Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Poet X

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

116 reviews

gwenswoons's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Just finished this and wept (not for the first time while reading it). I have physical copies of both this and Family Lore (which is next-ish on my TBR, esp now ❤️), but I downloaded The Poet X on audio on a whim a week ago - read by the author herself, so gorgeously it stops the heart. I’ve been listening on the way to and from my quartet rehearsals this week, and kept often having to turn it back a minute to just hear the words one more time, sometimes two - every single line, word, moment is so precious and so unlike anything I have ever read. I cannot tell you how much you need to read this book. Every word is a miracle.

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rachelfayreads's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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nat_kiverse's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bookishjae's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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catwhisperflubbs's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

compelling and page-turning. read this in under 3 weeks

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frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am not from this culture, although raised Catholic, I saw other families in this story. I was reminded that not everyone should be a parent and X’s parents are in that group.

This is one of those books where I think it’s better in audio. Sure, seems the words, their organization, might be interesting, but then the reader loses the slam poetry aspect.

You feel everything X feels, the words poetic and free with emotion emphasizing each syllable. Emotionally it’s tough, but beautiful.

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onegalonelife27's review

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Raised in a super religious household, Xiomara struggles with what her mom and church want for her, what men want from her because of her body, and she wants for herself. The only place that she can truly confide in is her journal, writing down the thoughts and feeling she feels no one else would listen to. However, when she finds herself drawn to a boy in class as well as a poetry club taking place at the same time of her confirmation classes, it may be time for Xiomara to let her thoughts be heard.

The last novel in verse I possibly read-do books read in epic poem style count?-was back in college and I had no idea what was going on like 90 percent of the time. This one is a lot of more novel like with dialogue and plot happening fortunately so a lot easier to follow.

Xiomara really speaks to any woman who’s found herself harassed by men, of course I never hit any guy but I’ve always had weak noodle arms. Despite her rage, she only gets into fights with guys that start it. Also she resonates with anyone who feels like they aren’t understood by those around them, since she doesn’t really have any friends outside her twin and a childhood friend due to her appearance and the gossips that ensues. She slowly begins to reach out from a boy in class, to the teacher who runs the poetry club, finding more folks to speak to.

I did have some parts of the plot that was a bit confused about, like everyone assuming that Xiomara hits her twin brother. Yet she never says anything about that. If anything she hits other men for her brother! It comes up often enough that it feels weird Xiomara has to keep defending herself from that accusation. But then again she gets accused of a lot of things by her parents, mainly her mother, so this is may be part of the course. But you would think her parents of all people would know if kids hit one another.

Overall, this book is about finding a way to express yourself and finding the people who will listen to what you have to say. May need some tissues since this does hit on some serious tops and feels!

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