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kindredspirit7's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is absolute perfection. The audiobook is impeccable. I don’t live in New York. I’m a white middle class young woman from the Appalachian mountains. But there was something so relatable in the way x related with Christianity and the way she experiences her first love. Her relationship with her mother. It all spoke to the 16 year old girl in me who was grappling with love and sex and who she was all while surrounded by a family that was pious and knowing she was different. The writing is beautiful. The story is heartwarming and heartbreaking. I laughed, I cried, I felt angry for X. If I could make it everyone read this book I would.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Cursing, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, and Body shaming
joey_schafer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse
kaimetcalfe's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Body shaming
Moderate: Infertility, Bullying, Drug use, and Homophobia
Minor: Addiction
august69's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Body shaming
Moderate: Sexual content and Homophobia
regent_ace's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
I loved this book but it was a hard read in some parts for me. The way religion/religious trauma is talked about was really refreshing and painfully realistic. The way the author handled the toxic religious household and the parental relationships Xiomara had was well handled and written. I loved following Xiomara’s journey of finding her voice as not only a poet but as a young woman.
My only wish is that this book was a bit longer so we could really focus more on Xiomara's relationships with family and her boyfriend. I feel like their conclusions were rushed.
Also I wasn't a fan Aman and Xiomara's relationship nothing was inherently wrong with it but I just didn't enjoy it. It felt like to me, she fell for the first guy that was nice to her and it felt like they were a bit rushed. Also that one scene in the hallway made me just not care for Aman (yes im petty for that lol).
Also I wasn't a fan Aman and Xiomara's relationship nothing was inherently wrong with it but I just didn't enjoy it. It felt like to me, she fell for the first guy that was nice to her and it felt like they were a bit rushed. Also that one scene in the hallway made me just not care for Aman (yes im petty for that lol).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Sexual harassment
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
5.0
ca·thar·sis
/kəˈTHärsəs/
noun:
the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
Catharsis is what I felt reading this.
This gripped me, I picked it up on a whim from the library looking for something short and couldn't put it down, enraptured by the beautiful writing and compelling characters. I finished the book at one in the morning, laid down in my bed, and cried for ten minutes or so.
The Poet X is written gorgeously and empathetically. I took a lot of pictures of pages because of how much I loved each poem and how some of them resonated so deeply with me. It never gets so loss in its metaphor and prose to forget the plot, balancing the two and enhancing both. It is a coming of age story about a girl who is fighting for agency in a household where she has none, mainly through her art. It's amazingly complex with each character having multiple layers, even the less savory ones. All while dealing with heavy topics such as religion, abuse, and misogyny with empathy and making the story both empowering and realistic.
And the book is overflowing with a love for writing. It being the main way that our protagonist, Xiomara, finds her agency. This love is weaved into the poetry itself of the book, illuminating the power of prose.
TWs: parental abuse justified with Catholicism and including physical violence, groping and sexual harassment, misogyny, homophobia, blasphemy.
/kəˈTHärsəs/
noun:
the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
Catharsis is what I felt reading this.
This gripped me, I picked it up on a whim from the library looking for something short and couldn't put it down, enraptured by the beautiful writing and compelling characters. I finished the book at one in the morning, laid down in my bed, and cried for ten minutes or so.
The Poet X is written gorgeously and empathetically. I took a lot of pictures of pages because of how much I loved each poem and how some of them resonated so deeply with me. It never gets so loss in its metaphor and prose to forget the plot, balancing the two and enhancing both. It is a coming of age story about a girl who is fighting for agency in a household where she has none, mainly through her art. It's amazingly complex with each character having multiple layers, even the less savory ones. All while dealing with heavy topics such as religion, abuse, and misogyny with empathy and making the story both empowering and realistic.
And the book is overflowing with a love for writing. It being the main way that our protagonist, Xiomara, finds her agency. This love is weaved into the poetry itself of the book, illuminating the power of prose.
TWs: parental abuse justified with Catholicism and including physical violence, groping and sexual harassment, misogyny, homophobia, blasphemy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Homophobia
escapismforlife's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Confinement, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Sexual harassment
lily_eames's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.5
I read this book for school but honestly I thought it was amazing. I love the unique use of poetry mixed with prose. It’s a super fast read that tells the coming of age story of a young Afro Latina woman. The author portrays the struggle between church and sexuality beautifully. While some of the poetry is a little too close to prose for my taste, many of the poems took my breath away. A great read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual harassment and Homophobia
sashalovespoetry's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment
sup3r_xn0va_maya's review
emotional
hopeful
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
The writing style of this was really interesting and I loved how the story just flowed. This was enjoyable and at one point I even got emotional thinking about similar issues I had with my parents when I was Xiomara's age. This is a coming of age story worth reading and I'm glad that I read it. I'm even interested in reading more poetry because of this book. The author narrates the audio book and she did a fantastic job, I don't think anyone could have read her book better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry and Sexual harassment