Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
According to poets.org, an epic poem is "a long, often book-length, narrative in verse form that retells the heroic journey of a single person or a group of persons." So, I find it interesting that we have turned away from labeling works as epic poetry, even when they clearly fit the genre. Perhaps publishers are afraid that readers, remembering the difficulty of high school forced marches through Beowulf and the Oddysey, will turn away from these modern stories told in verse. But I'm reclaiming the name and telling you that Me (Moth) is an epic poem and you shouldn't be afraid.
Me (Moth) is the first-person narrative of Moth who has lost her immediate family in a car accident of which she is the only survivor. Her guilt shrinks her world until she meets Sani. Together they explore the links between themselves, their art, their cultural origins (African-American and Native American, respectively), and their pain. Me (Moth) follows the pair as they make their way through the South and out to the Navajo Nation to reconnect with Sani's father.
It is not a long read but McBride fills every line and every word with multiple layers. I'll probably read this several times through to suck the marrow from each idea. Lyrical, moving and heartbreaking, Me (Moth) is a book with deep ideas that's perfectly accessible at the same time. Pick it up. Don't be afraid to read an epic.
Me (Moth) is the first-person narrative of Moth who has lost her immediate family in a car accident of which she is the only survivor. Her guilt shrinks her world until she meets Sani. Together they explore the links between themselves, their art, their cultural origins (African-American and Native American, respectively), and their pain. Me (Moth) follows the pair as they make their way through the South and out to the Navajo Nation to reconnect with Sani's father.
It is not a long read but McBride fills every line and every word with multiple layers. I'll probably read this several times through to suck the marrow from each idea. Lyrical, moving and heartbreaking, Me (Moth) is a book with deep ideas that's perfectly accessible at the same time. Pick it up. Don't be afraid to read an epic.
emotional
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
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
“I have always been a passing breeze, felt but never seen.”
Me (Moth) is a novel in verse about a young woman whose life is turned upside down one night when a car accident kills her parents and brother, leaving Moth alone to believe she lived too loudly and sucked away any chance her family had to survive. So now she lives in Virginia with her aunt Jack and passes the days making herself as small and lifeless as possible.
The story follows Moth as she meets Sani, a young man fighting his own monsters. Together, they embark on a road trip where they share their personal histories and discover what it could mean to live, sing, dance and feel all of the things they have been running from for so long.
Me (Moth) is a beautiful debut novel, distinctly human and lyrically mystical. It explores the ways we struggle, press against the constructs that contain us, and transform into whoever we were meant to be as we endeavor to swallow the sun, to live deeply, fully, and honestly.
Me (Moth) is a novel in verse about a young woman whose life is turned upside down one night when a car accident kills her parents and brother, leaving Moth alone to believe she lived too loudly and sucked away any chance her family had to survive. So now she lives in Virginia with her aunt Jack and passes the days making herself as small and lifeless as possible.
The story follows Moth as she meets Sani, a young man fighting his own monsters. Together, they embark on a road trip where they share their personal histories and discover what it could mean to live, sing, dance and feel all of the things they have been running from for so long.
Me (Moth) is a beautiful debut novel, distinctly human and lyrically mystical. It explores the ways we struggle, press against the constructs that contain us, and transform into whoever we were meant to be as we endeavor to swallow the sun, to live deeply, fully, and honestly.
The book is written in verse from the POV of an African-American teen girl. She has suffered some losses in her life, and she is trying to recover from them. She befriends a Native American boy at school, and they share an intense friendship / romance. They are both dealing with issues of family conflict and mental illness.
It was a powerful book.
It was a powerful book.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
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:
No
Wonderful verse prose, a tale of loss and finding one self. I was an emotional mess while reading it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Car accident, Death of parent
Moderate: Slavery, Colonisation
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated