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Crown Noble
Crown noble, the breathtaking debut by Bianca Phipps, navigates the crossroads of familial ties and forgiveness. Phipps ruminates on the ways we are shaped as humans. Is it nature or nurture? Is it fate or a happen chance? What teaches us to love our generational inheritance, no matter how harmful? Phipps takes us to the most intimate parts of family matters in hopes of underantdatning conflict as a means of overcoming.
- GenresPoetry
48 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 30, 2020
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This is a book of poetry that is very dark and deep. The poems explore family dynamics and experiences of hurt.
This poetry was a little too dark and heavy for my taste but that is just my personal taste.
This is a book of poetry that is very dark and deep. The poems explore family dynamics and experiences of hurt.
This poetry was a little too dark and heavy for my taste but that is just my personal taste.
July 6, 2020
I received this book from #Netgalley and I don't know if this book falls under poetry or prose. The only thing I can say is that I really enjoyed this book. From the cover of the book, I had a feeling that it would address familial ties and relationships and that is what I got.
The relationship between Siblings and the method of love that is passed down in the family. I felt a bit disconnected from the individuals in the books and that really opened my eyes to my own family dynamic. The difference that is explored in this book, conflict resolution
A specific part that comes to mind a lot is under the title "Born To Embody it"
"My body has never been mine alone
Always a shared space with the ghosts of my father's past
And my mother's favorite demons
and a little room for me.
I am a product of my mother's fragile vertebrae and my father's miserable veins"
I got me thinking about how much deep it means to be a product of your parents. I would highly recommend this book.
The relationship between Siblings and the method of love that is passed down in the family. I felt a bit disconnected from the individuals in the books and that really opened my eyes to my own family dynamic. The difference that is explored in this book, conflict resolution
A specific part that comes to mind a lot is under the title "Born To Embody it"
"My body has never been mine alone
Always a shared space with the ghosts of my father's past
And my mother's favorite demons
and a little room for me.
I am a product of my mother's fragile vertebrae and my father's miserable veins"
I got me thinking about how much deep it means to be a product of your parents. I would highly recommend this book.
September 5, 2020
Crown Noble by Bianca Phipps
4.75 stars
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 4.5
Cover Thoughts: It’s a sweet cover. It’s not a favorite, but I really like the simplicity of the fruit tree.
Thank you, Netgalley and Button Poetry, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
4.75 stars
This poetry collection was brilliant. It’s very short. Shorter than I wanted it to be. I wish it was longer. This collection hit me in a lot of ways. It felt lyrical and it flowed well. It was honest and raw. The emotions behind the poems were palpable and Phipps provides a poetry collection filled with poems that pack a punch. I just wish it was longer, but oh how, I loved it anyway. Definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of poetry or looking for a short collection to dip their toes into.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 5
Plotastic Scale: 4.5
Cover Thoughts: It’s a sweet cover. It’s not a favorite, but I really like the simplicity of the fruit tree.
Thank you, Netgalley and Button Poetry, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2020
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.
This book just wasn't for me. I found the poems a bit depressive and dark for my taste. Although it is a poetry collection, it doesn't really seem like it It looks as if the author wrote a whole text and broke it into pieces, leaving full stops in the middle of the verses, to make it look like a poem. However, there were some bits I enjoyed reading. Rating: 3/5
This book just wasn't for me. I found the poems a bit depressive and dark for my taste. Although it is a poetry collection, it doesn't really seem like it It looks as if the author wrote a whole text and broke it into pieces, leaving full stops in the middle of the verses, to make it look like a poem. However, there were some bits I enjoyed reading. Rating: 3/5
July 6, 2020
I received an ARC for this book on #Netgalley, but my opinions are my own.
“when my mother teaches me not to be swallowed
she is already sitting in the belly of the beast
i wonder if she has grown to love the cavern
like she once loved the man”
The first part of this slim volume examines the intricacies of parent-child relationships and family dynamics. What functions best in this collection is the specificity in each poem; there are details that are quirky and highly individualized. Rather than approaching the topic of family in broad, sweeping metaphors and cliches, Phipps addresses it with concrete details that make the reader even more invested in the poems and able to identify with the speaker.
Many of Phipps’ poems are a mixture of maturity and naivete. They are reflective and occasionally dip into sentimentality without feeling ‘cheesy’. Phipps’ voice is quite strong, and for a debut this book is excellently crafted and distinct. Though some poems aren’t quite as developed or as impactful as others, and even approaching cliche, there is a rich sense of poetic voice in this book.
