There Are Girls like Lions

by Cole Swensen (Foreword), Karolin Schnoor (Illustrator)

For mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, partners, and friends, here are 30 stirring poems about the experience of being a woman. Rousing and empowering, There Are Girls like Lions is a celebration of womanhood in all its dimensions, including love, beauty, friendship, motherhood, work, aging, and much more. Packaged in an attractive case with foil stamping and featuring striking illustrations in metallic ink throughout, this powerful collection will resonate as a gift for any modern woman.

Genres: Poetry, Feminism, Nonfiction, Collections

99 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2019

About the author

Cole Swensen (b. 1955— ) in Kentfield near San Francisco, Swensen was awarded a 2006 Guggenheim Fellowship and is the author of over ten poetry collections and as many translations of works from the French. A translator, editor, copywriter, and teacher, she received her B.A. and M.A. from San Francisco State University and a Ph. D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz before going on to become the now-Previous Director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Denver. Her work is considered Postmodern and post-Language school, though she maintains close ties with many of the original authors from that group (such as Lyn Hejinian, Carla Harryman, Barrett Watten, Charles Bernstein,) as well as poets from all over the US and Europe. In fact, her work is hybrid in nature, sometimes called lyric-Language poetry emerging from a strong background in the poetic and visual art traditions of both the USA and France and adding to them her own vision.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to have the chance to read a collection of poems about the experience of being a woman. Unfortunately this collection did disappoint me. To me it felt like the poems were just thrown in there without really having a real thread amongst them.
The illustrations were really nice.

[Dora (Swift Coffee Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that I don't really have much to say about this collection of poetry. I thought I was going to love it (actually, I thought this was going to be the one I would love the most of these three here), but it somehow couldn't reach me. There were good and less good poems in it, none of them really bad, honestly - but there were none that left a lingering impression or thoughts to think about later... and that would be the point of poetry, right? I don't say it's the poems, it might be me - I know poetry is very subjective. That is why I rated this book 3 stars.

What I actually loved in this book was the foreword: I felt way more empowered and inspired after reading that than after reading the poems.

[ᯓ★raquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracias al autor y al editor por proporcionar un ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta y es un honor leer esta historia. Esto no afecta en mis opiniones de forma alguna.

Reseña completa en el blog

Una colección con un título empoderador y una portada muy bonita. Realmente disfruto de las antologías de poesía como esta. Me gustan las colecciones curadas de una variedad de autores que se enfocan en un tema. Es refrescante leer diferentes voces y tonos que tratan un tema similar.

Lo recomendaría 100% para que cualquiera lo lea, especialmente las mujeres. El prólogo de este libro es una pieza corta muy intrigante y poderosa. Discute, a la ligera, algunos de los movimientos de feminismo en Estados Unidos y cómo han influido en las vidas de las mujeres a medida que ocurrían, así como en la actualidad.

[Keira · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning book exploring femininity and analysing feminism through the ages in the forward. An absolutely lovely book- thoroughly enjoyed!!!

[Arybo ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 💫

It was a long time since I read a poetry book and this one helps me to return to this beautiful world of words and imagery. I didnt't understand all the poems, just because I'm from a different backround than that of the authors, maybe, but I understand their powers. The poetry the book is named from is really powerful and intense. and I totally recommend it. I love images created with words and if they have a positive thought behind is even better. There were some poems from the past, like the one by Sappho. I wanted for so long to read something from her and now I want it even more because of this book. This is just a collective work, but it's full of different themes and aspects of every woman's life. I enjoyed it, but not so much as I wished.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked this collection of poems about women by women. Of course I liked some poems more than others but that is to be expected with poems varying one from another so much. Some of them were really inspiring and I really enjoyed them. It is a highly emotional and impacting read, and I am certain that many of these poems will resonate with a great many people. But overall I wanted to like this book of poems a bit more than I actually did. For me, it wasn't anything amazing and I didn't exactly love the poems as much as I hoped I would. But it was quick and enjoyable anyway and that's all that counts.

