book review the poet x

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Common sense media reviewers.

Powerful, haunting story of finding your voice and power.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

This novel in verse shows the power of spoken word

Strong messages about the importance of being your

While Xiomara is neglected by adults in her househ

Xiomara often discusses how she uses her fists to

Much discussion, curiosity about sex as main chara

Some swear words, including "ho," "bullsh--t," "s-

Talk of drug dealers on street corners and an adul

Educational Value

This novel in verse shows the power of spoken word poetry and provides insight into and understanding of the effects of street harassment and family strife.

Positive Messages

Strong messages about the importance of being yourself, finding your own voice while standing against efforts to silence it, becoming comfortable with your own sexuality.

Positive Role Models

While Xiomara is neglected by adults in her household, there are two adults outside her home who offer her respite, help: her teacher and her priest. Xiomara is strong, willing to physically take on those who try to debase her. Ultimately, Xiomara uses resources available to her -- her teacher and priest -- to help remedy a radically out-of-control and abusive situation.

Violence & Scariness

Xiomara often discusses how she uses her fists to deal with boys who ogle and grope her. She also fights boys who threaten her brother. To punish her child, a mother makes her kneel on uncooked rice and strikes and smacks her, causing injury.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Much discussion, curiosity about sex as main character comes to terms with changes in her body and how those changes bring unwanted attention from males and females. Because she has developed faster than other girls, she realizes she is punished by both sides for being "wanton" or a danger -- for something she has no control over. Discussion of wanting to kiss boys, a religious perspective on sex outside of marriage, some actual kissing and hand-holding. One scene of heavy petting without clothes on. A girl is groped against her will and experiences street harassment. One character is revealed as gay, adults are described as having affairs, and a girl describes a masturbation experience.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Some swear words, including "ho," "bullsh--t," "s--t," "damn." A girl is verbally attacked for having D-cup breasts.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Talk of drug dealers on street corners and an adult man who's an alcoholic.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Elizabeth Acevedo's New York Times best-seller The Poet X is the winner of the 2019 Printz Award . It's a coming-of-age story about a first-generation Dominican American teen, Xiomara, growing up as a thoroughly American young woman with a developed body in a deeply religious (Catholic) immigrant home. There are instances of street harassment, parental abuse, religious discussions, sexual exploration (some kissing, and one scene of heavy petting), and the revelation of a character being gay. Xiomara hits boys who ogle and grope her and also fights boys who threaten her brother. As punishment, her mother makes her kneel on uncooked rice and hits Xiomara, causing injury. Parents should be prepared to talk about agency, finding your voice, and religious texts and meaning.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

Parents say (12)
Kids say (23)

Based on 12 parent reviews

Poet X not for younger teens

Good, relatable for high school kids and immigrants, however, parental consent should be required because of the sexual stuff, what's the story.

Xiomara is THE POET X, and her life is a constant fight. She fights for her brother, who won't fight for himself. She fights with her mother, who sees her as nothing more than sin; she fights the world for telling her she is nothing more than her hips, boobs, and thighs. She fights a religion that doesn't seem quite fair; she fights to be visible, to be free, to have a voice. Then she fights to keep it. Xiomara is ready to open her fists and raise her voice. The school's poetry slam club is a way to take back her power, but is the world -- is her family -- ready for Xiomara?

Is It Any Good?

This novel in verse is stunning, beautiful, and uncomfortably accurate at times. In The Poet X , author Elizabeth Acevedo takes readers through Xiomara's life as she finds herself being punished for simply existing and having the audacity to want to exist outside of the narrow boxes where society, religion, and her mother have decided she belongs. Readers can feel the shame, fear, and confusion Xiomara grapples with so much that they may have to resist the temptation to withdraw into themselves like Xiomara.

Acevedo perfectly captures what it's like to have a changing body that suddenly becomes an indictment against who you are, even though you have no control over how it has blossomed into womanhood. The sexualization and policing of girls' bodies, and the silencing of their voices by those who install themselves as their protectors, is particularly striking in this moment of the #MeToo movement and the nationwide battles over school dress codes that unfairly target girls and women. The book is timely, sensitive, powerful, and hopeful. Families of both boys and girls can have great discussions about puberty, gender politics, religion, and finding your voice.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Poet X confronts street harassment and policing of girls' bodies. Have you ever been harassed on the street or seen someone being harassed? How did it make you feel? Are there unfair or highly detailed dress codes for girls at your school? Is that fair? If not, what can you do about it?

Are there certain jobs or chores that are divided by gender? How does that make you feel? What can you do to address gender stereotypes at school, at home, and in your community?

Growing up can be tough. Do you have an outlet for your feelings? What do you do to express yourself?

Book Details

Author : Elizabeth Acevedo
Genre : Coming of Age
Topics : Arts and Dance , Great Girl Role Models , High School
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : HarperTeen
Publication date : March 6, 2018
Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 18
Number of pages : 368
Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Awards : ALA Best and Notable Books , Pura Belpré Awards and Honors
Last updated : April 13, 2024

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The Poet X is a stunning amplification of the Latina experience: EW review

Xiomara Batista is often urged to bite her tongue. The “miracle” of her and her twin brother Xavier’s births to her aging Dominican parents makes Xio feel like a spectacle in her Harlem community, a constant point of conversation and judgment. This hypervisibility only increased when her body blossomed into womanly curves, forcing her to fend off unwanted advances by local boys with her fists. In contrast, the confines of her devoutly religious mother’s rules have stripped the 16-year-old of her ability to voice her own beliefs (and doubts), making her feel unheard and unseen. It’s not until she joins a slam poetry club at school that she finds a home for her words and the courage to express them freely. Through the pressure of her mother’s expectations, the comparison to “Twin’s” perfection, and her forbidden exploration of first love, Xiomara spins her perspectives into stanzas, embracing The Poet X .

Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel, written in verse, continuously draws in its reader with sensory-igniting imagery. This work is broken into three major sections, which are titled with Bible scriptures, juxtaposing Xiomara’s rejection of religion. In each, our heroine’s journey mimics the context of verse that proceeds it. The reader walks with Xio from submission to rebellion to liberation, and as her perspective changes, so does the stanza structure to encourage appropriate pacing in the absence of performance; the pacing of words conveys the protagonist’s mood, forcing the reader to feel as she feels and board her train of thought.

Acevedo discovered her desire to author a novel in 2012 while working as an eighth grade English teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Latinx students made up 77 percent of her school’s population, and she couldn’t understand why her students weren’t more interested in reading until a young girl made a striking observation.

“These books aren’t about us,” Acevedo recalled during the launch party for The Poet X , held at the Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood. “They don’t look like us. They’re not from our neighborhoods. They don’t speak like us. They don’t walk through the world like us. These ain’t our books.”

In response, Acevedo showered her pupils with works by Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, and other writers whose stories they could see themselves in. Still, they craved more. She’d pull from her nearly 14 years as a performance poet to recite spoken word, but she realized she wanted to gift them with something tangible; something that could live beyond the confines of their classroom. After achieving a MFA in creative writing, and several episodes of trial and error, The Poet X was born.

While struggles with faith, family, and self-acceptance are not unique teenage experiences, it is their presentation through the lens of Xiomara’s Afro-Latina heritage that makes her story a startling standout. The balance of humor and emotion with which her thoughts are expressed is charming and engaging. Acevedo has elevated the adolescent narrative; despite the age of her protagonist, she has successfully addressed themes of sexism, sexuality, and Christianity while providing a point of reference for Latinx readers searching for themselves in literature and life. A

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Literary Fusions

Integrating literacy in K-12 classrooms.

Book Review: The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo

November 19, 2019 By Jessica

I fell victim to peer pressure. All my favorite bloggers told me to, so I did. Also, The Poet X is on the TAYSHAS book list (a great book list that includes a wide variety of selections for grades 9-12 that is put out annually by the Texas Library Association).

Why I Finished It:

The Poet X is beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. It’s a deep and REAL look into a teenager’s view of herself, her relationships, and her family drama. This first-person novel in verse is about a high school girl who is confused about her feelings on boys, her body, her relationships, and religion. She is a budding poet and shares her struggles through her poetry, which helps her deal with the pressures of life. The story presents very real struggles that kids (and sometimes adults) are dealing with and it does not hold back. The disclaimer is that this book is real. Kids will love it if given the chance to read it. I listened to an interview with the author and she talked about how as a high school teacher, her students felt as if their voices weren’t heard and they didn’t see themselves in what they were reading. This is her gift to those students. As a former teacher of very similar students, I am thankful for authors like Elizabeth Acevedo.

Who I Would Give It To:

I really think all high school libraries should have this as a choice, but I know quite a few adults who enjoyed this book just as much as the kids. The Poet X is a TAYSHAS Top Ten Book, meaning it was unanimously voted to have it on the list!

Integration Ideas:

Honestly, with this story, you can focus on identity and X’s struggle to find her voice and identity. You could also focus on how relationships affect your identity or even help you find it. In this story, X’s boyfriend, friend, and brother are all helping and supporting her through her personal struggle and journey. Her acceptance of the messages they are giving her is shaping and forming her identity and her ability to be comfortable in her own skin.

Essential question possibility: “How do our relationships alter our identity?”

Vocabulary :

One of my favorite sites for having students look up words Vocabulary.com . They refer to themselves “as a dictionary with a heart”! 💚 I linked the first word for you.

blasphemous (13)

shackle (20)

coaxing (25)

assumptions (37)

depictions (59)

repentance (66)

parable (119)

nostalgia (187)

facade (237)

fervent (238)

parasitic (254)

Poetry Elements (figurative language, style, description, etc.)

Like all great novels in verse, there are plenty of places in this novel where students can think about a figurative and literal meaning of the text. I will pull pieces of the text out in our reading conferences and ask them what they think it means and why and then ask them what picture it stirs up for them. Lastly, we talk about the author’s moves and try to emulate it in our own writing. It makes for a powerful conference.

One example is on page 3, stanza 3:

Watch the old church ladies, chancletas flapping

against the pavement, their mouths letting loose a train

of island Spanish as they spread he said, she said.

Another example on page 8, stanza 1:

They got combat boots and a mouth silent

until it’s sharp as an island machete.

There are other examples throughout, here are some I collected for you:

p16 s1; p20 s2; p34 s3; p45 s3/4; p62 s5; p68 s3/4; p99 s3; p112 s1; p114 s4; p149 s1; p176 s1; p210 all; p232 all; p234 s3; p256 s1; p301 s8; p317 s1

Technology and Reading Strategies: Book Snaps

Have your students make book snaps in this book. Basically, have them take a picture of part of the book that made them think, and write what they are thinking, and add symbols too. Read about book snaps here .

How have you used The Poet X in class?

Copyright Statement

Content © 2024 Jessica Rogers and Sherry McElhannon of Literary Fusions and literaryfusions.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Literary Fusions and literaryfusions.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo: a review by Eben Roddis

The book has many interesting key characters. Twin, who is Xiomara’s incredibly intelligent twin brother, represents the challenges that come with homosexuality and religion, whilst breaking the macho stereotype thrust upon many young men. Her best friend Caridad completes their tight group of three. The dynamic of undying trust and love between the three is interesting as they all have very different and conflicting personalities, with Xiomara being more disobedient and even aggressive at times, Twin being a genius and Caridad very much in touch with religion.

We also meet Xiomara’s Mami, a fiercely religious woman from the Dominican Republic who has regular conflict with Xiomara and in many sections is portrayed as the antagonist. She is married to Papi, a confusing man who has a mischievous past, leading him to seem deflated and underwhelmed with many aspects of the family’s current lifestyle.

At school we meet Xiomara’s main influence in pursuing poetry. Ms Galiano is Xiomara’s enthusiastic English teacher who runs the poetry class and eventually persuades Xiomara to join. We are also introduced to Xiomara’s romantic interest Aman, who provides many difficulties both internally and externally, due to conflict with Mami’s religious beliefs.

The story begins in Part 1 – ‘In the Beginning Was the Word’. During this first section the reader becomes accustomed to the unusual style of poetry mixed with novel writing; I personally found it grew on me and at many points felt easier and more natural than a normal novel. These poems are supposedly Xiomara’s diary entries which detail her day-to-day experiences.

The first of these experiences is the daily challenge faced by young women every day. Whilst ‘Harlem is opening its eyes to September’, Xiomara has to battle with the eyes and flirtatious taunt of every guy on her block. This remains a crucial theme throughout the book and the frustration it causes is both powerful and moving.

Next comes Xiomara’s greatest challenge: the return of school. One of the silver linings, however, is her new English teacher. Ms Galiano, despite her reputation, instantly gives Xiomara an assignment that triggers her to write both an honest and fictional answer. Throughout the book these assignments provide Xiomara with inspiration and allow her to use different forms.

Twin is next to meet the flurry of Xiomara’s pen as he is described in a neat set of poems exploring his character. In ‘Birthed a soft whistle’ we see almost jealousy and resentment from Xiomara at how defenceless he is, but also a deep undying love that would never falter to protect him.

By page 60 we see the first rebellion. After refusing to take the bread and wine of Communion, we see Xiomara and Mami face off via Xiomara’s resentful poetry. We also begin to learn more about Papi, who seems like a ghost in many scenes, only there in spirit. His tongue is described as ‘slick with compliments’, and we find out the twins were ‘miracles’ as they were born despite Papi’s infertility, and that they simultaneously saved him and condemned him to a mundane life.

From here on, the book deals with various other significant moments in Xiomara’s life, including meeting Aman and being introduced to slam poetry in her English class. The poem they listen to, described as a ‘gift’, gives a new purpose to Xiomara’s verses. Boundaries are pushed, with Aman and within church. Her various relationships are put under different pressures, leading to emotional highs and lows.

The final poetry slam provides a beautiful and climactic ending to the book. The only frustration is not being able to read the poem Xiomara performs, but maybe that poem is best left imagined and I hope it will inspire many to write down their own ideas of this poem.

Eben is a 16 year old rap and spoken word artist from Brighton who was a SLAMbassadors champion in 2017 . He performs rap as Eben’flo and poetry as Eben Roddis. You can watch his winning SLAMbassadors entry ‘Dust in the Wind’ .

Published May, 2018

2 thoughts on “ The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo: a review by Eben Roddis ”

Eben was a successful and aspiring teenager inspiring others to do better too.

What do you think of aman

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Mami says she thought it was a saint’s name. Gave me this gift of battle and now curses how well I live up to it. My parents probably wanted a girl who would sit in the pews wearing pretty florals and a soft smile. They got combat boots and a mouth silent until it’s sharp as an island machete.

— The Poet X , by Elizabeth Acevedo

I first read The Poet X back in November , and I’ve been raving about it since then—telling people known and unknown, near and far to pre-order, pre-order, pre-order.

I read it for the second time yesterday, and now I love it all the more.

I already can’t wait to read it again next month, a third time, in a finished copy.

Xiomara is fifteen, a sophomore, a twin, the daughter of Dominican immigrants. She’s an unwilling attendee of confirmation class, an aspiring poet, a girl who is beginning to find that the expectations and restrictions and assumptions laid on her shoulders—by her mother, her church, her peers, by societal culture—don’t just chafe: they restrict, squeeze, confine.

She’s angry, scared, yearning.

Her mouth is quiet but her heart and mind are clamoring to be heard.

As you may already know, I usually have a hard time writing about books that I especially love—my heart overrides and short-circuits my brain—and I am reduced to shouting, “JUST READ IT OMG” while throwing copies of it at people. So. Because talking about the book as a whole is TOO MUCH for me to handle, here are a few elements that I especially loved:

It’s about the power of language, expression, and finding your voice.

