aflaine's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
happiestwhenreading's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The writing was beautiful and captivating in some places, but just way too long and drug out in others. I started reading this one and evenutally switched to audiobook, and I will say the audiobook was a much better (and more enjoyable) format for me. I also think by the time I made the switch, I was around halfway, and that's when the story became much more interesting to me.
Sinclair spent a lot of time in her early years...like younger than ten years old. While I know there was a lot of impactful content in those years, I appreciated her story more with her maturity and the reflection she was able to lend to experiences. I don't know if that makes sense, but I get a little skeptical about early childhood memories because, overall, I think we mostly lack the worldview necessary to afford those recounted memories with the truth and honesty they should have.
Regardless, I learned a lot about the Rastafarian culture - things I had no idea about at all! There were also some interesting parallels to the Rasta view of Western civilization and what's currently happening in the Isreali/Palastinian war.
Sinclair spent a lot of time in her early years...like younger than ten years old. While I know there was a lot of impactful content in those years, I appreciated her story more with her maturity and the reflection she was able to lend to experiences. I don't know if that makes sense, but I get a little skeptical about early childhood memories because, overall, I think we mostly lack the worldview necessary to afford those recounted memories with the truth and honesty they should have.
Regardless, I learned a lot about the Rastafarian culture - things I had no idea about at all! There were also some interesting parallels to the Rasta view of Western civilization and what's currently happening in the Isreali/Palastinian war.
shay43geek's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Confinement, Body shaming, and Infidelity
Minor: Abandonment
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
readtotheend's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
A poetic and insightful memoir about growing up in a strict Rastafari household in Jamaica. While there were difficult parts to read in this book, ultimately I thought the love of Safiya's family really shone through the challenges she went through. Not to take away from those challenges because she went through a lot in her goals to educate herself and realize her potential. I really came to have so much compassion and respect for Safiya's mother. She was a fighter and prioritized her kids. If you enjoyed Educated by Tara Westover, you may really also enjoy this one. Safiya Sinclair is a poet and her writing and her words really reflect the beauty of a poet. I think that's why reading this in print worked better for me than listening to it on audio which was narrated by the author, which I always love for memoirs.
theblondebiblio's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
blythehill's review against another edition
5.0
What I loved about this memoir is the message that poetry is healing. Telling your story is healing. Not just for the poet/teller but for family, community, and would-be kin through the resonance created by poetry.
Lyrical, raw, redemptive, important.
TW: child abuse
Lyrical, raw, redemptive, important.
TW: child abuse