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A review by kelsiepixler
Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
I highly recommend reading this with a highlighter and pen handy. Everything about this exceeded my expectations which were pretty high after reading reviews.
Though the poetry was immersive and thought provoking on its own, the author’s direct references, to both historical events and the works of other artists, added an additional, unexpected layer of complexity. I found myself frequently searching the names, authors, poems, events mentioned and making notes in the margin. There is no read quite like the one that motivates you to fully engage with the text, take notes, explore the references.
I’ve already ordered 3 copies to give as gifts.
Though the poetry was immersive and thought provoking on its own, the author’s direct references, to both historical events and the works of other artists, added an additional, unexpected layer of complexity. I found myself frequently searching the names, authors, poems, events mentioned and making notes in the margin. There is no read quite like the one that motivates you to fully engage with the text, take notes, explore the references.
I’ve already ordered 3 copies to give as gifts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Islamophobia, Colonisation, War, Murder, Hate crime, Genocide, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Dementia
Minor: Kidnapping, Drug use, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Trafficking, Abandonment, Police brutality, Confinement, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood