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A review by michela_wilson
The Moon That Turns You Back: Poems by Hala Alyan
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
“A good house can carry anguish, and this is how I think of bodies now, too.”
Displacement causes immense confusion: whether that’s displacement from your home, your spouse, your family, or your gender. The Moon that Turns You Back captures this idea perfectly through one of the most impactful poetry collections I have ever read.
The collection perfectly dissects grief, the realities of womanhood, marriage, and so much more in less than 120 pages. Each poem changes format and form as Hala Alyan puts her incredible creativity on display. I was never bored and I never wanted to put the book down. My favorite changes of form were the poems that became a “choose your own adventure” of sorts in which Alyan allows her reader to participate and decide what the next word will be. These poems, in particular, captured the idea of how displacement causes these shifting memories and narratives throughout one’s life.
If you are looking for a book that captures the emotions of being Palestinian during this moment in time, this is the book for you.
If you are looking for a book that captures the shifting emotions of marriage, this is the book for you.
If you are looking for a poetry collection that reinvents what poetry can be, this book is for you!
This collection comes out on March 12th, 2024 and I highly recommend pre-ordering it soon because it is not a book you’ll want to miss!
Thank you so much to Hala Alyan and Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displacement causes immense confusion: whether that’s displacement from your home, your spouse, your family, or your gender. The Moon that Turns You Back captures this idea perfectly through one of the most impactful poetry collections I have ever read.
The collection perfectly dissects grief, the realities of womanhood, marriage, and so much more in less than 120 pages. Each poem changes format and form as Hala Alyan puts her incredible creativity on display. I was never bored and I never wanted to put the book down. My favorite changes of form were the poems that became a “choose your own adventure” of sorts in which Alyan allows her reader to participate and decide what the next word will be. These poems, in particular, captured the idea of how displacement causes these shifting memories and narratives throughout one’s life.
If you are looking for a book that captures the emotions of being Palestinian during this moment in time, this is the book for you.
If you are looking for a book that captures the shifting emotions of marriage, this is the book for you.
If you are looking for a poetry collection that reinvents what poetry can be, this book is for you!
This collection comes out on March 12th, 2024 and I highly recommend pre-ordering it soon because it is not a book you’ll want to miss!
Thank you so much to Hala Alyan and Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.