe, the moon and stars.
This is a collection aimed at teenage girls, and while not every poem is aimed at all girls - Gill addresses girls of colour, girls who aren't straight, and girls who are fat, as a few examples - there is something I can imagine all girls, no matter what their age, can get from These Are the Words. Reading this book is probably the most emotional I've been reading her work; Gill had me sobbing at one point. And it feels a little more emotional on Gill's part, too. At times, there are poems where she is speaking directly to people in her life - her brother, her sister, her parents - and at times to herself, or her younger self, but the majority of poems feel like Gill is talking to you. That's one thing I adore so much about Gill's poetry, her innate ability to feel like she is talking to you personally, specifically. And there's so much compassion and understanding in this book; this isn't anything new for Gill, but it just felt like she upped the ante with this book. In These Are the Words, with fierce love, Gill reaches through the pages, takes hold of your by the hand, says, "Look at me, listen to me!" and tells of her certainty of your worth, of your bravery, of how you are whole even with your pain. It feels so personal, and there's such raw honesty in her words, you can't help but listen to what she is telling you.
These Are the Words isn't published until August, but it felt appropriate to review now, during Pride month, as sexuality is one of the topics Gill covers. Gill is bisexual, and there are poems in this book about loving people both of the same gender and other genders. Poems of first crushes, of accepting and loving yourself, of coming out, of coming out to your parents specifically, of finding the people who love you and accept your as you are - finding your people. They are just so beautiful, and sometimes painful, but again, written with understanding and love and certainty of your worth. Her two poems When You Come Out to Your Parents and Are Not Met With Love, and When You Come Out to Your Parents and You ARE Met With Love are simply stunning.
These Are the Words is a triumph. It's beautiful, emotional, and so powerful, I honestly feel this is a poetry collection that is so, so important for teen girls to read. But adult readers will also get something from this book, too. I honestly believe it's her best yet. My proof is full of sticky tabs of lines or whole poems that really struck me, and I can't wait for August when it will be released, so have my own finished copy, to share excerpts and whole poems, to see the illustrations I know will be gorgeous, as they have been in Gill's previous work. I will treasure it forever.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Biphobia, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Racism
This book features anxiety, depression, and trauma.whatjasread's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I'm still waiting on the day where Nikita Gill produces something less than amazing. I could read her poetry all day, every day. These are the words had tears in my eyes by the end - I never felt more seen than when I read Gill's collections! The stories of friendship and sisterhood were just so beautiful, but also examining toxic families and learning to love yourself, learning that you don't have to be strong all the time or fall into the trap of toxic positivity. I just love this collection with my whole heart.
TWs: anxiety, depression, ref to rape, ref to sexual harassment, homophobia, biphobia, racism, misogyny, trauma, grief
TWs: anxiety, depression, ref to rape, ref to sexual harassment, homophobia, biphobia, racism, misogyny, trauma, grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Biphobia
Minor: Rape
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