***I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this small collection of poems by women - from ancient Sappho to modern-day Warsan Shire - about being women. The accompanying artwork was gorgeous. My one complaint: it's too short! There are way more women poets and poems that deserve to shine alongside these gems!

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Ana Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited for this book. The title, covers and premise was great however, while I liked the book and even felt kinship with a portion of the poems selected, it didn’t resonate at the expected level. I felt underwhelmed by this book when I was expecting to be in awe.
I’ll be honest and say that I’m not the biggest poetry fan but I do like reading this type of writing and this collection has some good ones but that’s it.
I would recommend it to women that really like reading but it’s not something that I would say that everyone has to read.
I’ll add that I’ll probably reread it at a certain point to analysis it and see if I can get more insight once I have sat with it for a bit.

Also, it’s quite a quick read with less than 100 pages, so if you want something small to put you back on track with your reading, this could also be good for you.

[Rebecca L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful collection is designed for those who can appreciate the art poetry in all of its manifestations.

These poems are deep and complex. I was delighted to see some of my old favorites such as Mary Oliver, Margaret Atwood, and Emily Dickinson alongside other female poets who were new to me.

The collection begins with a fascinating essay that traces the the roots of feminism. Although I already knew a great deal of the information, the essay in and of itself was poetic and perfectly set the stage what the reader was about to encounter.

Although this book is relatively short, it has incredible depth. It took me several days to work through these poems because these pieces demand to be taken seriously. I found myself retreading all the pieces and working to tease out their meaning. It was an excellent mental exercise and extremely edifying.

The collection's opening volley is the eponymous "Here Are Girls Like Lions." This booming number made me sit up and take notice.

This piece is then followed by a fleet footed translation of the famous Sappho. Carson does an excellent job bringing this ancient poet leaping forth into modern English.

The collection moves from references to ancient mythology, with a delightful inversion of the Siren's song by Atwood, and at last brings the reader into the present. It is clear that the pieces have been carefully arranged. Each piece picks up on the nuances of the surrounding works. The juxtaposition of the various poems helps the reader to draw out the themes that connect the diverse poems.

My favorite aspect of this collection was the excellent diverse representation of female poets. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing my sisters' voices from across the world. I was also introduced to many poets who were entirely new to me.

The book is ornamented with bright and colorful illustrations that add a depth as well as a sense of untamed wildness to the poems. These illustrations make the perfect compliment to the text.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of poetry, especially if you are interested in the voices of women or other traditionally marginalized groups.


Note: I received a free digital advanced reader copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ARC ebook copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really round book, carefully crafted. I was delighted reading the introduction - seeing in the real world all the feminist theories I am currently studying at uni - and I really enjoyed reading the poems. I was particularly excited to be reading poems by certain writers like Margaret Atwood, Gertrude Stein and Sandra Cisneros because I already had heard of them, although later it surprised me and I only enjoyed reading the one by Cisneros - I also discovered other amazing poets along the way.
The only thing I felt was missing in the book is a brief description/explanation or even a really simple analysis of each poem, either before or after each one. I hope this review can reach either the publisher or the author and maybe they can consider including this in further editions.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the free copy!

I must admit I only picked this poem collection because there is one by Margaret Atwood. I liked her poem, but I was positively surprised by a handful of other poems. I think my favourite was "Demeter's Cuttings" by Kimiko Hahn.

These poems speak about our experiences as women, what we live on a day to day basis and how we deal with it. We are far from living in a equal world, but I am confident we will get there eventually. Little by little we are adding battles to our victories and there will be a day when we will lose count, but we must never forget them.

[Lois (thecarrotstories) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointingly not my kind of read~

I’m not sure if I was too shallow to understand the poems or if it was because the poems didn’t really make much sense to me. I did not enjoy it that much although I did find some parts that I could relate to.

