Reviews

When The Chant Comes by Kay Ulanday Barrett

greyalder's review

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

literaryliaisons's review

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

jmontg18's review

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challenging emotional relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

joeyrei's review

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4.0

“Oh, hollow husk of a heart / don’t let the beatings of regret / be your only song.”

djinnofthedamned's review

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5.0

It's amazing how you can follow someone on a blog for years and correspond digitally and yet realize in the blink of a page turn that you've never read their poetry before or heard them before. I realized while reading this book in the bathtub that Kay and I have mostly talked about food, which there is plenty of all up and through the pages of this book of tenderness. So it's something amazing and beautiful to finally get to travel down the road someone has paved for themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed Kay's poetry; every rumination, lamentation, love note, bits of heartache and joy alike. I'm eager for the next one, but I'll also settle for an autographed copy of their cookbook "Recipes for the People" as well.

choirqueer's review

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5.0

In my ongoing quest to read more trans books by trans writers, I picked up this gorgeous book of poetry and couldn't put it down. The poet does that thing with words where they seem to leap off the page and make me feel things all over my body that defy description. I've been reading a lot of poetry lately and this is some of the very best poetry I've encountered.

mxsunny's review

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5.0

What a gift! This collection of poetry from Kay Ulanday Barrett speaks deeply and honestly to their life. From diaspora to disability, fighting for survival and fighting to be recognized, the complexities of family privilege, and more. Medicine for queer and trans people of color. Medicine for chronically ill and disabled folks. It's poetry that sings and sways as it moves through you.

fernlyqueer's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

robinks's review

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5.0

A devastatingly beautiful collection of poetry. Barrett’s voice incorporates his unique intersectional experience as a trans, queer, disabled, biracial child of an immigrant, yet it feels anyone can relate to the emotions evoked in each piece. A powerful testament to Barrett’s mother and his community.

ckegoddess_'s review

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PS RC 2020 Prompt #2: A Book By A Trans or Non-binary Author
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