“my body has never been mine
alone
always a shared space
with the ghosts of my father’s past
and my mother’s favourite demons
and little room for me.”
This book is appealing to anyone who as an adult or older teenger is reexamining their relationship with their family and looking inward towards the impact their upbringing had on their lives today.
“I am my father’s daughter my mother’s mirror
designed to seek that which can destroy me
and let it, love it”
I find that many titles from Button Poetry and similar presses follow similar poem structures, and while many poems fall into the stylistic tendencies of titles from Button Poetry, there is enough variety in this collection to set it apart: there is a mix of prose poems, short poems, and long poems that keeps the reader engaged throughout the whole collection.
Some of the poems about love/relationship don’t feel as fresh or insightful, and many poems feel like they could be shorter (though the shift in ‘Almost’ is masterful).
“shame is our love language”
There is a lot of raw emotion in these poems, which present it in an almost triumphant way. The way that the ending of the book mirrors the beginning is very clever and well-executed. The poems about the foil for the other poems’ speaker, ‘Nina’ are fantastically rendered; offering an alternate life that illuminates the poignancy of the other poems.
“we don’t talk about the screams in the night
that drive us out of our rooms. we’re not
supposed to give it the power of a name.”
I'm excited to see where Bianco Phipps goes in the future and how she explores these themes as she deepens her craft. “Survivor’s Weight” is a poem everyone should read. I’m so happy I read this book.
“Daughter is not enough context
to cover it all.”
“when my mother teaches me not to be swallowed
she is already sitting in the belly of the beast
i wonder if she has grown to love the cavern
like she once loved the man”
The first part of this slim volume examines the intricacies of parent-child relationships and family dynamics. What functions best in this collection is the specificity in each poem; there are details that are quirky and highly individualized. Rather than approaching the topic of family in broad, sweeping metaphors and cliches, Phipps addresses it with concrete details that make the reader even more invested in the poems and able to identify with the speaker.
Many of Phipps’ poems are a mixture of maturity and naivete. They are reflective and occasionally dip into sentimentality without feeling ‘cheesy’. Phipps’ voice is quite strong, and for a debut this book is excellently crafted and distinct. Though some poems aren’t quite as developed or as impactful as others, and even approaching cliche, there is a rich sense of poetic voice in this book.
“my body has never been mine
alone
always a shared space
with the ghosts of my father’s past
and my mother’s favourite demons
and little room for me.”
This book is appealing to anyone who as an adult or older teenger is reexamining their relationship with their family and looking inward towards the impact their upbringing had on their lives today.
“I am my father’s daughter my mother’s mirror
designed to seek that which can destroy me
and let it, love it”
I find that many titles from Button Poetry and similar presses follow similar poem structures, and while many poems fall into the stylistic tendencies of titles from Button Poetry, there is enough variety in this collection to set it apart: there is a mix of prose poems, short poems, and long poems that keeps the reader engaged throughout the whole collection.
Some of the poems about love/relationship don’t feel as fresh or insightful, and many poems feel like they could be shorter (though the shift in ‘Almost’ is masterful).
“shame is our love language”
There is a lot of raw emotion in these poems, which present it in an almost triumphant way. The way that the ending of the book mirrors the beginning is very clever and well-executed. The poems about the foil for the other poems’ speaker, ‘Nina’ are fantastically rendered; offering an alternate life that illuminates the poignancy of the other poems.
“we don’t talk about the screams in the night
that drive us out of our rooms. we’re not
supposed to give it the power of a name.”
I'm excited to see where Bianco Phipps goes in the future and how she explores these themes as she deepens her craft. “Survivor’s Weight” is a poem everyone should read. I’m so happy I read this book.
“Daughter is not enough context
to cover it all.”
August 16, 2020
I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This poetry collection had so much depth that I’m usually missing from most of the modern poetry I’ve read in the past. The complex family dynamics are a constant theme throughout and I felt so much emotion throughout.
The poems are connected to each other in so many different ways, and dark emotions carried through every single one. Powerful collection, definitely recommend.
September 13, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the arc.
I absolutely loved how this poetry collection wasn’t like the other modern poetry reiterating the same message. This collection was really nostalgic for me and explored family dynamics beautifully and how we remember them. I felt I really related to this since I, too, have lost my father and those specific pieces hit hard for me. I really encourage you to pick this up for a refreshing style. Crown Noble is dark and beautiful.
I absolutely loved how this poetry collection wasn’t like the other modern poetry reiterating the same message. This collection was really nostalgic for me and explored family dynamics beautifully and how we remember them. I felt I really related to this since I, too, have lost my father and those specific pieces hit hard for me. I really encourage you to pick this up for a refreshing style. Crown Noble is dark and beautiful.
October 2, 2020
This fabulous collection of poems will grip your throat and shake you to your core. Evocative, heart shattering, and blisteringly real.
September 29, 2020
These days I’ve been giving a long overdue chance to my poetry genre exploration. After reading several highly popular & well-hyped ones and being baffled with the underwhelming contentment, I decided to give a try to the ones unexplored yet.
After reading the impressive Advance Praise, I had high hopes from this one. Though I was not disappointed, I wasn’t blown away by its brilliancy and this is where the main card comes- for several parts when I was not able to get into it, I KNEW the problem is probably with me, and not with the book and its contents.
Coming to my review: I liked it and definitely enjoyed it. It promised to be raw and dark in its exploration of twisted family dynamics, acceptance (or the lack of it) of same-sex lover, the pull of a family on the person that can’t be easily shaken off and how it threatens to suffocate that person, familial love in its simplicity and complexity. It delivered well and I could easily connect with the pieces.
What didn’t work for me: The proses, especially related to Nina. I mentioned above how it possibly is just me but the writing style adapted to convey the emotions had my eyes blast past the repetitive “Nina” which evidently had me lose interest in it.
Again, this is just me but the proses with the writing style of “……./……/……./” seems to be “in trend” these days that I just cannot seem to get into. The proses, which I thought could’ve been so impactful, seemed to lose its impact and be so erratic and fragmentary.
This compelling debut collection delivers what it promises and it does it good. I especially liked its bluntness and appreciate the author putting her vulnerability out so beautifully.
Thanks to NetGalley and Button Poetry for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
After reading the impressive Advance Praise, I had high hopes from this one. Though I was not disappointed, I wasn’t blown away by its brilliancy and this is where the main card comes- for several parts when I was not able to get into it, I KNEW the problem is probably with me, and not with the book and its contents.
Coming to my review: I liked it and definitely enjoyed it. It promised to be raw and dark in its exploration of twisted family dynamics, acceptance (or the lack of it) of same-sex lover, the pull of a family on the person that can’t be easily shaken off and how it threatens to suffocate that person, familial love in its simplicity and complexity. It delivered well and I could easily connect with the pieces.
What didn’t work for me: The proses, especially related to Nina. I mentioned above how it possibly is just me but the writing style adapted to convey the emotions had my eyes blast past the repetitive “Nina” which evidently had me lose interest in it.
Again, this is just me but the proses with the writing style of “……./……/……./” seems to be “in trend” these days that I just cannot seem to get into. The proses, which I thought could’ve been so impactful, seemed to lose its impact and be so erratic and fragmentary.
This compelling debut collection delivers what it promises and it does it good. I especially liked its bluntness and appreciate the author putting her vulnerability out so beautifully.
Thanks to NetGalley and Button Poetry for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 23, 2021
In Crown Noble, Phipps explores and unpacks the impact of early familial influences on matters such as identity, understanding of love and internalization of guilt. Each piece within the collection digs deeper into her understanding of herself in relationship to her family and romantic interests. What makes Bianca Phipps stand apart from other poets who examine these themes is the way in which conflict and shades of trauma bubble beneath the surface so subtly. The reader knows how painful experiences are as Phipps navigates memory askew rather than explicitly. This makes her content perfect for in class analysis because it leaves room for the reader to employ tools taught in the classroom to unpack the deeper meanings of each piece.
In “My Father’s Eulogy, the Early Drafts”, Phipps writes, “we cannot let go of what we are/even when we bury it”. This collection works to exhume difficult experiences and confront the complexities of them with an understanding of how they may be the home where she lived in both comfort and despair, but they are only the foundation upon which her language, self and craft were built. Her poem “White River Writes Home” serves to reflect on and educate her father in their relationship through gentle and instructive couplets that do not beg for his response as one may expect. As she says, “You could give up on me now and I/wouldn’t starve. But I’d never be full”. This sentiment speaks to the growth from root to full dazzling bloom of self that Bianca Phipps accomplishes in this work.
