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angelreadsthings's review
3.0
3.5 Stars. Giovanni's poetry in this collection is simple, straightforward, and, at its best, surprising. While this wasn't one of the most resonating overall poetry collections I've read, I still appreciated much of what she had to say especially some of her reflections on love.
elizabooks's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
allieeveryday's review
3.0
This is really silly, but maybe for the last month or so, after Ethan goes down for the night, we've been watching episodes of "Deal or No Deal" from like, 2006. It's a show of low stakes disguised as high stakes, and also did you know that Meghan Markle used to be a case model before she was the Duchess of Sussex?? Anyway, I mention this because halfway through Bicycles there's a poem called "Deal or No Deal," and I had to read it to Matt even though he probably didn't care. :)
My class is not sure
That I should apply to
Deal or No Deal
They think I am lucky
After all
I am teaching
Them
- excerpt
Nikki Giovanni is a local author and a professor at Virginia Tech, and I picked up this book because we just! got! a local bookstore! and it had a big display with lots of local authors, and I'd been meaning to check out more of Giovanni's work after I really enjoyed Chasing Utopia.
Unfortunately, while I still found plenty to like in Bicycles, I didn't love it anywhere near as much as Chasing Utopia. In that one, so many pieces resonated with me, and in this one, I'd laugh over a turn of phrase or think something was clever, but nothing really HIT me and stayed with me. This is a bummer, particularly because there are two lovely tribute pieces to Virginia Tech after the 2007 campus shooting - we just didn't happen to live here yet, and so don't have that same personal connection that someone that was here, then, would have.
My class is not sure
That I should apply to
Deal or No Deal
They think I am lucky
After all
I am teaching
Them
- excerpt
Nikki Giovanni is a local author and a professor at Virginia Tech, and I picked up this book because we just! got! a local bookstore! and it had a big display with lots of local authors, and I'd been meaning to check out more of Giovanni's work after I really enjoyed Chasing Utopia.
Unfortunately, while I still found plenty to like in Bicycles, I didn't love it anywhere near as much as Chasing Utopia. In that one, so many pieces resonated with me, and in this one, I'd laugh over a turn of phrase or think something was clever, but nothing really HIT me and stayed with me. This is a bummer, particularly because there are two lovely tribute pieces to Virginia Tech after the 2007 campus shooting - we just didn't happen to live here yet, and so don't have that same personal connection that someone that was here, then, would have.
xhallie25's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
ginnygriggs_'s review
4.0
This is so different from my normal styles that it took me quite a while to get into it. By the end, I loved it.
stenaros's review
2.0
I came by Nikki Giovanni via the 2011 "Everybody Reads Selection" of the Multnomah County Library. The author of the selection, Wes Moore, has a sister named after Nikki Giovanni and I figured that was good enough reason to check her out. I found a lot of these poems a bit too "early relationship happy/sappy" for me and am interested in reading other poems by this author that are not specifically about love. My favorite poem was "Christmas Laughter" (which can be found by searching the title) which warmly reminded me of my shrinking family.
freshjai's review
4.0
There were a few poems that were sad and felt sort of out place, but I think love is both happy and sad, so even if they weren't all the happiest of poems, this collection was really sweet and heartfelt to me.
lraven13's review
5.0
This is one of the most wonderful books I've ever experienced. Simple poems? Not a one. Sassy, vibrant, elegant, jazzy, hope, heartbreak, a book of poems you should own and keep close.