It was not a negative experience but I did not truly enjoy it too. Even so, I must give praise to the beautiful illustrations. They definitely captured women uniquely.

I got a copy of this book to review from Chronicle Books through NetGalley.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little compilation. I really enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised that most of the poems I had not come across previously. Highly recommend for all women.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and design, but the book itself was so short... I can't put my finger on why, but this collection felt like a quite homogeneous look at "being a woman" to me 😐

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still very new to the world of poetry. At times I feel like I understand the world these women speak of... yet at other times, I feel like an alien.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful collection on women.
If all else fails and I'm at a loss in giving the appropriate recommendation, dear reader, please read 'Demeter's Cuttings' by Kimiko Hahn in this collection. I promise you, you will be moved.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of poetry but when I saw There are Girls Like Lions on Netgalley, I loved the cover and the title and I
decided to step outside my wheelhouse and try it. The collection covers many different styles and eras from the ancient Greek poet, Sappho to present day. For the most part, I enjoyed this collection although perhaps because I do not normally read poetry, I admit that some of the poems seemed incomprehensible to me and, to be honest, I liked the illustrations and the forward best of all. However, as a woman who grew up in the era of second-wave feminism and has watched with sorrow, the loss of so much that was fought so hard for and, as I follow the struggles both old and new, of third-wave, I can only applaud any collection whose intent is to empower women.

Thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Kirsten Tattersall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Here are girls who'll play tug o' war
with your heart or your wishbone
Or your throat, oh."

The foreword is an insightful piece on feminism through the years, and I'd recommend reading it. The artwork in this books was so good that it made adobe digital editions crash multiple times.

I love the sheer variety of authors and subjects within this collection. There wasn't really any connection between the poems other than they were about the experience of women. I would recommend picking this book up.

[Helen Dearns · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few poems were moving/ provoking but otherwise I was disappointed but then poetry is hugely subjective so it was always going to be a risk. A beautiful copy; loved the illustrations. Think I missed the point of some of them but I did have a some idea of how they made me feel if that makes sense. For me, if I have to read a poem twenty times for its meaning to become obvious then it becomes more of an academic chore than an enjoyable experience.

[Karin de Oliveira · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are girls like lions” is the kind of book that when you want to talk about, you don’t know how to start. And this happens not because its reading blows my mind, not even it’s a reading that exceed my expectations. But because it was a reading totally different than I thought it would be. And this is not a bad thing.

“There are girls like lions” is an anthology with 30 poems and texts of the most varied writers. The idea is a book about women and empowerment and their relation with society. In the book, there are texts of Margaret Atwood, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Kimiko Hahn, Tracy K. Smith, Gertrude Stein, Jennifer Chang, Sandra Cisneros, among many others, talking about different topics such as maternity, work, friendship, relationship, love, getting old and out of subjects about being woman.

Reading poetry is a challenge for me. Reading poetry in English the challenge multiplies. Maybe this the why the book wasn’t so interesting and the reading didn’t happen the way I imagined that should be. I think the book had
a much greater concern with the way poems are written than with the theme itself. To have an idea, there wasn’t a poem I said: “Wow! That one I liked!” On the other hand, I thought the anthology very interesting, because the texts are very rich poems in structure and content as well. Maybe, I didn’t understand the poems because of my lack of knowledge about poetry.

I don’t have much to talk about the physical aspect of the book, because I read a e-Arc from NetGalley. I know that it is hardcover, but what refers to layout, material, etc., I can’t talk because I don’t have the book in my hands. but with the images and illustrations spread over the internet, I could see the extraordinary work in the editorial and graphic design.

