Scan barcode
makedaonline's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
candority's review against another edition
4.0
This is an incredible collection of poetry about the tragic murder of Reena Virk at the hands of her peers. Reena was 14 at the time of her murder, which took place in British Columbia in 1997. As a young woman of South Asian descent, Reena struggled with the viciousness of being an adolescent girl, as well as the additional challenges that comes with racism and her intense desire to belong. Peerbaye's poetry is haunting, and her use of transcripts from the trials contributes to this powerful re-telling. This collection is heart-wrenching and helps illuminate the fact that Canada is not as picture perfect as it seems. I would definitely recommend it.
amino's review
4.0
Can't stop thinking about the poem "Silt" for it's soft alliteration that was such a joy to read, same goes for "Washerwoman." "Beauty" was immersive, overwhelming, and visceral if you've ever shared a similar girlhood experience. This collection of poems is so important because of the way it highlights a part of Canadian history people would rather not deal with. The murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk took place in 1997 and wasn't dealt with in society for the brutal murder it was but was predominantly brushed aside as "girl-on-girl violence." Peerbaye does a wonderful job at understanding that it is not her place to speak on Virk's behalf but brings this tragic event to light in a way that forces us to confront it and, most importantly, come to terms with the reality that racism exists in Canada.
More...