Title: The Poet X.
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo.
Format: Audiobook.
Publisher: HarperTeen.
Page count: 368.
Release day: March 6th 2018.
Genre: YA, contemporary, poetry.
Rating: 3 stars.
What is it about? (Summary from GoodReads)
A young girl in Harlem discovers slam
poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to
the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide
in her Harlem neighbourhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has
learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she
pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook,
reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches
feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know
about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the
church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.
So when she is invited to join her school’s slam
poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami
finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop
thinking about performing her poems.
Because in the face of a world that may not want
to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.
My thoughts:
I needed to read this after absolutely loving Acevedo’s new book With the fire on high.
This was a good book, I enjoyed the story and the characters. But this writing style was just not for me. It took me so much out of the story.
I mainly really liked the main character! I just could understand her very well! Which made me enjoy the story way better!
I think I was just too bothered by the writing style to really enjoy the story, unfortunately. Because of the writing style, the book did read really fast. And I listened to it all in two sitting!
I do really like Acevedo’s characters and characters, so I cannot wait for her next release!
This is such a short review haha, but I don’t have more to say!
I’ve got to admit that I’m pretty hesitant to read this book because of the way it’s written. Books written in verse just don’t really appeal to me but then I end up feeling bad because a lot of people seem to love them /: I think I’d rather check out the author’s newest book though.
I loved her newer book! Definitely recommend that over this one!
Thanks, I think I will probably pick that one up first (: