Reviews

O by Zeina Hashem Beck

l0v3lu's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • 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

3.75


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churameru's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

libbygamberg's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • 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

4.0

lifeinpoetry's review

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5.0

Excerpts:

I’m tired of knocking on the doors of empires.

(from “Dear white critic”)

when i was a little girl i wanted to bury the afternoon
when longing was long & my parents slept & slept
i stood in the corridor & repeated i i i i i until i
flickered in & out of myself

(from “ode to the afternoon”)

I was terrified

when the doctor named the disease
& told you one can manage it these days—
there are pills, there is time.
I know we are not young young,
know the body is but a shell—
shoulders throb, hips need oiling
at the hinges, hair whitens—
but isn’t it too early? & death,
whichever of us it comes for first,
will it be forgetfulness or remembrance?
Of the two of us, you’re the one who believes
more. It matters what we tell ourselves,
so we tell ourselves
We are here we are here we are here.

(from “UNBREAKABLE”)

ajoyr's review against another edition

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emotional 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? Yes

4.5

cstefko's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-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

3.5

I enjoyed this one, even if it felt a bit overly long. The poems about motherhood and depression were the strongest.

"ode to the afternoon" was my favorite.

shksprsis's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

evenchicago's review

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adventurous inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

aliarose's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

sabsey's review against another edition

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5.0

Some favourites from this collection:

daily
triptych: you & my country & i
Dear white critic,
Everything Here Is an Absolute
Heirloom
Every Soul Needs Windows
prophecy
Say it,
Ode to Lipstick
We Are Young We Are Beautiful
Say Love Say God
triptych: reprise
Ode to Disappointment
Immortality (or on turning 36)