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noshinbean's review
5.0
I received an ARC for this on NetGalley, and it was compelling. The poems in this collection were thought-provoking, empowering, and lyrical in nature when discussing the lived experience as a modern day queer Black woman, occasionally referring to herself and people like her as "Urban Girl." Siaara Freeman is outspoken and self-aware about her place in society, and it shows in her poetry.
bladelikesbooks's review
5.0
Urbanshee by Siaara Freeman (5⭐️)
‘Urbanshee’ is a poem collection that discusses themes of family, blackness in aemrica, and grief.
This is such a beautiful, raw and sad collection. I often struggle to read poetry but Freeman’s writing style really worked for me. Many of the poems are very honest, raw, and personal and it really makes you feel like you’re inside the author’s brain. I really appreciate the author sharing their personal experiences and struggles. This was such a thoughtful and beautifully put together collection. I’m excited to check out Freeman’s spoken word work.
My favourites were - ‘Fearless Sounds Like Fatherless On The Right Tongue’ and ‘It Is Hard To Tell Someone On Fire That You Are Drowning’. Some quotes I liked were:
“If you kiss her, you may wake up in a new religion.”
“I am a bakery with little sweet left in it.”
“Most days I am an alley that no one should enter alone.”
“Even when the flies came, I simply introduced myself to the rot.”
“What if there is more to me than a place you run to when you are cold inside?”
“it’s a thunderstorm somewhere with your heartbeat & everyone is afraid to hear it but you.”
“Someone made my jaw drop & I liked it enough to let them
do it again & again—until the ground beneath me wore hellish lipstick in my shade.”
“All I got is this fatherless fortune of bones. All I got is a chest, but the treasure is for the drowned.”
“sometimes no one even notices a person’s problems until they set themselves on fire”
“I bled my way back to myself, left crumbs of myself to remember where I came from.”
“Sacrifice is not a shattering of glass, it is blood on your hands for getting someone out alive.”
“My mother clouds when she don’t want nobody to see her pain, which is how
I inherited my blur.”
“my heart is a BandAid for other hearts that have been bloodied by other hearts & once they heal, they rip me away.”
Rep - Black (Author); Dyslexic (Author); Lupus (Author); Queer (Author); OwnVoices
TWs/CWs - Alcohol; Animal Corpse; Animal Mutilation; Blood; Bugs; Cheating; Cultural Appropriation; Cussing; Death; Death of a parent; Dissection; Dog breeding; Drugs; Generational trauma; Grief; Gun Violence; Marijuana; Misogyny; Murder; Piss; Police Brutality; Protests; Racial Profiling; Self Harm; Serial Killings; Sexual Content; Sexual Harassment; Slavery; Slaves; Suicide Ideation; Tuberculosis
airxsouls's review
4.0
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This collection blurred many lines and showed so many truths about what life has felt like for our author. You can immediately pick up on the struggles faced and the things she's held dear to her. There are quite a few references to so many things.
I wasn't sure for a bit about how I would be rating only because poetry is a mystery to some and answers to others. It's ever changeable on a case-by-case basis. These are fantastic works to understand when she's overcome tragedy and life-altering decisions.
This collection blurred many lines and showed so many truths about what life has felt like for our author. You can immediately pick up on the struggles faced and the things she's held dear to her. There are quite a few references to so many things.
I wasn't sure for a bit about how I would be rating only because poetry is a mystery to some and answers to others. It's ever changeable on a case-by-case basis. These are fantastic works to understand when she's overcome tragedy and life-altering decisions.
bgibs122's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
restyourbones's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
5.0
This book of poetry was hard to read, but I'm so glad I did. It was beautifully written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Gun violence
bargainandbooks's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
5.0
A brilliant collection on the Black experience in America. Poetry and prose can be so subjective, but this collection makes it easy to consume and understand, and tough to not be outraged and emotionally pained by the experiences written here. Poetry is a great way to learn new things and experience new stories because they’re small and powerful. This is no exception. Each poem in itself packs a punch and the whole collection flows together perfectly.
madalynw's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you Button Poetry and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I find poetry really difficult to review, especially when it is so personal and full of emotion as Urbanshee is. I don't read a lot of poetry and sometimes I feel like I just don't get it, but this was wonderful. I do think the description didn't really fit with what the book actually is, but I'm glad I read it. I am really interested in listening to some of Siaara Freeman's spoken work now.
Definitely read this!
I find poetry really difficult to review, especially when it is so personal and full of emotion as Urbanshee is. I don't read a lot of poetry and sometimes I feel like I just don't get it, but this was wonderful. I do think the description didn't really fit with what the book actually is, but I'm glad I read it. I am really interested in listening to some of Siaara Freeman's spoken work now.
Definitely read this!
nicolelongstaff's review against another edition
4.0
ARC- “Urbanshee” is a beautifully raw collection of what makes up real, real life. It doesn’t play by old antiquated rules of what can and cannot be said. It’s words truthful and misshapen to form the reality of what growing up as a black woman looks like.
stitching_ghost's review
4.0
I was already a fan of Siaara's spoken word work so when I saw an ARC of her written work on NetGalley you can imagine my excitement.
While I vastly prefer her spoken work to her written work this was an interesting read. This book is a lot of things, it's grappling with loss, both that of the idea of who someone is and that of that very person. It's a deep cut on what it means to be from and of somewhere. It's beautiful and sad, vibrant and bleak at times.
There's quite a few pop culture references that probably went over my head in there (references to Netflix shows, actors, musicians), so if like me you're not much of a TV/movie watcher you might find yourself googling quite a bit.
While I vastly prefer her spoken work to her written work this was an interesting read. This book is a lot of things, it's grappling with loss, both that of the idea of who someone is and that of that very person. It's a deep cut on what it means to be from and of somewhere. It's beautiful and sad, vibrant and bleak at times.
There's quite a few pop culture references that probably went over my head in there (references to Netflix shows, actors, musicians), so if like me you're not much of a TV/movie watcher you might find yourself googling quite a bit.
readingwithkaitlyn's review
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Police brutality, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Racism, Self harm, Murder, Chronic illness, and Suicide