Monica Youn

I saw Youn read from this at the LA Times Festival of Books 2023, and she was great. So I purchased a copy and had it signed, and am only now reading it since it was listed for the NBA Poetry.

I am so glad to have a copy, because I already want to read it again. I really enjoyed Study of Two Figures (Agave/Pentheus) and especially the entire last section, In the Passive Voice. The poems in this section are based on her experiences--as a Korean-American, as a mother, her thoughts on art and show more life and racism. Yet these poems, despite being about some very distinct subjects, also all fit together and connect. It is very well done, and I need to read it again to catch more of that! show less

A collection inspired by the 1930s cartoon characters created by George Herriman, Krazy Kat and the mouse Ignatz, forever locked in a tortured and madcap love duel. Youn's second book of poems, a National Book Award finalist, investigate the meanderings and trickery of love and relationships, of belief and understanding/misunderstanding, of legend and how belief sustains and fools us, and with spare yet significant language. This collection feels solidly structured around the inspiration of show more those characters, and as such gives a sense of completeness, though some poems are mere words strung on the page. An impressive, elegant and stirring second book of poems. show less

Disclosure: I knew the author, many moons ago. A collection of sharp, short poems about the boundaries of the body, the openings and closings of the body, death, and infertility.