Reviews with content warning for Racism - Citizen: An American Lyric

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

51 reviews

nvillanuevadrv's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

5.0

A juxtaposition of astute reflections on the tide of racism and white supremacy that permeates every nook and cranny of the U.S. and beyond. Rankine wields deft and evocative poetic lyricism that captures vignettes from the cultural landscape.

Content Warnings

graecus_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

4.5

another mike gift rec and i have not been done dirty. i read this a little bit after i was supposed to (meant to be a companion read to invisible man, and i can definitely see why those books would be paired together). the entire book was artfully constructed, and the combination of poetry, prose-poetry, art, and images was outstanding. the way that it highlighted microagressions and the ways in which experiences of racism compound upon each other was incredibly done. would very much recommend this book.

Content Warnings

avisreadsandreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Content Warnings

lydiajines's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

itsanniek's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

Content Warnings

mattyvreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

A poignant, thought-provoking, and no-nonsense indictment of racism, misogyny, and their intersection, in America. Rankine does not mince words.

This piece is a sort of extended poem which illustrates her experience as a Black woman in America, including micro-aggressions carried out against herself, her friends, and Black female athletes like Serena Williams who faced casual racism in their sport that had huge consequences.

I am eager to read this book again, as to soak up even more of Rankine’s words. She is an icon.

Content Warnings

shopgiri's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

Despite how short it is, it's heavy and heartbreaking. Great use of references, art, and original writing to talk about what it's like living as a black person in America.

Content Warnings

bricharis's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

sairywhy's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

4.25

Content Warnings

rieviolet's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging reflective fast-paced

2.5

I am sorry but this book was really not for me. I did not get along with the writing style nor the way it was structured, these sort of fragmented and episodic reflections were too difficult for me to follow, I mostly felt confused and clueless about what was going on.
Honestly, I understood maybe a third of what I read and while that is certainly on me, it really hampered my fruition of the book and the general appreciation of the reading experience.

I also struggled with the final section in verse and most of it went over my head. I admit that I am not a devoted poetry reader and, when I actually read it, I am usually drawn to a more prose-like and matter-of-fact type of poetry.

I think a book like this is just too much experimental for my personal taste. However, I did appreciate the section focusing on Serena Williams and the racism she experienced in her career as a tennis player, it might be because it was the part that more closely resembled a traditional and straightforward essay.

Content Warnings

More...