As access the book through the NetGalley platform, it is not yet available in Brazil and no longer exists. It is a book for those who want to read poetry books with feminine and empowered subjects, but without forget the poetry characteristics. After all, I really recommend the reading of “There are girls like lions”

[Juli Rahel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woman is legion. Or, as Morisette once sang 'I'm a little bit of everything / all rolled into one'. In There Are Girls Like Lions, editor Cole Swensen brings together 30 poems about the female experience from different ages and background, accompanied by stunning illustrations by Karolin Schnoor. Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My gratitude for the patience wiht this review.

Being a woman, living as a woman, being perceived as a woman, it comes with countless different experiences. This can only get personal, so stay with me. I was born as a woman and identify with a woman. I have felt incredibly happy to be a woman and I have also cursed my fate. As a woman I have felt cherished and wanted, and I have also felt hunted and despised. My body has made me feel powerful and capable of creation, and it has also felt like a limiting cage. Moving back and forth between traditional ideas of womanhood and the freedom feminism and suffrage have given us is a difficult thing. And that is only my experience, and on top of that also a white woman's experience. In There Are Girls Like Lions, Swensen brings together poems from different centuries and eras as well as from different countries and backgrounds. While some of these poems are joyful songs of power, others are shouts of anger. Some are wistful and sad, others are quietly inspirational. While no single collection can capture all of the female experience, this collection gives it a good go.

Some of my favourite poems were 'Here Are Girls Like Lions' by Elisabeth Hewer, which is like a battle cry or a war song. Specifically I loved the lines 'Here are girls who carry kindness / And katanas in their rucksacks / because they never know which they'll need.' Another one I enjoyed was 'Siren Song' by Margaret Atwood because I loved how twisty this poem is, how the siren's most powerful lure is the desire to be rescued by you, yes you, you can be the man of my dreams. As the poem says 'It is a boring song / but it works every time.' The poem that probably got to me the most was 'Demeter's Cutting' by Kimiko Hahn. As the title probably suggests, this is a poem about mothers and daughters. For me this poem felt like it showed that right rope between a mother and daughter made up of their shared experience of womanhood, the way the daughter never wants to be her mother, while the mother sees her daughter have all the same fantasies and make all the same choices. 'Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting...' by Naomi Shihab Nye spoke to me because me and my (all female) housemates have become a coven of knitters and crochet-ers. This one line from Nye's poem really spoke to why I wanted to learn these crafts, 'She looks young to crochet. / I'm glad history isn't totally lost.' My grandmother had these skills, and my mother also has them. Now I know them and it makes me happy to continue that skill and tradition. It may feel "traditional" but it's also culture and legacy which shouldn't be ignored or forgotten.

Most joyful for me was 'Loose Woman' by Sandra Cisneros which is just a riot of self confirmation. It's about taking all the negative things people will say to you and turn them into badges of honour. It's about laughing in the face of those who want to hurt you or diminish you. Break something, if you have to. Let it all out! 'A Plaint of Complexity' by Eunice Tietjens was the poem that felt like it could have been, must have been written for me, or about me. Tietjens writes about the many selves of being a woman, being torn between different versions of yourself which play up to different stereotypes but also to different needs. I find it impossible to really identify my core self, for the exact reasons this poem lays out. For an overview of all the poems, please scroll down.

My only "critique" for this collection is that while its focus is technically clear, it is also a tad vague. The poems aren't categorized into different themes, for example, so while the poems kind of interact with each other, like when Mary Oliver's 'The Son' is followed by Gertrude Stein's 'Daughter', they don't fully link. Sexuality is a topic but not fully or actively explored. Violence against women is mentioned, but is not spotlighted. I guess in the end There Are Girls Like Lions is a collection that sets no restrictions on what being a woman is, but thereby it also pushes no boundaries and does not expand the concept. For me that slightly lessened the pull of the collection, but I nonetheless am happy to have had a chance to read these poems. Karolin Schnoor's illustrations are beautiful and solid, strong in their clear lines. Made up of of four colours, red, gold, black, and white, her illustrations are a great addition to the poems and frequently bring out new aspects or key lines from the poems themselves. For the artwork alone I'd consider buying this book!

