hereistheend's review
5.0
At its core, Virgin is a book of the myths surrounding the heart: the myth of who a bittersweet single girl has been she has been: “People think I’m sweet… look now: my heart // is a fist of barbed wire” (8, 18), myth of those she'd once desired, myth of unreachable fathers, urban legends behind the likes of Frieda Kahlo, and traditional myths, rooted in Ariadne and Theseus.
Sotelo explores the feminine, specifically the bittersweet single girl in all her conflicted, tired-of-your-bullshit, loving, hungry, reliable complexity. Her diction is effortlessly intentional and thoughtful; she does not write with blame or bitterness.
I wrote a close reading here on JCL's We Recommend blog, back in July.
Sotelo explores the feminine, specifically the bittersweet single girl in all her conflicted, tired-of-your-bullshit, loving, hungry, reliable complexity. Her diction is effortlessly intentional and thoughtful; she does not write with blame or bitterness.
I wrote a close reading here on JCL's We Recommend blog, back in July.
sydapel's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
I'm choosing not to rate this, as poetry feels like a foreign language to me oftentimes. However, I will say that I found Soleto's command of structure and color to be fascinating, as well as her reflections on Greek mythology that are woven within this collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexism
Minor: Violence
lelex's review
5.0
I loved this. I love the feel and the intensity. My favorite sections was Myth with Parable being a close second. My favorite poems were Theseus at the Naxos Apartment Complex, 6 am, Death Wish, Ariadne Discusses Theseus in Relation to the Minotaur, and Father Fragments (or, Yellow Ochre).
"When a man tells you he is a monster, believe him. When a man says you will get hurt, leave. Get into a boat, out onto a sea that everyone owns."
"and everyone knows the best kinds of shadows look like the worst kinds of men."
"See the instinct for painting is the instinct for power"
"& the skull I carried in my hand in case anyone took record? Still on my fingers."
"I'm only good at killing what I know, then taking off. So take it off if you want to. They can't say I didn't warn you. I wasn't made for morals. I was born to do things right."
"This day is proof that that there is a sundial for every single decision in history, and a garden is a garden once you name it"
"And remember: a mother will always love you, but a man can draw you in."
"If you do marry, marry well or marry never."
"I'm morbid and loving. You made me."
"Mother, your likeness is not easy or accidental."
"When a man tells you he is a monster, believe him. When a man says you will get hurt, leave. Get into a boat, out onto a sea that everyone owns."
"and everyone knows the best kinds of shadows look like the worst kinds of men."
"See the instinct for painting is the instinct for power"
"& the skull I carried in my hand in case anyone took record? Still on my fingers."
"I'm only good at killing what I know, then taking off. So take it off if you want to. They can't say I didn't warn you. I wasn't made for morals. I was born to do things right."
"This day is proof that that there is a sundial for every single decision in history, and a garden is a garden once you name it"
"And remember: a mother will always love you, but a man can draw you in."
"If you do marry, marry well or marry never."
"I'm morbid and loving. You made me."
"Mother, your likeness is not easy or accidental."
mojostdennis's review
2.0
read harder challenge 2019: read a collection of poetry published since 2014
anneke_b's review
2.0
Yeah. No. I could not get into this. Maybe my world and experiences are not in sync with what the author was trying to convey, but it just did not resonate with me. I tried very hard, it just wasn't there. But at the same time I could see how this could work for someone else.
tzipporahkeshet's review
5.0
This is my favorite poetry collection. I reread it at least once a year, and it seems to get better each time.
cstefko's review
4.0
3.75 stars
I didn't love the entirety of this collection, but the poems I did like were impeccable. Sotelo explores themes of gender, art, sex, culture, and family. She examines power dynamics in various relationships, romantic and familial. There's a lot of energy in these poems... which is a bit of a cliché, but very true in this case. I will be the first to admit that I've never been a great scholar of the classics, so several of the poems centered around Greek myths just went over my head. I loved the poems about her mother, her father, and art (sometimes all three together). "My Mother as the Voice of Kahlo" is one of my favorite poems of the year. Just perfect!
Usually, I would say "recommended for fans of so-and-so poets" but Sotelo honestly has a pretty unique voice, so I'm struggling to come up with any similar poets. Maybe Sasha Pimentel, but I found Sotelo's work far more accessible (even with all the Greek references).
I didn't love the entirety of this collection, but the poems I did like were impeccable. Sotelo explores themes of gender, art, sex, culture, and family. She examines power dynamics in various relationships, romantic and familial. There's a lot of energy in these poems... which is a bit of a cliché, but very true in this case. I will be the first to admit that I've never been a great scholar of the classics, so several of the poems centered around Greek myths just went over my head. I loved the poems about her mother, her father, and art (sometimes all three together). "My Mother as the Voice of Kahlo" is one of my favorite poems of the year. Just perfect!
Usually, I would say "recommended for fans of so-and-so poets" but Sotelo honestly has a pretty unique voice, so I'm struggling to come up with any similar poets. Maybe Sasha Pimentel, but I found Sotelo's work far more accessible (even with all the Greek references).