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A review by ghostie_reads
Dear Diaspora by Susan Nguyen
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Dear Diaspora is a powerful collection of Vietnamese author, Susan Nguyen's, experiences with growing up, femininity, and the diaspora. Throughout the collection, audiences witness Suzi ripping out her leg hairs with duct tape, trying to understand her father's disappearance, and attempting to love herself the way she looks.
Earlier this year, I spent quite a bit of time discussing and engaging with texts from authors Honorée Fannone Jeffers (through her collection, The Age of Phillis) and Tiana Clark (specifically, her collection I Can't Talk About the Trees Without the Blood). Nguyen reckons with selfhood in the same way that Jeffers and Clark do, but as any successful poet does, she puts her own spin on it and creates a new perspective that many readers may not have encountered before.
I really loved this collection. I thought the different formats of the poems created the feeling of confusion that is often associated with grief and trauma. Nguyen approaches topics like generational trauma in an understandable, yet widely relatable way. This collection opens the door for some very important conversations about immigration (specifically when it comes to the refugee experience), mental health, and selfhood versus identity formation.
Overall rating: 5/5
Dear Diaspora will be available for purchase on September 1st. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Susan Nguyen's website!
I was lucky enough to be able to listen to this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Earlier this year, I spent quite a bit of time discussing and engaging with texts from authors Honorée Fannone Jeffers (through her collection, The Age of Phillis) and Tiana Clark (specifically, her collection I Can't Talk About the Trees Without the Blood). Nguyen reckons with selfhood in the same way that Jeffers and Clark do, but as any successful poet does, she puts her own spin on it and creates a new perspective that many readers may not have encountered before.
I really loved this collection. I thought the different formats of the poems created the feeling of confusion that is often associated with grief and trauma. Nguyen approaches topics like generational trauma in an understandable, yet widely relatable way. This collection opens the door for some very important conversations about immigration (specifically when it comes to the refugee experience), mental health, and selfhood versus identity formation.
Overall rating: 5/5
Dear Diaspora will be available for purchase on September 1st. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Susan Nguyen's website!
I was lucky enough to be able to listen to this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.