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A review by bibliophage
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
“She tells me words give people permission to be their fullest self. And aren’t these the poems I’ve most needed to hear?”
In Acevedo's splendid verse, The Poet X tells the story of Xiomara, a young woman coming-of-age in Harlem. Xiomara comes from a Dominican immigrant family with devoutly religious parents. We read here of Xiomara's challenge to fully come in to her own and find her poet's voice as she challenges various familial and societal expectations. Xiomara is strong and independent and compelled to write.
The Poet X was Acevedo's debut but I ended up reading it after With Fire on High and Clap When You Land. With Fire on High remains my favorite, I definitely felt the power of this award-winning novel-in-verse. While I think Acevedo's creative command of language is well deserving of praise, I felt that the central question of religion merited more nuance. Xiomara's story of her wrestle with the high expectations of her mother is moving, but in the end I felt that there was still much left to be explored about her struggle with her mother's beliefs and viewpoints. Even so, I would recommend any of Acevedo's stories-in-verse.
Also, I'm thrilled that the novel-in-verse continues to gain traction among young readers, I hope this genre just continues to grow.
In Acevedo's splendid verse, The Poet X tells the story of Xiomara, a young woman coming-of-age in Harlem. Xiomara comes from a Dominican immigrant family with devoutly religious parents. We read here of Xiomara's challenge to fully come in to her own and find her poet's voice as she challenges various familial and societal expectations. Xiomara is strong and independent and compelled to write.
The Poet X was Acevedo's debut but I ended up reading it after With Fire on High and Clap When You Land. With Fire on High remains my favorite, I definitely felt the power of this award-winning novel-in-verse. While I think Acevedo's creative command of language is well deserving of praise, I felt that the central question of religion merited more nuance. Xiomara's story of her wrestle with the high expectations of her mother is moving, but in the end I felt that there was still much left to be explored about her struggle with her mother's beliefs and viewpoints. Even so, I would recommend any of Acevedo's stories-in-verse.
Also, I'm thrilled that the novel-in-verse continues to gain traction among young readers, I hope this genre just continues to grow.