Teachers looking to expose their students to Bianca Phipps’ poetry will have an easy time finding poems that are appropriate for class while having depth and purposeful elements of craft to uncover. Phipps would be wonderful for teaching the use of refrain and repetition, allusion & jargon, or to have students unpack extended metaphors. Phipps also has the uncanny ability to lead her readers through a piece and turn things around on them in the final line(s), this is a great way to introduce students to how poetry as a form can inspire rereading and application of analysis. Diction and tone are important to examine within this work since the author obviously has a passion for language and it’s meaning as shown in “Langua” and “Moonstruck”. Her series of “Nina” poems, found throughout the collection, would be wonderful to use in examining the impact of context and conflict between the real and imaginary. Phipps also includes LGBTQ+ positivity for those educators looking to include this type of material in their classwork.
I have kept an eye out for work from Bianca Phipps since I discovered the performance of her poem “Almosts” for CUPSI. I have used the poem and the video in class as part of my introduction to college essays with my high school seniors in order to highlight the poetic nature of this type of essay and how to show who and how you are without explicitly explaining either to the admissions office.
In “My Father’s Eulogy, the Early Drafts”, Phipps writes, “we cannot let go of what we are/even when we bury it”. This collection works to exhume difficult experiences and confront the complexities of them with an understanding of how they may be the home where she lived in both comfort and despair, but they are only the foundation upon which her language, self and craft were built. Her poem “White River Writes Home” serves to reflect on and educate her father in their relationship through gentle and instructive couplets that do not beg for his response as one may expect. As she says, “You could give up on me now and I/wouldn’t starve. But I’d never be full”. This sentiment speaks to the growth from root to full dazzling bloom of self that Bianca Phipps accomplishes in this work.
Teachers looking to expose their students to Bianca Phipps’ poetry will have an easy time finding poems that are appropriate for class while having depth and purposeful elements of craft to uncover. Phipps would be wonderful for teaching the use of refrain and repetition, allusion & jargon, or to have students unpack extended metaphors. Phipps also has the uncanny ability to lead her readers through a piece and turn things around on them in the final line(s), this is a great way to introduce students to how poetry as a form can inspire rereading and application of analysis. Diction and tone are important to examine within this work since the author obviously has a passion for language and it’s meaning as shown in “Langua” and “Moonstruck”. Her series of “Nina” poems, found throughout the collection, would be wonderful to use in examining the impact of context and conflict between the real and imaginary. Phipps also includes LGBTQ+ positivity for those educators looking to include this type of material in their classwork.
I have kept an eye out for work from Bianca Phipps since I discovered the performance of her poem “Almosts” for CUPSI. I have used the poem and the video in class as part of my introduction to college essays with my high school seniors in order to highlight the poetic nature of this type of essay and how to show who and how you are without explicitly explaining either to the admissions office.
June 30, 2020
✨ I received an ARC on Netgalley, but my opinions are my own.
Oh wow, I am really glad I picked this up.
Bianca Phipps' poems in this collection are intense and intricate at the same time. She displayed complexities without pretense; which is not to say it was not beautifully crafted. Just look at lines like:
Mother made windows out of people.
and
Nina has boundaries that bloom like her tulips.
and
‘our fault-line bones’
and
‘each molar whispers about you to my gums’
and
‘You hold a lot of love in your heart and it curdles/
because you leave it there, said the fog.’
Oof - good, right?
My favorites were the more prosaic ones, as they had the strongest sense of voice. I loved the tumbling effect they had, as someone who aims for that in my own poetry. I also enjoyed how the Nina poems worked to form the arc of the collection, which is reinforced by all of these other great lines throughout.
My favorite poems were: Nina, Crown Regent, I am All the Roots, Stick, Elena Alvarez is Living My Best Life (a wonderful show, too, ah).
And an honorably mention goes to Stay with Me, because I thought form was super interesting, and is a technique I'm definitely going to try when I next need to get inspired.
All that being said, I occasionally felt the poems veered into being too narrative driven, but that’s a matter of personal taste, since I know that style is exactly what some people love!
content notes: cancer, addiction, death of a parent, discussions of suicide, being closeted
Oh wow, I am really glad I picked this up.
Bianca Phipps' poems in this collection are intense and intricate at the same time. She displayed complexities without pretense; which is not to say it was not beautifully crafted. Just look at lines like:
Mother made windows out of people.
and
Nina has boundaries that bloom like her tulips.
and
‘our fault-line bones’
and
‘each molar whispers about you to my gums’
and
‘You hold a lot of love in your heart and it curdles/
because you leave it there, said the fog.’
Oof - good, right?
My favorites were the more prosaic ones, as they had the strongest sense of voice. I loved the tumbling effect they had, as someone who aims for that in my own poetry. I also enjoyed how the Nina poems worked to form the arc of the collection, which is reinforced by all of these other great lines throughout.
