Reviews

If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird

atcucchetti's review

4.5

 

Deeply personal, these poems resonate across many raw feelings. Libraries will definitely want copies for the poems speak directly to the raw 

CW: this collection is full of her experiences as a rape survivor. It may trigger. It may also heal. It will resonate for many. 

 

fr0gsonmushrooms's review

Wasn't what I thought it was

gabrielle_erin's review

4.0

I've really enjoyed watching Baird's live performances and her written work reads exactly the same, if not with more power. Her verse is so rhythmic and punchy, your eyes can't help but slide from one line to the next. Some extremely heavy content, handled with poise, candour and passion. A delight to experience.

chloeeebeee's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective

4.25

singuyen's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

tessatea333's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

purple676's review

challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

4.0

myloverlibrary's review

3.0

This was a pretty good introduction to Blythe Baird and I enjoyed her poems about loving women. I feel like I have to read more of her work to understand her better as a poet.

staakcaravaan's review against another edition

reflective

2.0

princesspersephone's review

3.0

I am so mixed on this review. There were so many poems I absolutely loved that were insightful and validating. It was very clear to me that Blythe Baird is still suffering and using poetry as an outlet for her pain. I totally applaud using poetry as a tool to recover, its a healthy outlet, and it offers us something beautiful and haunting to read. By the end however, it was also clear that she is just sitting in her pain, to the point where many of the poems almost romanticized mental illness. As an assault survivor, this was a bit triggering for me to get through, but many parts felt like she was speaking from inside of my body (like the title says). There is a necessary discomfort that is expected when reading about these heavy topics, but I found some of the poems to be pushing that boundary in the wrong direction (Vindictive maybe, but I still cant find the right word to describe it). I have so many thoughts about it that I need to sift through, but i will hold my peace until I get the chance to read it a second time though. This collection is easily made worth the purchase through the poems "Girl Code 101" "Pocket-Sized Feminism" "Skirt Steak Girls" and "I Lose My Voice During Sex"

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.