We're different, this poet and I. In looks, in body,
in background. But I don't feel so different
when I listen to her. I feel heard.

Rating: 4 stars

I read this one over the course of about an hour, after marathon reading Stephen King's Misery. This was a very different novel, and one that I probably wouldn't necessarily have picked up if I hadn't stumbled across it in the library. I'm a big fan of slam poetry though, so I'm glad that I did pick up this one. The whole novel is written as a series of slam poems showing Xiomara's thoughts and feelings about her day to day life as she tackles teenager-hood, her mother's religion and the expectations that she feels are on her shoulders. It's a beautiful insight into a young woman's coming-of-age and discovery of her own power, and the poetry beat keeps the pages flying by. It's hard to stop once you've started, because the rhythm of the writing keeps you moving forward constantly. This is an easy read of some important topics and it's the kind of thing I think is really important for young women to be reading. I'd have loved a copy of this when I was a teenager.