My favorite poems were: Nina, Crown Regent, I am All the Roots, Stick, Elena Alvarez is Living My Best Life (a wonderful show, too, ah).
And an honorably mention goes to Stay with Me, because I thought form was super interesting, and is a technique I'm definitely going to try when I next need to get inspired.
All that being said, I occasionally felt the poems veered into being too narrative driven, but that’s a matter of personal taste, since I know that style is exactly what some people love!
content notes: cancer, addiction, death of a parent, discussions of suicide, being closeted
July 5, 2020
This book of poetry is a really beautiful exploration of family relationships, grief, and the tensions within human emotion; both within us as individuals and between us and the others in our lives. It provides a touching and heartbreaking window into a family broken and torn apart, with particular attention to the mother-daughter and father-daughter relationship.
It's often very difficult to stand out amongst the ranks of modern poetry, but some of these poems felt completely fresh and original, with especially inventive and quirky use of form, presentation and language - some poems were throughly arresting.
However, there were a few poems that just didn't work for me. Sometimes this was due to (what felt like to me) an excessive use of repetition; repeated words and phrases. I know this is a particular style, and for some it works really well, and it certainly places emphasis on the central subject of a poem. But it often felt more like a gimmick than effective and that marred some of the poems for me.
Other poems sometimes felt distant from me as a reader, like the speaker held a secret that the reader is not permitted to access. Sometimes this was rectified with more information as the "story" progresses through the poems, and this was a lovely aspect of this collection.
In a sentence - this is an emotive and raw exposition of deeply personal experience, and it feels like a privilege to read these words.
-
I received an ARC on Netgalley - all opinions are my own.
It's often very difficult to stand out amongst the ranks of modern poetry, but some of these poems felt completely fresh and original, with especially inventive and quirky use of form, presentation and language - some poems were throughly arresting.
However, there were a few poems that just didn't work for me. Sometimes this was due to (what felt like to me) an excessive use of repetition; repeated words and phrases. I know this is a particular style, and for some it works really well, and it certainly places emphasis on the central subject of a poem. But it often felt more like a gimmick than effective and that marred some of the poems for me.
Other poems sometimes felt distant from me as a reader, like the speaker held a secret that the reader is not permitted to access. Sometimes this was rectified with more information as the "story" progresses through the poems, and this was a lovely aspect of this collection.
In a sentence - this is an emotive and raw exposition of deeply personal experience, and it feels like a privilege to read these words.
-
I received an ARC on Netgalley - all opinions are my own.
August 9, 2020
Crown Noble, is the debut by Bianca Phipps, navigating the crossroads of familial ties and forgiveness. Phipps in her collection ruminates on the ways we are shaped as humans.
What I respect so much about this collection is the raw honesty of the words displayed in these poems. Lines throughout jump out and capture you as you delve deeper into these poems. Poems such as ‘Stay With Me’ in the collection run like the author is emptying her thoughts on to paper, and these thoughts spill out some wonderful lines such as ‘I spilt sorry like an accident’ - such a simple line but just leaps out in the text.
Throughout this book there are long form poems, and these are I feel where the collection really excels. ‘Stay With Me’, ‘When The Boy Says He Loves My Body’ and ‘Almosts’ are perfect examples of this as the writer indulges us in poetry that has incredible impact. I won’t lie after reading ‘Almosts’ I was in tears, capturing the grief and loss of losing someone in a way that is done so heartbreakingly.
Smaller gems include, ‘Stick’, Pro-Choice’ and ‘Another Note About My Father’ which are short but hit you in a way that just stays with you, that honesty seeping into the pages once again and striking you anew. Phipps here debuts a collection that leaves you feeling everything she feels and it’s not easy but it is incredibly crafted.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).
What I respect so much about this collection is the raw honesty of the words displayed in these poems. Lines throughout jump out and capture you as you delve deeper into these poems. Poems such as ‘Stay With Me’ in the collection run like the author is emptying her thoughts on to paper, and these thoughts spill out some wonderful lines such as ‘I spilt sorry like an accident’ - such a simple line but just leaps out in the text.
Throughout this book there are long form poems, and these are I feel where the collection really excels. ‘Stay With Me’, ‘When The Boy Says He Loves My Body’ and ‘Almosts’ are perfect examples of this as the writer indulges us in poetry that has incredible impact. I won’t lie after reading ‘Almosts’ I was in tears, capturing the grief and loss of losing someone in a way that is done so heartbreakingly.