The collection itself would have been 3 but the illustrations pushed it up for me, since they really elevate this collection into something beautiful and a piece of art.

All poems:

Here Are Girls Like Lions' -Elisabeth Hewer; 'Deathless Aphordite of the Spangled Mind' - Sappho, trans. Anne Carson; 'Atalanta in Arcadia' - Barbara Guest; 'Siren Song' - Margaret Atwood'; I, Being Born a Woman and Distressed' - Edna St. Vincent Millay*; 'The Annunciation' - Cole Swensen'; Demeter's Cutting' - Kimiko Hahn*; 'Appetite' - Tracy K. Smith; 'The Son' - Mary Oliver; 'Daughter' - Gertrude Stein; 'Obedience, or The Lying Tale' - Jennifer Chang; 'Questions for Miriam' - Warsan Shire; 'To Stacey, As You Were' - Eve Ewing; 'Girl Friend' - C.D. Wright; 'Loose Woman' - Sandra Cisneros*; 'Except for Being, It Was Relatively Painless' - Mary Jo Bang; 'Apocalypse' - Emily Dickinson; 'The Heart of a Woman' - Georgia Douglas Johnson; 'Housekeeping' - Natasha Trethewey; 'Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting...' - Naomi Shihab Nye; 'Autography 8' - Rachel Zucker; 'Great-Grandmother' - Jean Valentine; 'Life's Work' - Rae Armantrout; 'Certainty' - Sandra Lim; 'A Plaint of Complexity' - Eunice Tietjens; '19 (A Girl Sleeps As If)' - Vera Pavlova; 'Body Clock (Excerpt) - Eleni Sikelianos; 'Ego Tripping (There May Be A Reason Why)' - Nikki Giovanni.

URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/...

[Bexx · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this at first, but this was a bit of a disappointment it just seemed like they chose random poems to put in there. I wish they flowed together better then they did. I had high hopes for this. I did enjoy the illustrations though. I gave this a two out of five stars.

[Kayleigh | Welsh Book Fairy · Rating 3 out of 5]

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: There Are Girls Like Lions
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Various authors
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Feminist Poetry
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 8th March 2019
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: Womanhood, Feminism, Female Empowerment, Female Oppression, Female Relationships
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3/5

It’s honestly been so long since I read any poetry!!

This is an illustrated anthology of feminist poetry, with a foreword expertly written by Cole Swensen. The authors of the various poetry include: Margaret Atwood, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, Rachel Zucker, Naomi Shihab Nye, and many more.

There were a lot of tones and themes to submerge myself in but out of all the poetry, I loved Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros the most. It felt more daring and outspoken than the rest, less nuanced and more direct, as though it’s saying ”So?? So what if you think I’m a bitch, or a slut, when I know I am so much more than that.” Overall, the message was very empowering. I’ve included an excerpt below to evidence my love for it.

”They say I’m a macha, hell on wheels,
viva-la-vulva, fire and brimstone,
man-hating, devastating,
boogey-woman lesbian.
Not necessarily,
but I like the compliment.”

I also enjoyed Margaret Atwood’s poem, Siren Song. I felt that other poems missed the mark, perhaps I’m too close minded and impatient to discover the hidden depths of the words, which is a logical assumption. I’ll definitely be reading this again to see where those opinions lead.


𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 @ 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒉 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚
🧚‍♀️🤍


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[Sidra Imam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poems individually were wonderful to read. They spoke to both the overarching oppressions women face & themes of female empowerment. I loved the stylistic & thematic diversity that each of the poets presented. The foreword was great as well; however, when discussing the historical development of feminism, Cole Swenson kept to the conventional Eurocentric narrative. At the same time, I can see why many of my fellow reviewers has critiques about this collection. This book could stand to be organized in a more cohesive order. Additionally, there should have been a brief bio introducing each author & a short analysis of each poem. With these three additions, the poetry collection could have really been strengthened. For the past few decades, there has been a significant increase of BIPOC & LGBTQ+ poets. This 2019 published collection should have been more inclusive of their voices. That being said, I do understand the need to develop a compilation of poems that reflect a universal female experience. However, understanding that there are nuances to this experience shaped by other social identities is crucial.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The e-Advanced Readers Copy was provided by Chronicle Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this ARC will not affect my review nor my rating.

Poetry is not usually one of my go-to genres. However, I found the premise for this collection of poems intriguing and jumped at the chance to read it. Overall, I found this collection to be a mixture of compelling works and very mediocre or confusing writing. I do feel that these poems stuck to the theme of the celebration of womanhood and empowering women. However, there were quite a few poems, that for me missed the mark. I would've loved to give a majority of these poems higher ratings. Unfortunately, about three poems received 5 stars and genuinely made an impact on the expression, struggles, plight, and uniqueness of womanhood. I recommend reading: (1) Appetite by Tracy K. Smith (2) Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros (3)A Plaint of Complexity by Eunice Tietjens & (4) Ego Tripping (There Maybe a Reason Why) by Nikki Giovanni.

[Angie Feliz]

I don’t even know how to rate this one; it was disappointing. I thought I was going to love this collection. However, I was quickly disappointed. To begin, the foreword left me a little confused and the poems were not very cohesive. I was very intrigued at the beginning when I read the first poem, but in total, I think I only enjoyed three poems. They were not tied in together like a collection should be and it felt like they had no common purpose.

As I said, I enjoyed some of the poems, those three were complex and well done, but most of them were very disconnected. Also, since this is a compilation from different authors, it would’ve been nice to get some dates and/or background for each one. It would’ve helped me connect.

The illustrations were beautiful.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Julia (Shakespeare and Such) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars

I don’t know how to properly rate poetry because I don’t read enough of it, plus this is a compilation of various poets and I don’t think it’s fair to any of them to skew my rating based on one poem that I loved or got nothing out of. I think some of the selected poems struck truer to the theme of the collection (being a woman) than others, but I can also respect that being a woman means many things to many different people and the works that didn’t touch me may deeply resonate with another reader.

Unsurprisingly, all of my favorite poems in this collection were old school and had some kind of rhyme scheme. I especially loved: The Son by Mary Oliver, Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros, Apocalypse by Emily Dickinson, The Heart of a Woman by Georgia Douglas Johnson, and A Plaint of Complexity by Eunice Tietjens.

[Shantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is GORGEOUS. Like, literally, Karolin Schnoor's illustrations are breathtaking. If it wasn't a sin to cut pages from books, I'd cut them out and hang them around my house.

The poems selected for this collection really did provide a wide array of examples of how female authors have utilized poetry as a means of self-exploration and statements on equality/feminism. There were old faves, like Sandra Cisneros' "Loose Woman" (which really HAS to be read aloud), and a new fave I'd never read before by Naomi Shihab Nye called " Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting..." that I was really struck by.

This tiny book of poems was honestly exactly what I needed. I can't remember the last time I finished a book...

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I’m rounding it up because of the divine illustrations and because of how culturally diverse the author selection is.

This little collection of poems is about what it means to be a woman, and breaking the concept of that it means to be a woman.

There are some really beautiful and clever poems; Here are girls like lions, Loose Women and Siren Song were my favourites.

There were others that felt inaccessible though, or that left me a bit confused. It could be because I’m quite new to poetry to be fair, so don’t let it put you off checking this one out. I imagine there are more accessible collections of poems out there, though.

[Anne Oftedahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really like the concept, and the artwork was really nice, but I only actually liked 5 of the 28 poems (my favourite being "There Are Girls like Lions")
That's not to say the other poems were bad, they just weren't really for me.
One thing to consider is to not put a full-page artwork in the middle of a poem, as this confused me a few times.
All in all, this was okay, but not really great