A review by introvertsbookclub
Content Warning: Everything by Akwaeke Emezi
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
Emezi might be the most unique writer I have ever read, and her poetry felt like a continuation of the style and the voice that they have established in their prose. Within the collection, they created their own world and an expression of their self that was captivating. Some of the poems were thrilling to read in the way that they remade the world in their image, and crafted a new version or reading of familiar myths, stories and experiences. It was a consuming read.
Athough the collection is complex and layered, it also feels accessible. The form is playful and the language is creative, but it isn’t purposefully difficult. The collection feels open despite its specificity; no one else could write these poems but anyone can read them. There is so much pain and grief, but the collection feels liberating, a blazing assertion of self that is impossible to put down.
Athough the collection is complex and layered, it also feels accessible. The form is playful and the language is creative, but it isn’t purposefully difficult. The collection feels open despite its specificity; no one else could write these poems but anyone can read them. There is so much pain and grief, but the collection feels liberating, a blazing assertion of self that is impossible to put down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual assault