Reviews

Body of Render by Felicia Zamora

sam8834's review against another edition

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Sealey Challenge 2023
Book 15

lottpoet's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

3.5

rainbowbookworm's review against another edition

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2.0

As a Latina and a lesbian, my favorite poems in this collection were the ones that dealt with politics and the forty-fifth's president stances towards people like me.

There is a certain power to this collection, but for the most part I was perturbed by some of the language and imagery. It hindered my appreciation of the work.

keondra's review against another edition

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3.0

Body of Render melds themes of identity, otherness, oppression, mental health, temporality and the body. A dense but moderately quick read, much of the success of the poems relies heavily on the readers awareness of the current political climate and its effects on women and marginalized communities. Having come to the work with a strong background on these issues, it did not require much effort to understand the meaning of the poems. I suspect it would be a little more difficult for those without firsthand experience. Perhaps that doesn't matter, if they are not the intended audience.

The biggest challenge of this book is that it doesn't feel timely. Many of the poems reference events that occurred during the 2016 election and in the months leading up to President Trump's inauguration. Consequently, many other artists and thought leaders have addressed their concerns and dissent in the years since, making a large portion of this collection feel stale.

Despite the challenges, I think this book is a good reminder of the political and social landscape surrounding the 2016 election and the aftermath, even if reading it in 2020 feels untimely.

***I received a time-limited digital copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review***
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