Reviews

Hold Your Own: Poems by Kae Tempest

krissyranae's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this. Simple as that.

rj_novotny's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

graceedelman's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

lillianglippold's review

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5.0

I have a lot of trouble enjoying rhyming poetry. It can feel repetitive and too similar. This is the opposite of that. This book is magnificent and surprising. The cadence is distinct. Tempest does an incredible job remaking the art of rhyme.

lorayne's review against another edition

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5.0

It's been a while since I read a poetry book. Kate Tempest does such a beautiful job weaving together the story of Tiresias in a modern setting with the complexities of what it means to be a man, a woman, a teenager, and a child. I love the comparisons she makes--poetry is "one of those handbag dogs, yapping and scared of the rain"--and the personification she uses--"Poetry trembles alone, only picked up to be taken apart." Her imagery is startling at times and comforting at others. This is a book I will often go back to. Everyone should read this. I believe it will become timeless as Tiresias has become.

jonnyfox's review against another edition

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5.0

Let's face it, Kate is a modern master who will be taught in schools and only truly revered once it's too late

undermeyou's review

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4.0

It was hard for me to rate this. The subject matter and tying it in to mythology was beautiful and intelligent. Rhyming poetry is always so restrictive to me that I feel so much is missed by trying to adhere to a guideline or template. This was a 4 for me because of that. I felt too much missed opportunity to love it the way I thought that I would, but the actual quality is a 5.

megatsunami's review against another edition

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5.0

LOVED this. Just beautiful, original and full of energy and movement, meant to be read aloud. I'm not usually a fan of story-poems - I'd rather just read a story - but the Tiresias poems in this book are phenomenal (especially the long one at the beginning). I actually stayed up too late reading it because I was so moved. Also, it's rare to find someone who writes about gender in a way that describes a range of gender experiences.

jade_courtney's review against another edition

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3.0

I’ll be completely honest a good chunk of this just went over my head. Though there were a few poems I really liked, particularly the ones relating to Tiresias.

ankatriendr's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0