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A review by jeifa_reads
That Reminds Me by Derek Owusu
5.0
“I don’t wear my scars, they wear me; wear me down, wear me out, coerce me into increasing their number until they’ve worn the war. Sometimes, I think I may just let them”
I finished this book just a few minutes ago and I am amazed at Derek Owusu’s poetic skills.
That reminds me is a book written in verses, narrating the story of K, from his birth to adulthood. The themes explored are mental health, self-identity, addiction, sexuality, family, religion and violence.
A few quotes below:
“With my eyes closed, I’m sliding my hand up and down my forearm, feeding the scars, the tribal marks, the conflict and human certainty, human suffering. And now you see. The stage lights can go off, a slammed door then darkness, light stripped of its difference. A black mass consuming my body. And here I stay until I can cut myself free.”
Nyame, I’m weak from calling you, from raising my voice with no rumble from the sky. I have starved, given away my stories with nothing but memories in return, a life hidden until I could show you my suffering. But my life means nothing to you, so I take my history and rise from the Golden Stool. Dua konyonkyikutonkyi na ema yehunu odwomfo.
I finished this book just a few minutes ago and I am amazed at Derek Owusu’s poetic skills.
That reminds me is a book written in verses, narrating the story of K, from his birth to adulthood. The themes explored are mental health, self-identity, addiction, sexuality, family, religion and violence.
A few quotes below:
“With my eyes closed, I’m sliding my hand up and down my forearm, feeding the scars, the tribal marks, the conflict and human certainty, human suffering. And now you see. The stage lights can go off, a slammed door then darkness, light stripped of its difference. A black mass consuming my body. And here I stay until I can cut myself free.”
Nyame, I’m weak from calling you, from raising my voice with no rumble from the sky. I have starved, given away my stories with nothing but memories in return, a life hidden until I could show you my suffering. But my life means nothing to you, so I take my history and rise from the Golden Stool. Dua konyonkyikutonkyi na ema yehunu odwomfo.