Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

11 reviews

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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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Moving, beautiful novel in verse about how sometimes you have to become who you’re meant to be despite whatever obstacles stand in your way, even when those obstacles might be the people who are supposed to love and care about you the most. A quick read, this book moved me through every conceivable emotion and the relationship between the mother and daughter, while not exactly like my own, definitely resonated with me. 

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robin_leeann's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0


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ollie_again's review against another edition

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4.0


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kbairbooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

I am tearing up over here. Wow this hit home. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much my own life was interwoven into this story and it’s really beautiful seeing comparisons in life experiences, fiction or not, because then we have visual proof we are not alone.

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amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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emotional 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? No

5.0

One of the few novels but I hope not the last where I felt seen. It centers around Xiomara and her growing up in New York as an Afro Latina who doesn’t feel completely in control when she has a religious mother who seems to be overly concerned with a lot more than a typical non immigrant mother should be. A lot of people don’t fully understand the feeling of being trapped when you are a teenager growing up in a household where both your parents left their home country to give their kids a better life. They tend to assume it can’t be that bad yet more than half the time, these same parents have religion used as a tool for suppression to their offspring. Xiomara understands that her and her mother will not be best friends but this is where poetry comes to life in the form of her notebook and the encouragement of one of her teachers. Heart strings tugged on me the whole entire time and this is one I will cherish forever. 

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averyrell's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


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bethshuff's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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_kimb's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0


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grace007's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring tense 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? No

4.5


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