A review by clumsypenguin
Thousand Star Hotel by Bao Phi

4.0

My own distaste for poetry is mostly due to my own impression of the medium being entirely formed via Atticus poems, and as such I’ve never really “got” what was so great about it. This, however, is getting me to actually understand the potential of it (wow, who knew poetry about an actual meaningful subject would be worth reading?). Phi has crafted some gorgeous works about his own experience growing up as a poor Asian-American, and how that upbringing has affected his own insecurities and fears regarding bringing up his own child. He has a lot to say about the very understandable concerns he has about how to even raise his own daughter and teach her how to survive. While I still don’t really understand poetry (and am sure that 90% of the intended meaning from Phi is still going over my head), I’m eager to check out more of his work.