Reviews

The Book of Light by Lucille Clifton

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mrosalind's review

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2.0

I particularly enjoyed ‘song at midnight’, ‘cigarettes’ and ‘leda 1’ but i feel the collection was a little vapid.

kiiiirah's review

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challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A

5.0

Content Warnings

lllayluh's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

There anniversary edition including the afterward by her daughter Sidney Clifton has been a terrific read. I don’t like to rush through books of poetry even though the format can make the books a quick read.
I had read through this book but not from front to back so this was a great opportunity to do just that. These books are bodies of work and to be able to be engage with it in that way was a privilege.
The afterward also provided shared so much about Clifton’s writing process and relationship to writing. A must read and looking forward to returning to this book again, and again, and again.

jasminedaria's review

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Lucille Clifton is one of my favorite poets, so I enjoyed exploring more of her work in The Book of Light. Her poems say just as much about her as they do the world she occupied as a black woman, mother, wife, daughter, child and adult, artist, and activist. Won’t you celebrate with me is my favorite poem, but I was also moved by she lived, the women you are accustomed to, each morning I pull myself, night vision, and atlas. I look forward to returning back to this body of work for its depth and generosity to my own and the collective human experience, especially as I navigate my Saturn return.