The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Growing up in Spanish Harlem isn’t easy for teenager and twin Xiomara. She is constantly at odds with her devout Catholic mother, her father is present but absent at the same time, and her twin brother is so different from her she feels like they aren’t twins in all the ways that should matter. Feeling frustrated and alone, Xiomara finds a voice in writing poems through encouragement from her English teacher.“I only know that learning to believe in the power of my own words has been the most freeing experience of my life. It has brought me the most light. And isn't that what a poem is? A lantern glowing in the dark.”
The Poet X was a stunningly real and raw look into the life of a teenage girl who feels no one understands her. Xiomara’s struggles cause a tempest in her life that many readers will be able to relate to. Elizabeth Acevedo’s writing is powerfully compelling, bringing to life the inner monologue of teens in beautiful poetry. It’s no wonder this book received the Michael L. Printz award. Somehow, through Xiomara, Elizabeth Acevedo is able to say everything about family, friendship, and love that most young adults are never able to voice.
I have written a choose your own adventure novella appropriate for adults or adolescents I was hoping you might review. There is no “adult” content, I just didn’t write for children. It is about the adventures of two sounds, so it uses magic realism, but they are anthropomorphized. It is not an appropriate read for driving if you are operating the vehicle. It is a great read for passengers, but you have to move to the different pages to choose. It was professionally edited. If you want, you can be done in half an hour, or you can read all of the 27 endings if you don’t like the conclusion you end up with. I can send you the review copy. My website is https://soundslikeahalifaxadventure.ca/
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