Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

119 reviews

pagesofplatypus's review against another edition

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emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

There's a reason why they're called poetry slams. It's been a while since a book has slammed me so hard with so many different emotions.

Written in verse, readers step right into Xiomara's mind and heart. Every emotion, her anger, her passion, her fear, her intrepidness, her hurt, her yearning for the feeling of being truly seen is felt profoundly.

Xio's relationship with her mother had me sobbing. It's as rough as the first draft of poem. Layered and complex as generational trauma, religious trauma, and everything else that makes mother-daughter relationships so damn complicated whirls in a hurricane throughout the story.

I like how as much is The Poet X is about Xiomara finding herself, it's also about how others shape us, how we think of ourselves, and what pieces of ourselves we're willing to sacrifice and bury. And, most importantly, The Poet X is about words. How they free us, give us power, and give us belonging.
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jooniethemoonie's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this book is so me!! I've never felt so SEEN by a book like this. I may but be Dominican, but Haitian is close enough! if you're an inspiring girl with Caribbean immigrant parents, this book is for you!! 🤩🩷
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anne_reader's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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draven_deathcrush's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I had to read this for school. I wanted to read another book, but this wasn't that bad. It was good, and I could definitely relate to a couple things.
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gwenswoons's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

Just finished this and wept (not for the first time while reading it). I have physical copies of both this and Family Lore (which is next-ish on my TBR, esp now ❤️), but I downloaded The Poet X on audio on a whim a week ago - read by the author herself, so gorgeously it stops the heart. I’ve been listening on the way to and from my quartet rehearsals this week, and kept often having to turn it back a minute to just hear the words one more time, sometimes two - every single line, word, moment is so precious and so unlike anything I have ever read.  I cannot tell you how much you need to read this book. Every word is a miracle.
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rachelfayreads's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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nat_kiverse's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bookishjae's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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catwhisperflubbs's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative 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? Yes

3.75

compelling and page-turning. read this in under 3 weeks
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frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am not from this culture, although raised Catholic, I saw other families in this story.  I was reminded that not everyone should be a parent and X’s parents are in that group.

This is one of those books where I think it’s better in audio.  Sure, seems the words, their organization, might be interesting, but then the reader loses the slam poetry aspect.

You feel everything X feels, the words poetic and free with emotion emphasizing each syllable.  Emotionally it’s tough, but beautiful.


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