Smaller gems include, ‘Stick’, Pro-Choice’ and ‘Another Note About My Father’ which are short but hit you in a way that just stays with you, that honesty seeping into the pages once again and striking you anew. Phipps here debuts a collection that leaves you feeling everything she feels and it’s not easy but it is incredibly crafted.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).
August 6, 2020
Interesting mix of dark poems exploring the dynamics of family
After reading the poesy collection Dear girl by Aija Mayrock, I thought I would try more poetry books and downloaded Crown Noble on Netgalley.
The resume was promising as it talks about family and forgiveness and the cover is really nice looking in my opinion. However, I was disappointed by the content. First, it may be because I’m just a beginner in poetry but I didn’t really how to read it, when to take a longer break or how-to rhythm the sentences. Moreover, some poems are just a thick paragraph and even though I quite liked In the clouds, I didn’t like Stay with me that I thought was too long. I also think I’m lacking experience to understand the poems as my parents are not divorced and I never experienced any problems within my family. It explores the dynamics of family and experiences of hurt and can therefore be quite dark. It is an interesting mix and even though I didn’t enjoy them all, some poems really got to me.
After reading the poesy collection Dear girl by Aija Mayrock, I thought I would try more poetry books and downloaded Crown Noble on Netgalley.
The resume was promising as it talks about family and forgiveness and the cover is really nice looking in my opinion. However, I was disappointed by the content. First, it may be because I’m just a beginner in poetry but I didn’t really how to read it, when to take a longer break or how-to rhythm the sentences. Moreover, some poems are just a thick paragraph and even though I quite liked In the clouds, I didn’t like Stay with me that I thought was too long. I also think I’m lacking experience to understand the poems as my parents are not divorced and I never experienced any problems within my family. It explores the dynamics of family and experiences of hurt and can therefore be quite dark. It is an interesting mix and even though I didn’t enjoy them all, some poems really got to me.
Read
October 6, 2020I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to this poetry collection because of the cover and thought it might be a really nice read. The writing in it was beautiful in some parts, and there were a lot of really impactful moments. It speaks mainly about family, forgiveness, dealing with grief, and other difficult things. I thought it was very well done, but I, unfortunately, didn't connect to the themes or the writing at all.
It was written in a style that is very descriptive and long, written almost as if the author is telling a story instead of writing poetry. There is nothing wrong with that style of writing, but it's not what I personally like in poetry. I don't like when poetry is written in normal sentences, or in huge bulks of text.
However, if you like themes of family and a longer more descriptive style of writing, then this might be a great read for you! The collection is very short as well so it's quite a quick read.
I was drawn to this poetry collection because of the cover and thought it might be a really nice read. The writing in it was beautiful in some parts, and there were a lot of really impactful moments. It speaks mainly about family, forgiveness, dealing with grief, and other difficult things. I thought it was very well done, but I, unfortunately, didn't connect to the themes or the writing at all.
It was written in a style that is very descriptive and long, written almost as if the author is telling a story instead of writing poetry. There is nothing wrong with that style of writing, but it's not what I personally like in poetry. I don't like when poetry is written in normal sentences, or in huge bulks of text.
However, if you like themes of family and a longer more descriptive style of writing, then this might be a great read for you! The collection is very short as well so it's quite a quick read.
August 12, 2020
I absolutely love how this book explores family dynamics, and how much hurt they can bring to our lives. They shape who we become, how we love, trust and how we view ourselves.
I think that this collection was powerful, and well done. I love what the author brought into this. It’s not always easy to navigate pain and the feel of estrangement from ones parent.
I myself could relate to most of the poems, and they truly hit a piece of my heart. It tends to get you thinking, making you realize and become conscious of your feelings towards these things. Overall I really enjoyed this.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review and read this beautiful masterpiece. & a big thank you to the publisher as well. All opinions and review are all mine and have no relation to Netgalley or the publisher.
I think that this collection was powerful, and well done. I love what the author brought into this. It’s not always easy to navigate pain and the feel of estrangement from ones parent.
I myself could relate to most of the poems, and they truly hit a piece of my heart. It tends to get you thinking, making you realize and become conscious of your feelings towards these things. Overall I really enjoyed this.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review and read this beautiful masterpiece. & a big thank you to the publisher as well. All opinions and review are all mine and have no relation to Netgalley or the publisher.
November 23, 2022
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e copy in exchange for an honest review**
The author bears her soul in this collection of poetry, where she speaks of her family, and of herself. I found some of the poems to be a bit staccato in feeling, and some a bit stiff. Other times I found them quite lyrical and had a nice flow. Phipps' word choices painted some vivid imagery.
