Synopsis:
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 neighborhood. 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.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. 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.
Rating:★★★★★
Review:
I really loved this!!!
It was honestly hard to pick favorite pieces out of this novel because the entire book was amazing.
While I was reading this, I felt like I was having a one on one interview with Xiomara. I felt like I was the leather journal she was writing her poems in and she did not sugar coat a thing. I'm not a Dominican from Harlem but I felt like I have so much in common with Xiomara.
I love that she wasn't afraid to question her faith, because I at times do the same. I love that sexuality was bought up and I don't just mean in a sexual preference way. Sexuality as in her experience with her first period was, how puberty bought to light new obstacles and new but confusing feelings, first love, heartbreak, and thinking about the future in general.
The family drama also kept me well on my toes and hyped up. I found myself laughing one minute, angry the next, and then shortly after wanting to cry tears for Xiomara herself. I got the Target exclusive edition so I did get a few extra poems, some originals from Xiomara's journal and some that didn't make it in the collection, at the end and I enjoyed those as well. This is such a relatable read, at least for females, and reading this does put your emotions in a blender but it is such a lovely feeling. I had a "aha" moment reading the last page of this book so don't waste any more time picking it up.
It was honestly hard to pick favorite pieces out of this novel because the entire book was amazing.
While I was reading this, I felt like I was having a one on one interview with Xiomara. I felt like I was the leather journal she was writing her poems in and she did not sugar coat a thing. I'm not a Dominican from Harlem but I felt like I have so much in common with Xiomara.
I love that she wasn't afraid to question her faith, because I at times do the same. I love that sexuality was bought up and I don't just mean in a sexual preference way. Sexuality as in her experience with her first period was, how puberty bought to light new obstacles and new but confusing feelings, first love, heartbreak, and thinking about the future in general.
The family drama also kept me well on my toes and hyped up. I found myself laughing one minute, angry the next, and then shortly after wanting to cry tears for Xiomara herself. I got the Target exclusive edition so I did get a few extra poems, some originals from Xiomara's journal and some that didn't make it in the collection, at the end and I enjoyed those as well. This is such a relatable read, at least for females, and reading this does put your emotions in a blender but it is such a lovely feeling. I had a "aha" moment reading the last page of this book so don't waste any more time picking it up.
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