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analyticalchaos's review against another edition
4.0
When reading The January Children, there's a unique sense of heartbreak that lingers through the pages. As Elhillo develops a narrative around her culture, identity, and belonging, it's clear that there's something lingering beneath the surface.
lsparrow's review against another edition
4.0
loved this collection of poems about identity, language, home.
tracithomas's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I liked a lot of these poems especially the ones that were about the singer and the ones that repeated them or style.
syntaxx's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
It’s worth reading the forward to get some context about the poetry if you don’t know much about the author. Very interesting exploration of Arab Ness, and African Ness and the tensions of being from both worlds. Very powerful. Interesting to find that some of the lines I like the most were actually lyrics from the singer Abdel Halim Hafez.
towardinfinitybooks's review against another edition
Having trouble connecting to poetry right now
booksandteatime's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
salam_'s review against another edition
5.0
* First Reading:
Wow this hit home. (pun intended?)
I was going to add here all the quotes that shook me. But then I realized I'd be copying the whole book if I attempted so.
Instead I'll link a spoken poetry performance of Elhillo, and if you connect with that- you'll love the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh5wSt-hfL0
* Second Reading:
This book is phenomenal. It was an experience to read. It's definitely one of my all time favorites!
I have so much to say, about the importance of representation and seeing yourself in a poem. I'll be writing a full review with pictures and everything later.
Wow this hit home. (pun intended?)
I was going to add here all the quotes that shook me. But then I realized I'd be copying the whole book if I attempted so.
Instead I'll link a spoken poetry performance of Elhillo, and if you connect with that- you'll love the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh5wSt-hfL0
* Second Reading:
This book is phenomenal. It was an experience to read. It's definitely one of my all time favorites!
I have so much to say, about the importance of representation and seeing yourself in a poem. I'll be writing a full review with pictures and everything later.
jpark414's review against another edition
4.0
A few things I love about this: elhillo plays with language translation and uses it as guiding questions in her pieces. Abdelhalim as a marker of a culture and something that has endured beyond her political country. I can’t not love musings about home.
This collection of poems feels like a mind map: we circle an idea a few times, and then we move away-but not too far.
This collection of poems feels like a mind map: we circle an idea a few times, and then we move away-but not too far.