My favourite poems from the collection are Nina, Pro-Choice, Reflection and the Heartbreaker Poem.
Some quotes that spoke to me:
"Nina keeps her hair short because Nina didn't braid her self worth into its length." P. 10
"Clipped her wings to keep her from flying too close to the sun..." p. 17
"Leave before they realize I am not worth staying for" p. 18
"Feel his matchstick fingers strike against my skin." p. 40
The author bears her soul in this collection of poetry, where she speaks of her family, and of herself. I found some of the poems to be a bit staccato in feeling, and some a bit stiff. Other times I found them quite lyrical and had a nice flow. Phipps' word choices painted some vivid imagery.
My favourite poems from the collection are Nina, Pro-Choice, Reflection and the Heartbreaker Poem.
Some quotes that spoke to me:
"Nina keeps her hair short because Nina didn't braid her self worth into its length." P. 10
"Clipped her wings to keep her from flying too close to the sun..." p. 17
"Leave before they realize I am not worth staying for" p. 18
"Feel his matchstick fingers strike against my skin." p. 40
June 27, 2020
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley
This poetry collection was an interesting mix for me. A lot of it is very stream of conscious style poetry, which I often enjoy. Some of those included in this collection didn't flow for me, which can make this style quite hard to read. The content of the poems were written beautifully and had great metaphors and imagery, but the enjoyment was dampened when they became a little clunky in flow. That being said, if you enjoy poetry that really examines difficult familial relationships and how our upbringing can shape us, this has a lot of good content surrounding that.
This poetry collection was an interesting mix for me. A lot of it is very stream of conscious style poetry, which I often enjoy. Some of those included in this collection didn't flow for me, which can make this style quite hard to read. The content of the poems were written beautifully and had great metaphors and imagery, but the enjoyment was dampened when they became a little clunky in flow. That being said, if you enjoy poetry that really examines difficult familial relationships and how our upbringing can shape us, this has a lot of good content surrounding that.
November 23, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book for review in exchange of my honest review.
I... am not big on poetry. I am making an effort but I also feel inadequate whenever I read a poetry book. I did not really feel anything while reading this book - and that's what I am looking the most for when reading poetry. Not even the poetry on grief, unfortunately.
Some parts of it where simple boxes of text - almost like a paragraph. But then again, maybe this is how modern poetry goes. There was also a lot of repetition that I do not think it accomplished whatever the author wished for.
Maybe it just wasn't the poetry book for me.
I... am not big on poetry. I am making an effort but I also feel inadequate whenever I read a poetry book. I did not really feel anything while reading this book - and that's what I am looking the most for when reading poetry. Not even the poetry on grief, unfortunately.
Some parts of it where simple boxes of text - almost like a paragraph. But then again, maybe this is how modern poetry goes. There was also a lot of repetition that I do not think it accomplished whatever the author wished for.
Maybe it just wasn't the poetry book for me.
July 21, 2020
Thank you to Button Poetry and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available Aug 25th 2020
What an honor it is to hold someone's vulnerability between your own brown hands, seeing their pain and growth and beauty unfold in front of you. "Crown Noble", the first full length poetry book from Bianca Phipps is all of that and more. From describing her strained relationship with her mother and the death of her father to the sacrifices made to get her to where she is today, Phipps imbues her work with grace and love. There is so much love in knowing what we can and cannot forgive,
Available Aug 25th 2020
What an honor it is to hold someone's vulnerability between your own brown hands, seeing their pain and growth and beauty unfold in front of you. "Crown Noble", the first full length poetry book from Bianca Phipps is all of that and more. From describing her strained relationship with her mother and the death of her father to the sacrifices made to get her to where she is today, Phipps imbues her work with grace and love. There is so much love in knowing what we can and cannot forgive,
August 27, 2020
Bianca Phipps depicts complex relationships in a very visceral way that leaves you feeling both absolutely gutted and strangely liberated. Catharsis in a portable package! Highly recommend.
