Engine Empire was a difficult read for me, I really didn't enjoy the first part focused on old Western America. The second section focusing on an industrialised China was interesting but at times I felt like the meaning of the poetry eluded me. It slipped through my fingers and I wasn't sure what I was reading. The final section focusing on the future felt the most lucid and direct, and I could seemingly follow a more obvious meaning in this section.

This isn't to say this poetry was bad and I think Cathy Park Hong has a very fluid and distinctive style. There felt like a real rhyme and rhythm to the poetry which would be great for reading aloud.

However, I think I want to return to this collection again and pick a poem or two to read and really think about to see how I may absorb it differently or engage in and whether that makes a difference to my reading experience.

Overall, not a bad book, but just not one I'm sure worked entirely for me this time around.