A quick read. I'm not a 'poetry person' so it's rare for me to find a poet or poem that really resonates with me. I naturally found Kaur's work way back on Instagram years ago, but this is my first time reading her debut collection in full.

I liked the overall structure of the collection being in four parts. However, I found the overly simplified stanza structure and lack of grammar often led me to misread the intonation of the poems and I had to start again.

There were a few stand out lines and ideas that I could definitely relate to. I also spotted some phrases that have gained universal quotability across the Internet, supporting the idea that her work is widely relatable. Despite these striking lines, (maybe ruthlessly highlighted because of these striking lines) the rest of the poetry felt flat and overly simplified. The poet advocates for authenticity, but her poems seem devoid of deeper personal insight. It also focused almost exclusively on sexual love, ignoring literally all other forms of intimacy, violence, and healing. 

Bonus: I enjoyed the drawings.