twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one

by Leah Soeiro

"In this tender, evocative and thought-provoking collection, Leah Soeiro's complex, condensed narratives, both poetic and photographic, allow the reader the voyeuristic pleasure of being temporarily included in the protagonist's world. Created during the lockdowns of 2020/2021, the collection fearlessly addresses enforced intimacy, the tearing down and rebuilding of identity and the exploration of past and present trauma. Soeiro's words are precise and disturbing, her photography intimate and compelling. A collection to savour and a timely, refreshingly original, reminder of the recent pandemic. Lest we forget..." -Sue Burge, author of Confetti Dancers, The Saltwater Diaries and Lumière "Dazzling, lyrical, and unexpected, Leah Soeiro's twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one marks the debut of an important new voice. Probing identity and place, Soeiro explores both surfaces and what lies beneath with her breathtaking poems and photographs that recall at once the heartbreaking ruins of Camilo José Vergara, the playful profundity of Cindy Sherman, and the confrontational intimacy of early Nan Goldin. In doing so, she poses important questions about growth and decay. Challenging ideas of narrative ownership, Soeiro delves into time and identity in new and significant ways, presenting them as both constraints and possibilities. While grounded in a particular moment and narrative voice, twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one also speaks to vital and universal it is a beautiful and intricate exploration of the complex interplay between our inner and outer lives that, ultimately, makes us human." -Rachel Kapelke-Dale, author of The Ballerinas and Ingenue

Genres: Poetry

86 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2023

Reviews

[Tinamarie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting experiment with photography and poetry! I can't say that I've read anything formatted like this before, so this was a new experience in poetry for me.
I didn't get much of the covid-quarantine vibe. To me this felt like a wandering mind. Like someone thinking about these things in a way they hadn't before. Does that make sense? The metaphors were unique and intriguing.
And I don't think this book is a "light" read. I feel like I really had to go back and forth between words and photos to put a picture together. Like I had to work for my meal. This is a book to spend an hour or so with. To analyze words and images to experience the story within the pages. It's definitely something I'll go through again and look for things I missed. Because I feel like there is so much more to this book than meets the eye.
So, if you're prepared to really chew on these pages, set some time aside and really sit with it. I didn't connect much the first go through. I went back and tried to do that actively the second round and I enjoyed it more. If you're looking for a more "traditional" book, this is not it. Don't go in expecting something average because you won't find it. That said, enter these pages with an open mind and a willingness to step outside the box.

[Erin Clements · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Querencia Press, Q for the eARC.

I loved the cover of this collection and was so excited to dig in, as I love poetry that is accompanied by photos and art, but unfortunately, I couldn't connect with anything about this collection. I didn't connect with any of the pictures or the poems, and many of them I actively disliked, I'm so disappointed that this collection wasn't for me, but I hope it finds the readership who will better appreciate it!

[Emily Perkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the endorsements for this title mention, the work in this is a surreal combination of voyeuristic and sometimes uncomfortable in its reminders of a time of isolation. Soeiro perfectly captured the loneliness of quarantine and the stir crazy mood swings that many of us experienced. This collection is not just pretty poems and photos and should be read with that in mind.