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levisainz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
heartbreaking and beautiful. the poem “self portrait of an abuser” is a masterclass in poetry. two towers of text that mean so much alone, and then when read together create a whole new, even more powerful poem. amazing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Rape, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
lbelow's review against another edition
emotional
4.0
I'll admit, I don't think I was the right audience for the more Christian/religious poems. However so many of the other poems moved me deeply.
Content Warnings
Minor: Physical abuse, Cursing, Rape, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Violence, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse
leighwitz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.5
Oh I can’t get enough of Akwaeke Emezi. Every word oozes off the page and I devour it. I try to take my time with poetry collections and just read a few poems at a time, but I couldn’t help myself with this one. I needed every bit of it at once. I want more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Cannibalism
mxpringle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Racism
introvertsbookclub's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
Emezi might be the most unique writer I have ever read, and her poetry felt like a continuation of the style and the voice that they have established in their prose. Within the collection, they created their own world and an expression of their self that was captivating. Some of the poems were thrilling to read in the way that they remade the world in their image, and crafted a new version or reading of familiar myths, stories and experiences. It was a consuming read.
Athough the collection is complex and layered, it also feels accessible. The form is playful and the language is creative, but it isn’t purposefully difficult. The collection feels open despite its specificity; no one else could write these poems but anyone can read them. There is so much pain and grief, but the collection feels liberating, a blazing assertion of self that is impossible to put down.
Athough the collection is complex and layered, it also feels accessible. The form is playful and the language is creative, but it isn’t purposefully difficult. The collection feels open despite its specificity; no one else could write these poems but anyone can read them. There is so much pain and grief, but the collection feels liberating, a blazing assertion of self that is impossible to put down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual assault
aglclark's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
kryskross's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Grief
james1star's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This was my first time reading something by Akwaeke Emezi but am certainly intrigued to read more of their works. This poetry collection is quite varied in both form and topic with grief, rage and religion being key themes. As the title suggests, Emezi does highlight quite a few trigger warning details, specifically sexual assault, but isn’t too explicit. The poems contain a rawness and emotional honesty which I really appreciated and at times I could relate to their feelings too. Some were slightly too abstract for me personally to understand but overall as a collection it was enjoyable and one I’d certainly recommend. My favourite poems were:
‘"BUT WHY DID YOU FEEL YOU HAD TO KILL YOURSELF, BABY LOVE?"
1. i thought it would be a useful sacrifice
2. habit, or morbid tradition
3. god and i were in a feud
4. this world is foul i needed to bathe in my blood
5. spite and vengeance
6. no one else would do it
7. i missed not existing
8. how can you ask me that
9. knowing how lonely
10. i have been’
And:
‘I WAS BORN IN A GREAT LENGTH OF RIVER
if i run the water at full bludgeoning force it takes the bathtub thirteen minutes to fill twenty seconds for the bath bomb to dissolve eleven if i stir, four seconds for epsom salts i sink as deep as i can, involve my lungs it takes nothing if i add nothing
// when i was nine, i could hold my breath for seventy-five seconds, i practiced in class practiced underwater from one end of the pool to the other, the long way, i held the air deep in my stomach, ballooned it into my cheeks let it out in small measured hisses, i rationed it
// in ghana twenty years later, i tripped on a rock while trying to leave the ocean and got seized by the quick tide, it tossed and sucked me, i couldn't stand, so instead i curled against the floor as waves battered over my head, i held my breath and i did not die, do you hear? i did not die what i'm saying is, it doesn't matter which water i will never know what it's like to drown’
And these two quotes from their other poems were great too:
‘…we said in twenty years they'd put us both in each other's documentary, how could they not’
And ‘…what wars have been fought on me what hauntings i carry in the blaze of unspeakable light look at me through tears of blood through the healing flesh fall on your knees beatify me canonize me mark me full of blasphemy give me an army for what the fire has made of me you have been seeking wonders in all the wrong places now here, gaze upon me! i am the fucking miracle!’
‘"BUT WHY DID YOU FEEL YOU HAD TO KILL YOURSELF, BABY LOVE?"
1. i thought it would be a useful sacrifice
2. habit, or morbid tradition
3. god and i were in a feud
4. this world is foul i needed to bathe in my blood
5. spite and vengeance
6. no one else would do it
7. i missed not existing
8. how can you ask me that
9. knowing how lonely
10. i have been’
And:
‘I WAS BORN IN A GREAT LENGTH OF RIVER
if i run the water at full bludgeoning force it takes the bathtub thirteen minutes to fill twenty seconds for the bath bomb to dissolve eleven if i stir, four seconds for epsom salts i sink as deep as i can, involve my lungs it takes nothing if i add nothing
// when i was nine, i could hold my breath for seventy-five seconds, i practiced in class practiced underwater from one end of the pool to the other, the long way, i held the air deep in my stomach, ballooned it into my cheeks let it out in small measured hisses, i rationed it
// in ghana twenty years later, i tripped on a rock while trying to leave the ocean and got seized by the quick tide, it tossed and sucked me, i couldn't stand, so instead i curled against the floor as waves battered over my head, i held my breath and i did not die, do you hear? i did not die what i'm saying is, it doesn't matter which water i will never know what it's like to drown’
And these two quotes from their other poems were great too:
‘…we said in twenty years they'd put us both in each other's documentary, how could they not’
And ‘…what wars have been fought on me what hauntings i carry in the blaze of unspeakable light look at me through tears of blood through the healing flesh fall on your knees beatify me canonize me mark me full of blasphemy give me an army for what the fire has made of me you have been seeking wonders in all the wrong places now here, gaze upon me! i am the fucking miracle!’
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
Minor: Grief, Emotional abuse, Biphobia, Cursing, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia
i33y's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
catandherbooks's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
3.25
Poetry is still not my thing but I loved The Death of Vivek Oji and You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty so I wanted to read more of Emezi's body of work. Underlined more passages than I expected, didn't always understand or felt able to connect the writing (it's not them, it's me) but it felt raw and tender and oftentimes stunning.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Self harm