I picked up an audio copy of this volume of poetry as I was driving to a high pressured job interview and I wanted something... a little different. (Spoiler alert- I decided 2 hours into the all day process that I did not really want that job- but I had to continue to met people for the last 6 hours.)
Another Spoiler alert- I did not really LOVE this book, but I had to say perhaps my interview clouded my judgement of the entire reading experience.
As it turns out July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, So this was a good read for that.
This is a collection of poetry showing the life experiences of a young person living a sheltered life while struggling with mental disorders. Jordan is a black author, and while I didn't entirely love this book - I do see it's value as part of a collection.
As I listened to the poetry- I was struck by memories of how it felt to be a young person experiencing rejection, attraction, frustration and successes as they navigate that liminal point between childhood and adulthood. It's a time which a lot of adults tend to forget about, or actively disrespect the often very strong emotions felt at that time. So, for that, I felt like this was a really open exploration of this time, mental health, and life experiences in general!
For me overall, however, this felt a little bit unfinished or unpolished. It wasn't unpolished in a gritty sort of natural way, but more in a way that I felt with a little more work on the language a lot of the work would have carried more power and weight. Instead, I mostly felt I was reading the secret diary of a teen going through some things.
So 5 stars for the Message!
2.5 stars for the execution.
I would definitely , however, read more from this author!
STATS
First Published : December 2023
Pages: 88
Available as an Audio Book :YES
Trigger Warnings: Depression, suicide, mental health issues, - as always this is likely not a complete list, so please read responsibly.
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