This review originally appeared on my book review blog: justonemorepaige.wordpress.com.

I haven't really read much poetry. And by that I mean that this is the first time I have read poems that were not assigned in school. It's never really called out to me as a genre. And here I'll be shallow and honest, I picked this one up because the title sounded cool, the cover is gorgeous, and because I have been seeing it all over bookstagram and bestseller lists. I was curious.

As a result of my limited poetry experience, I didn't really know how to read this. Usually I power through books, wanting to get to the big reveal, the section where the lovers finally get together, the end, as fast as possible. But that wouldn't work here. I mean, it would have taken me maybe 30 minutes to get through the whole book reading it that way and I wouldn't have gotten anything out of it. So here's what I did: I read slowly. I limited myself to one section a day and tried to really make sure I had "read," think: absorbed, each poem before moving on to the next one. It was a great lesson in slowing things down, if nothing else (which I probably needed, and do appreciate). But it was assuredly so much more than that.

So, taking into account my super limited experience with poetry, I will say that I straight up loved reading these poems. It's such a beautiful, strong, feminist collection that packs a punch in a totally accessible (an overused word in book reviews in general, I know, but as a poetry newbie, I was really afraid of my perceived inaccessibility of the genre), non-overbearing, comfortably aggressive way. Despite her poem towards the end "to all you young poets (p. 202) with advice to never trade honesty for relatability, I felt that Kaur's poems were ultimately incredibly relatable, both in terms of vocabulary used and topics covered. She does follow her own advice though, for I never felt that she sacrificed honesty in order to do so. What an incredible gift, to be able to take your deepest feelings and be able to create, with just words, a representation of them that is universally recognizable. Kaur writes of the pain and self-discovery, anger and love, revenge and forgiveness, that all women have felt. She owns the pain of relationships, both during and after, and the struggle of putting oneself back together and redefining who you are afterwards. She writes such short pieces that it's unbelievable how much truth and reality she is able to convey. I have felt all those same feelings, but it would take me pages to say the things that she has done in just a few words, striking in their simultaneous depth and simplicity. In reading them, though I didn't know this beforehand, I can see how she is a spoken word artist. The poems automatically flow with that same cadence, even when I read them in my head.

Some of my favorite parts are the details, the drawings and signoffs, that are strewn throughout the pages. The basic black lines that she uses mirror the structure and mood of the poems perfectly. Both details add much to the poems they are paired with, clarifying connections and deepening meaning. The use of only lowercase letters and periods as the only punctuation as an homage to her mother tongue (which has only one case and no punctuation other than periods) is a lovely touch. And again, similar to the basic black line drawings, that just adds to the ambiance of the book.

This collection addresses many struggles of being a women, makes and defends feminist points and arguments, and encourages the reader to find and love who they are first and foremost. It is a light hand on your lower back - comforting, yet strong and supportive. A stunning debut.