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A review by littlerah
How to Cure a Ghost by Fariha Róisín
dark
emotional
reflective
I found I was not able to put this book down when I found it in a bookshop earlier this week. Fariha Roisin’s words combined with gorgeous detail by Monica Ramos and design by Diane Shaw is eye-catching and demands to be heard.
Roisin writes about identity, about trauma, and about finding the balance of yourself between the elements of family and culture. I found her writing to be raw, but also soft enough to gently draw out the words into a series of beautiful poems. Watching Roisin try to find substance in her life was relatable and honest.
i am bigger than
this pain, a
vortex of every
narrative I’ve
screamed together
to have purpose
frequency (13).
this pain, a
vortex of every
narrative I’ve
screamed together
to have purpose
frequency (13).
Where Roisin writes of maternal trauma, sex and sexuality I felt the most at home. But she goes beyond this into critiques of society and racism. We read of her experiences of 9/11, her family’s experiences of wars undocumented on white media, of 1971. Roisin is careful and powerful.
remember us, like you’d remember white death. Remember us with no guilt. Just remember that we lost so much more than what you’ve afforded us to lose (112).
For the most part I am struck by the power in Roisin’s writing, each word and comma. In other reviews I have seen curiosity about essays and nonfiction and I would echo these sentiments, hoping to see further exploration of writing styles.
That said I enjoyed this collection.
Favourites included:
you feel me right, you feel me
je ne suis pas folle
loss becomes her
how to become a ghost ii
haruomi hosono
sporting a new look
it’s all love
we go on sisters, we go on
who’s right
this one’s for me.
je ne suis pas folle
loss becomes her
how to become a ghost ii
haruomi hosono
sporting a new look
it’s all love
we go on sisters, we go on
who’s right
this one’s for me.
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Mental illness