Donika Kelly

A visceral journey through the mind and body of the poet. Kelly uses the images of animals and mythical creatures to discuss topics like love, family, and mental health. Throughout the entire collection I was enraptured, joyful, and disgusted. Kelly knows how to make you feel human.

TW: Sexual/ physical abuse, sexually explicit material.

This short work of poetry is an interesting but complicated read. I am not a poetry person and find that most of the time to my mind it’s gibberish. I think I understand the overall story is about a character and then their history with their father, his wife, dying, living, who’s, who, etc. I read this to fill a reading challenge prompt and while I can’t say I enjoyed it, I can say it was a different experience that I am happy to have broadened my usual reading habits.

This is honestly the best collection of poems I've ever read in my entire life. Not hyperbole. It took me weeks and weeks to get through, because every couple of days I'd read or reread a few pages, then go back and do it again. This is the poetry I'll spend the rest of my life pushing and hand-selling to people. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy to keep.

Superb. And sad. And beautiful. (...Still not reading that introduction, though.)