misty_muskrat's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

hrserrano's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

jaiari12's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional fast-paced

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

faduma's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

inamerata's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

5.0

Absolutely stunning. The imagery, the word choice, the pacing, the emotions, the craft -- I lack the words to describe how good this is. This book deals in quite heavy topics, but if you are able, I definitely recommend it.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

venetiana's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

czidya's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional fast-paced

3.5

This collection was a mixed bag, but where it was good it was outstanding. Shire's writing is richly symbolic as it deals with challenging topics like abuse, misogyny, and the experiences of refugees. At times I found the imagery so dense it was impenetrable- unfortunately many of the poems left no impression on me at all because I couldn't really make sense of the verbal collage. However, Shire gets the balance right more often than not, creating lush emotional poems that share a fraught but profound relationship with God and religion, as the collection's title suggests.
My favorites of the collection:
  • Filial Cannibalism
  • Midnight in the Foreign Food Aisle
  • Bless the Camels
  • Hooyo Full of Grace
  • Joyride
  • Backwards

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lotte111's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

deedireads's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head is a masterful collection of poems by a master poet on womanhood, trauma, and the refugee experience. They’re heavy, but hard-hitting and moving.

For you if: You want to read poetry that adds to your view of the world and humanity.

FULL REVIEW:

Thank you, Random House, for the advanced electronic copy of this book! It’s the first full-length poetry collection from Warsan Shire, the award-winning Somali British poet who worked with Beyonce on Lemonade and Black is King. So yes, it’s as good as you’re expecting.

The poems draw from her own experiences, loved ones’ experiences, headlines, etc. to shape a journey through womanhood, motherhood, daughterhood, being a refugee and immigrant, abuse, trauma, and defiant hope.

I feel like I need to reread this to get the full effect, but I was especially impressed with how Shire merges pop culture and poetry to make the collection feel not only modern but current and timely. She has something to say here, and you’re certainly going to hear it. And, of course, there are lines and couplets and stanzas that come out of nowhere punch you in the gut.

It’s a quick read, but worth it if you are a fan of poetry (and maybe even if you’re not).

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...