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koreanlinda 's review for:
Home Body
by Rupi Kaur
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
This is the second poetry collection by rupi kaur, and overall it was better than the first anthology. I would say the biggest strength of kaur's poems is their readability. The language is straightforward, and it flows well. You don't have to repeat certain lines to understand what it means or try to restructure lines because they are disjointed.
The likability of her poems would vary a lot by readers' preferences. I would say I'm in the middle ground. I prefer accessible writing style, but kaur's poems come off too simplistic. They often talk about pain, but it stops there. It is hard to see the contemplation she must have gone through in order to get to this stage of bearing vulnerability. The story often feels repeated.
I'd offer a token of appreciation for her work with a quote from Mark Nepo's The Book of Awakening (p.103).
The likability of her poems would vary a lot by readers' preferences. I would say I'm in the middle ground. I prefer accessible writing style, but kaur's poems come off too simplistic. They often talk about pain, but it stops there. It is hard to see the contemplation she must have gone through in order to get to this stage of bearing vulnerability. The story often feels repeated.
I'd offer a token of appreciation for her work with a quote from Mark Nepo's The Book of Awakening (p.103).
By letting things out, we also let things in. So if you're cut off, in pain, estranged, numb--sing, give voice to anything. It needn't sound pretty. Simply, bravely, open despite the difficulty, and let what is in out, and what is out in. Sing, and your life will continue.
kaur started singing, and if it has allowed her live, that might be good enough.
Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in March 2025
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Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Violence