The Poet X – Book Review

Hello friends!

I am back with a new book review and this was a great read!

The Book

Title: The Poet X
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

“Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.”

My Thoughts:

I don’t even know where to start with this one. It is one of those books that is an experience. It was heartbreaking and heart warming. This book was absolutely wonderful. The first thing that was incredible was the writing. The poetry was deep and honest. They really spoke to the experience of teenagers, regardless of their background. It was a perfect example of that feeling of being alone and unheard. Elizabeth Acevedo perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a teenager and feel like no one is listening to you. The book is just so raw I feel like I’m reading someone’s diary.

It is also a pretty quick read because it is written in poems. It went by quickly but felt complete and like the perfect length for what it was. I finished it in 3 sittings and it almost made me cry in public! I don’t have a lot to say because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I highly recommend this book and I think it is a beautifully written young adult novel.

Rating: 5/5