The Poet X follows Xiomara, a young girl in Harlem who discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother's religion and her relationship to the world.
I first read this book in 2019, and I liked it. I gave it three stars. It was a different book from what I was used to since it's told in verse, which I had never read before. But, after loving Elizabeth Acevedo's other books last year, I decided to give this one a second chance.
I'm so glad I did because I just fell in love with this story. Since 2019, I've read and enjoyed other books in verse, like The Black Flamingo and Punching the Air, so I was more used to them. And I listened to the audiobook, which is definitely the best way to consume this story. Elizabeth Acevedo reads it, and it makes the experience so much more impactful.
I love the writing of this book, it's simple and effective but still beautifully told. Xiomara is a very relatable character. This book manages to include some meaningful conversations about religion, family. While in the end, still being a coming-of-age story, of a teenager finding her voice.
I loved re-reading this. It's a quick book to read, and it's one I'm going to return to in the future.