I’ll admit that I was predisposed to love this - at some point, I think I had an earlier version of The Heartbreaker Poem memorized from watching it on repeat on the Button Poetry YouTube channel. This volume of poetry is the libretto to the opera my heart would perform if someone ripped it from my body and told it to sing. I’m so here 👏🏽 for 👏🏽 this 👏🏽
I’ll admit that I was predisposed to love this - at some point, I think I had an earlier version of The Heartbreaker Poem memorized from watching it on repeat on the Button Poetry YouTube channel. This volume of poetry is the libretto to the opera my heart would perform if someone ripped it from my body and told it to sing. I’m so here 👏🏽 for 👏🏽 this 👏🏽
September 27, 2020
Crown Noble By Bianca Phipps
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
Publication Date: 8/25/2020
** Thank you to Netgalley, Button Poetry, and of course, Bianca Phipps, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this collection, but it was a struggle for me. I often had to put it down for a bit and then go back. It has some deep themes, specifically based on family and hurtful experiences, and a lot of them hit close to home. I did like it, but I don’t think I will pick it up again based on the connections I felt.
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
Publication Date: 8/25/2020
** Thank you to Netgalley, Button Poetry, and of course, Bianca Phipps, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this collection, but it was a struggle for me. I often had to put it down for a bit and then go back. It has some deep themes, specifically based on family and hurtful experiences, and a lot of them hit close to home. I did like it, but I don’t think I will pick it up again based on the connections I felt.
June 28, 2020
This is probably a very biased review because this poetry collection hit so close to home for me. Phipps writes about topics that have been put into poetry so many times - guilt, grief, family, identity - but their writing is evocative and pithy in a way that feels very contemporary.
Crown Noble captures the constant undercurrent of conflict that comes from messy relationships with your family, and how this conflict touches so much in your life, not as a tidal wave but as a constant tide.
Crown Noble captures the constant undercurrent of conflict that comes from messy relationships with your family, and how this conflict touches so much in your life, not as a tidal wave but as a constant tide.
July 29, 2020
Bianca Phipps is a queer Latinx poet, actor and teaching artist currently based in Chicago. Her first chapbook White River Happiness was published in 2015. This book is her first poetry collection. The poems in this book explore family and related matters.
This was an enjoyable read. The poems are all good.
Disclosure:I received a copy of this book from netgalley. The views expressed are completely my own.
This was an enjoyable read. The poems are all good.
Disclosure:I received a copy of this book from netgalley. The views expressed are completely my own.
September 9, 2020
I typically don’t read poetry collections but I somehow found myself reading this. While I enjoyed some chapters, some didn’t really do it for me. It was overall an interesting read.
It explores relationships and the role your parents play both consciously and subconscious in making you who you are. I loved how vulnerable Nina was.
It got a bit too dark for me but I still enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
This book will definitely get you in your feelings and have you deep in thoughts.
October 24, 2020
As one of my first approaches to the world of poetry, I was greatly attracted by this book. I approached with a very open mind, not really knowing what to expect, and boy it was a journey.
I really loved how the author easily switched between poetry and prose and I always found that her style choices were perfectly in line with what she was trying to tell and the emotions which she was trying to spark in the reader.
And she did, indeed, spark so many emotions. She told of family, grief and mourning, relationships, coming out, self-discovery…she really brought us on a beautiful journey with herself.
I want to thank Button Poetry and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I really loved how the author easily switched between poetry and prose and I always found that her style choices were perfectly in line with what she was trying to tell and the emotions which she was trying to spark in the reader.
And she did, indeed, spark so many emotions. She told of family, grief and mourning, relationships, coming out, self-discovery…she really brought us on a beautiful journey with herself.
I want to thank Button Poetry and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 24, 2020
Maybe it was too short. Or maybe I was not the right reader. But there was something about this that was off. However, it was an experience that I am glad I took. Phipps deals with serious subjects. But despite those somber themes, there is hope in many of their poems. Modern subjects with a mix of traditional formats and modern. It is clever and a book poetry readers should find. I would love to hear them spoken by the poet. There is a voice here that needs to literally be heard.
Read
August 9, 2021Phipps writes of sorrow, of grief, of anger: of the pain of might-have-beens and could-have-beens and even should-have-beens. And, even in the face of anguish, she writes with grace and tenderness, breaking your heart with her poems only to smooth away the rough edges with the overflow of her love in the text. My full review is available here: https://essentiallyanerd.wordpress.co...
June 27, 2020
I started reading this book and I was floored by memories of my Dad, because most of the poems in the very beginning explore this kind of relationship, and it took me a while to shake off that feeling and read on. I'd say that this is a good chunk of emotions compacted in prose.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
August 19, 2020
I felt incredibly seen and left with a new sense of hope after reading this chapbook. Bianca Phipps is honest, and she is genuine, and she is generous. The love and forgiveness she finds despite the trauma she has endured left me wondering what work I could do to continue to pursue those things, and that is an incredible gift to receive from a book.
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