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bridgetmnelson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Abortion
stevia333k's review against another edition
5.0
It gave me perspective on dancing, it gave me perspective on why date rape was in contrast to rape instead of in contrast to rape by stranger. It gave me perspective on other people who cling to historical figures for representations of safe spaces, it gave me perspective on some of the D/V dynamics I have with my racist family right now (I'm a white settler & so are they, but I'm trans & they're cis.)
Also the July 2010 preface was so important to read, I'm very thankful it was written. It gives guidance on how to adapt this for a variety of races women are. As a white settler disabled trans woman working on becoming a welcome guest & not connected to theater/performance people (I still need to look up performances/adaptations.) This felt important because I needed to read a lot of the book outloud to get a sense of the poetry, and some of the words I do not feel comfortable saying especially as a white woman instead of a woman of color.
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
bashsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Xenophobia, and Murder
-Racial slurs are used in a reclaimed way -Graphic discussions of victim blamingcladdel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
bbivnca's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
funmilayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
suicide/ but are movin to the ends of their own
rainbows
This was one of the most intriguing and intimate poems I've ever read and I truly wish that I could see it as a performance (which is also why I didn't give it 5 stars).
I won't pretend as though I understood everything but I do believe that I felt everything this poem wanted to make me feel and more than anything this poem made me feel understood as a black woman and it made me feel loved and comforted. I don't think that I'll ever get to read anything that is quite like this again but that just means that I'll get to return to this poem again and again and rediscover it and myself every single time.
I don't really have the words to express my deep adorarion for this piece of writing.
Just know that it is one of those poems that will stay with you for the rest of your live.
I think I'll just end this review with one of my favourite verses:
i sat up one nite walkin a boardin house
screamin / cryin / the ghost of another woman
who waz missin what i waz missin
i wanted to jump up outta my bones
& be done wit myself
leave me alone
& go on in the wind
it waz too much
i fell into a numbness
til the only tree i cd see
took me up in her branches
held me in the breeze
made me dawn dew
that chill at daybreak
the sun wrapped me up swingin rose light everywhere
the sky laid over me like a million men
i waz cold/ i waz burnin up/ a child
& endlessly weavin garments for the moon
wit my tears
i found god in myself
& i loved her/ i loved her fiercly
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
peachani's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
thereaderfriend's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt