A review by jayisreading
Bodega: Poems by Su Hwang

emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Hwang transports you to various locations (such as the bodega) and memories (such as from childhood) in many of these poems, with vivid and lyrical writing that works the imagination and will tug at your heartstrings. I resonated deeply with quite a few of these poems, and the way she word-painted impressions of these day-to-day moments (from the mundane to the racially charged events) felt very reminiscent of my own life. I particularly loved the poems that reflected on her immigrant parents and the impact of being the child of immigrants.

Each section had a life of its own that, to some extent, read as though they could be standalone collections. However, the overarching themes kept the flow going. I found the first two sections to be the strongest while the third was a little harder to get into, but there were some standouts.

And somewhat of an aside, but the letter written in Korean to her parents at the start was incredibly moving. It really set the tone for this collection, at least for me.

Some favorites: “Instant Scratch Off,” “Latchkeys,” “Eomma,” “Show Me Where It Hurts,” “Fresh Off the Boat | Five Sonnets,” “Bodega,” “The Price of Rice,” “Cancer,” and “Saranghaeyo”

Read for the Sealey Challenge.
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