The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Genre: Fiction, Young Adult and Poetry
Publisher: Electric Monkey

Publication Date: 8^th of March 2018
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb → https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33294200-the-poet-x

The Poet X is beautifully written, empowering and relatable. It is written in verse and delves into Xiomara’s life as she navigates being a teenager. She is a first generation Dominican-American girl who deals with misogyny and sexual harassment and the book explores this in a way that is accessible to anyone. Those who have been in her same situation will feel less alone having read this book.

The author explores Xiomara’s complicated relationship with her mother and the family dynamics. Her mother forces religion into rebellious Xiomara who questions her faith at every possible turn. Xiomara yearns to experience life and love unbeknownst to her mother and she feels like she’s committed a sin simply by falling in love. Her outlet for her trials and tribulations is through poetry which her English teacher encourages her to pursue and which in the end gives her a voice and a platform to share her story.

Her voice is vulnerable yet powerful in all her honesty. This book can speak to so many people and I know that some people are waiting for a story like this to fall into their hands.

-L.H-

Some of my favourite lines:

❝ it makes me smile,

this secret hope we share,

that we are both good enough

for each other and maybe the world, too. ❞

❝ The poet talks about being black, about being a woman,

about how beauty standards make it seem she isn’t pretty,

she’s saying the thoughts I didn’t know anyone else had. ❞

❝ Were different, this poet and I. In looks, in body,

in background. But I don’t feel so different

when I listen to her. I feel heard. ❞

❝ She should be remembered

as always working to become

the warrior she wanted to be. ❞

❝ Maybe, the only thing that has to make sense

about being somebody’s friend

is that you help them be their best self

on any given day. ❞

Comments

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