A review by modernmatilda
Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora, by Saraciea J. Fennell
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
The thing I love about anthologies is the way they allow readers to witness the vast connections, oppositions, and intersections within a topic, identity, or theme. Just as I cannot speak for all queer people (or all bisexual people), reading this anthology from 15 different voices in the Latinx diaspora gave me an opportunity to hear from many different perspectives of Afro-Latinx authors rather than just one.
Each writer discussed their own experiences with self-expression, dual identities, family heritage, mental health, language, and more. While having threads of connections, each essay was beautifully diverse. I'm thankful for the opportunity to hear these stories and will be seeking out and hyping up more voices that explore the complexities and beauty within tapestries of identity. I especially loved the message #Julian4Spiderman about Miles Morales and I would highly recommend this collection as an audiobook.
“I think about what we lose when we deny the complexity of our stories, our families, and ourselves in service of some victorious narrative-the desire to declare ourselves triumphant, worthy, palatable to whiteness. I think about the testimonies and self-expression we lose, as well as the opportunities to accept ourselves and connect to one another.” -Naima Coster
Each writer discussed their own experiences with self-expression, dual identities, family heritage, mental health, language, and more. While having threads of connections, each essay was beautifully diverse. I'm thankful for the opportunity to hear these stories and will be seeking out and hyping up more voices that explore the complexities and beauty within tapestries of identity. I especially loved the message #Julian4Spiderman about Miles Morales and I would highly recommend this collection as an audiobook.
“I think about what we lose when we deny the complexity of our stories, our families, and ourselves in service of some victorious narrative-the desire to declare ourselves triumphant, worthy, palatable to whiteness. I think about the testimonies and self-expression we lose, as well as the opportunities to accept ourselves and connect to one another.” -Naima Coster
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness