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bookishgyal_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
jestintzi's review
5.0
I liked Belcourt's debut a lot, but this book really took it to the next level. If you liked Belcourt's debut, get this book!, if you didn't read his debut, get this book! You don't want to miss the BRB train!
lisalikesdogs's review
4.0
Liked this a lot but also felt like a lot of it was way over my head. Hard to express.
anniemackillican's review
5.0
As usual I am continuously impressed and astonished by Billy Ray Belcourt’s work. His ability to capture the queer Indigenous experience is one that is virtually unmatched, and his politicization of poetry is so admirable.
This book has been out a while, and has received its fair share of accolades, so my recommendation is nothing groundbreaking, but I really did love this book. Not only does Belcourt create what I think is a perfect collection of poetry pertaining to the imagery and feeling of identity, both queer and NDN, but he creates a sort of Indigenous Literature canon, where specific works by other authors are referenced to create a little world within a book, or an NDN utopia. It’s very comforting.
I also found this less sad than This Wound is a World, which was good, because I don’t always need to be sobbing in the middle of the day.
My favourite line in this entire work was “Top me, but ontologically.” Obsessed with that. Give it a read if you’re looking for some more poetry for your library!
This book has been out a while, and has received its fair share of accolades, so my recommendation is nothing groundbreaking, but I really did love this book. Not only does Belcourt create what I think is a perfect collection of poetry pertaining to the imagery and feeling of identity, both queer and NDN, but he creates a sort of Indigenous Literature canon, where specific works by other authors are referenced to create a little world within a book, or an NDN utopia. It’s very comforting.
I also found this less sad than This Wound is a World, which was good, because I don’t always need to be sobbing in the middle of the day.
My favourite line in this entire work was “Top me, but ontologically.” Obsessed with that. Give it a read if you’re looking for some more poetry for your library!
ari__s's review
5.0
"What distinguishes denotation from detonation, after all, is human invention. Blood-letting a people with the alphabet is a gutting just the same."
There's a lyrical beauty in the way the historical and societal violence against indigenous peoples in Canada is explored in this collection. Fiercely personal and intimately vulnerable throughout, these poems will cling to you. There's something to celebrate and be humbled by when you encounter a voice that is so unapologetically pissed off about injustice and systemic violence.
There's a lyrical beauty in the way the historical and societal violence against indigenous peoples in Canada is explored in this collection. Fiercely personal and intimately vulnerable throughout, these poems will cling to you. There's something to celebrate and be humbled by when you encounter a voice that is so unapologetically pissed off about injustice and systemic violence.
mylord's review
4.0
"Worldviews are women who lived their whole life in archives examined and reexamined."