A review by mnboyer
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

At its core, this memoir is Safiya Sinclair (Jamaican poet) reliving the trauma of her past -- her father was a serious, meticulous Rastafarian and was absolutely *horrible* to his family. Women and young girls were seen as 'impure' and couldn't make any of their own choices. Sinclair finds her passion, poetry, but her father doesn't support her. Now, her mother does -- she's a strong woman who, like many, has issues getting out from under the control of her husband. But, the entire book, you're rooting for these women to free themselves.

Wonderful prose, a really interesting memoir where you do learn a ton about Rastafarian culture and belief systems (I had no idea!), and a great ending where there is closure... you get to learn about Safiya Sinclair's background, which helps you to understand her poetry on a deeper level.

Now, I do wish she'd leave ASU and come down to UA, but I suppose I can just keep hoping for that! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings