Reviews

Throat by Ellen van Neerven

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I'm a novice when it comes to poetry but can commend this work for even the least confident reader of poetry. Van Neerven somehow manages to straddle huge themes (identity, gender, genocide) while also being funny and playful (albeit with a dark twist). There is so much to appreciate and enjoy in this book, I cannot recommend it more!

ivyninareads's review

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4.0

Really loved this collection of poetry – I can see why it was the recipient of multiple literary awards and nominations. I am so glad that I've come around to a greater fondness of Ellen Van Neerven's work after reading a second collection from them. After reading 'Comfort Food', I knew that there was something that I liked about their poetry, but that collection felt as though it were missing both a strong connecting through line and a raw sense honesty. None of that is missed in 'Throat'. 'Throat' explores Indigenous Australian and queer identity, colonialism and Australia and relationship to land, love and culture. I particularly loved the simple but beautiful lines that appeared in some of Van Neerven's sparser poems, that read almost like mantras in their concise clarity and lyricism. The lines "I used to have a name/I want to relax again" in their poem 'I used to have a name for this (for this)' I feel particularly pertain to this description. Towards the beginning of the poetry collection there were also a lot more short and specifically punchy lines that I enjoyed.

All in all, I felt this collection to be immensely well crafted and well written. With each poem I felt the impact of something greater being reached out to me through Van Neerven's words. Thousands upon thousands of years of history. A very poignant read, highly recommend.

lostinherpages's review

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

jamskel's review

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

3.25

annanymity's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

queerafictionado's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

3.5

elizabethsoto's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.5

belladonnashrike's review

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I love poetry but I have such a hard time with a lot of recently published poetry that is very .. tumblr/instagram. sometimes I do like it, but it’s rare. this one just wasn’t for me