899 reviews for:

The Hurting Kind

Ada Limón

4.28 AVERAGE

hwestenhofer's profile picture

hwestenhofer's review

4.0

This is the first full-length collection of Ada Limón poetry I've read, & it did not disappoint. I have loved her lyricism, but until now, had yet to read a collection, & I cannot wait to read more. She is absolutely stunning. This collection truly shows what it's like to be "the hurting kind" & the vast array of human emotions that comes with that. The collection is beautifully broken up into the four seasons, & there were so many poems in all the sections that wholly moved me. I highly recommend this collection & reading all of Limón.
cgcpoems's profile picture

cgcpoems's review

5.0
emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Easily my second favorite Limón collection after ‘The Carrying.’ Beautifully crafted and memorable and funny and heartfelt. I can’t wait to return to these poems.

emiscussen's review

4.75
challenging emotional inspiring reflective
torit's profile picture

torit's review

4.0
emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

She never misses!
barbarahallforrest's profile picture

barbarahallforrest's review

4.0

In her 6th collection of poetry, Ada Limon offers a moving ode to love, family, nature. Written in 4 different sections -- Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall -- Limon's phrases flow in a lyrical and musical manner. Frequently her poems begin with a meditation on nature and then transpose onto an exploration of emotions that is profound and visceral:

"When I looked it up, I learned it was the Magnificent Frigatebird.
It sounded like that enormity of a bird had named itself.

What a pleasure to say, I am Magnificent. And too, they traveled as a team,
so I wondered if they named each other. Generously tapping

one another's deeply forked tail or their plumage, glistening with salt air,
their gular sacs saying, You are Magnificent. You are Magnificent.

It makes me want to give all my loves the adjectives they deserve:
You are Resplendent. You are Radiant. You are Sublime."

This was my first venture into Limon's poetry and am grateful there are 5 other collections that await me -- I have already begun another one.
sydneyjayne's profile picture

sydneyjayne's review

4.0
emotional reflective slow-paced
challenging hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
corrosiveacid's profile picture

corrosiveacid's review

4.0
emotional hopeful slow-paced

the kind of poetry that makes me actually like poetry.

juliaschweitzer's review

3.5

I don't consider myself the biggest poetry lover, but I honestly LOVED this. A few poems were too abstract and confusing for me to understand, but like once every 3 poems I would be like OMGGG ATEEEE
challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

I sometimes find it difficult to review a book of poetry. This felt very capable, very polished, and something worth reading but it has not stuck with me beyond the general good feelings I felt while listening.