Scan barcode
jennyfromtheloch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
wintrovia's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a lot of books about adoption, having gone adopted twice, but these poems capture thr experience the most accuracutely of anything I've read. I liked how the perspectives jumped from birth mother, to adoptive mother, to adopted child to show the different angles and experiences. Excellently written and thoroughly recommended.
erboe501's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the exploration of gender and race in these poems. Offering the perspectives of birth mother, adoptive mother, and daughter really allowed for a full picture of the story. I liked that the focus was very much on the women's story and lineage, rather than the fathers'.
becksusername's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Bullying, Transphobia, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Racism, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Blood, and Domestic abuse
addydeejreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
What an emotional read for me. I expected it would be as going in I knew a good portion of these poems surrounded an adoptee. I related to a lot of this being one myself and so I found bits and pieces being torn as I went through each poem.
These are told from the perspectives of the daughter the birth mother and the adoptive mother, and takes us on an emotional journey through race, racism, sexuality and more.
What's it like to be the adopted by a white family when you yourself are black in a country that is mostly white? This was explored beautifully and had those harsh moments of reckoning for the daughter and her surroundings.
I think these are easy enough to read to still be understandable and still have such a impact that anyone can pick it up.
These are told from the perspectives of the daughter the birth mother and the adoptive mother, and takes us on an emotional journey through race, racism, sexuality and more.
What's it like to be the adopted by a white family when you yourself are black in a country that is mostly white? This was explored beautifully and had those harsh moments of reckoning for the daughter and her surroundings.
I think these are easy enough to read to still be understandable and still have such a impact that anyone can pick it up.
char_co's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
This is a rather short collection of poems in which Jackie Kay explores transracial adoption and identity. This seems to be loosely based on Kay’s own life, having also been adopted by a white family in Scotland. The first part of the collection is told through three perspectives, each one following a particular typeface: the biracial daughter, the birth mother, and the adoptive mother. All three voices come together to reflect on how adoption impacted each of them, which inevitably reveals the complexities of familial relationships. I thought Kay approached all of this with incredible empathy.
I felt that the second part was a little weaker, only because it seemed less connected to the collection to, instead, focus a bit more broadly on Scottish life as a queer biracial woman. It was a little harder to parse out who was narrating and what the intentions were for most poems. I still found many of them thought-provoking, but again, I couldn’t quite figure out how any of it connected to the first part of the collection, which had a clearer message.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Death
Minor: Kidnapping and Suicide
molly9900's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mary_juleyre's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5