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hollyevaallen's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely stunning. I got lucky just finding this by chance at a used book store and buying it since I thought the cover was gorgeous. Well little did I know what I was about to discover. These poems are amazing. They’re surreal, vivid, and unusual. Tired of the same, drab romance poems or shock-value based “edgy” poetry? Try this- it’s artful, unique and leaves an impression. The poem about Laika (the soviet space dog) really affected me. What I will say is that these aren’t for people with a meager vocabulary. People who have trouble with English might not find these poems accessible as the word choice is quite advanced. Really that’s the only issue. These poems are amazing and instantly became some of my favorites. Highly recommend.
kweekwegg's review against another edition
4.0
The diction here is beautiful -- I particularly enjoyed "Mad Honey Song" for the kind of evolution of sound and words that it shows: "Dung describes the disgust, the gust, the August mud." Very cool. And of course I really enjoyed her excursions into history, with some interests concerning Pompey and Xenophon.
jayisreading's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Reading this collection was such a strange and surreal experience, wow. The primary theme of intoxicating honey is the base, with other themes building on this ranging from race to (im)migration and to madness. Something I noticed from her previous collection that carried over to this collection is this kind of observing of the world, though Mad Honey Symposium is anything but restrained and, instead, is laden with incredible imagery and ideas.
I loved the way Mao played with language, whether it be its form or sound. It made this collection all the more alluring and fascinating to read.
Some favorites: “Apiology, with Stigma,” “Flight Perils,” “The Pickpocket,” “Migration Suite,” “Yellow Fever,” “The Unraveling,” and “Drop-kick Aria”
Read for the Sealey Challenge.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
sambria's review against another edition
5.0
"The Pickpocket" is the truth and i hope to write something as good as it one day.
bekkabergamot's review against another edition
4.0
Great collection of poetry; imaginative word play.
carolinemeow's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this poetry collection! Interesting motifs (honey, animals, a lot of movement/travel), and one of the best uses of white space that I've ever seen. The way everything was laid out on the page was absolutely gorgeous. Also, I LOVE the cover. Interesting historical notes in the back as well!
Definitely needs a close reread.
Definitely needs a close reread.