That might seem like a given in a book about a poet. But that theme isn’t only there in regards to her poetry—it’s there, in every facet of her being, in every thread of her story. It’s even there in how she describes her relationship with her brother:

His real name is for Mami, teachers, Father Sean. But Twin ? Only I can call him that, a reminder of the pair we’ll always be.

She plays with words and the power of words in ways large and small; the romance centers around the shared act of listening to the lyrics-based music of Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Drake; she shows us her true face in rough drafts for school assignments and then her public face in the finished copies she passes in.

She works through complex—and often conflicting—thoughts and feelings through series of similarly-named poems, like the three poems called Why Twin Is a Terrible Twin , followed by one called But Why Twin Is Still the Only Boy I’ll Ever Love . And she goes back, again and again, to apple imagery. Which brings us to...

It’s about faith and religion.

Xiomara isn’t sure how she feels about church, religion, faith. She doesn’t know if it’s for her, but she doesn’t look down on, dismiss, or question other peoples’ faith. Their faith is their own, and she has respect for that.

She has so many questions, but doesn’t feel like she can ask them:

About a holy trinity that don’t include the mother. It’s all the things.

(Especially lovely within the context of the trinity image: There’s no direct mention of it in the book, but she and her brother and her best friend form their own trinity of mutual love and support, despite their differences in behavior/reaction, conflicting beliefs, personal struggles.)

Again and again, her problems with and questions about religion come back to trying to figure out her place in the world—and in her church—as a woman:

When I’m told to have faith in the father the son in men and men are the first ones to make me feel so small.

Which brings us to...

It’s about gender and girlhood and the push/pull of expectation and desire.

Gender roles.

Cultural expectations.

Unspoken and unexplained and unquestioned norms.

Ingrained expectations about men and women and girls and boys and their different places in the world—and the inherent problems that come of those strict boxes, the pain and silence forced upon girls who love girls or boys who love boys or anyone who doesn’t conform exactly to those binary identities.

Getting your period and not knowing what to do.

Masturbation and shame.

The difference between objectification and mutual desire.

The devastating shift of being treasured as a child, and then distrusted and resented as a teen.

It’s a book not just about the power of expression, but about the power of being heard .

It’s about how we are all a jumble of emotions and thoughts and conflicting ideas, how that jumble can sometimes feel too big for our fragile bodies:

As I lie in bed, thinking of this new school year, I feel myself stretching my skin apart. Even with my Amazon frame, I feel too small for all that’s inside me. I want to break myself open like an egg smacked hard against an edge.

It’s about how the power that we find in other peoples’ stories is a power we can claim for ourselves. That we, ourselves, can become the storytellers.

And it’s about how acknowledging and expressing hard personal truths—truths rooted in pain, fury, exhaustion—can lead us to hope and joy and wonder and optimism.

This is a beautiful book.

Necessary, true, honest.

Do not, do not, do not miss it.

In addition to running a library in rural Maine , Leila Roy blogs at Bookshelves of Doom , is currently serving on the Amelia Bloomer Project committee, is a contributor at Book Riot , hangs out on Twitter a lot—possibly too much—and watches a shocking amount of television. Her cat is a murderer.

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Heidi Dischler

Book review: the poet x by elizabeth acevedo.

A poetic telling of a young girl’s struggles with growing up, check out my full review for The Poet X below!

Book Information

Xiomara Batista uses her poetry to let out the feelings that she can’t say out loud. Like how her body has turned curvy and now she can’t get men to stop objectifying her. Or how her mother doesn’t understand her. Or how her brother seems to be the perfect twin. Told in beautiful prose, The Poet X tells the story of one young girl’s discovery of herself, and the words that make her feel more powerful that the world.

Review | Heidi Dischler

This was a fairly quick read that was as powerful and poignant as I had heard it would be. I found it extremely relatable as a woman growing up in a religious family and not knowing where my place was. Or feeling like I was only an object to men as soon as my body grew curves.

The Poet X is a great read for people who love beautiful and lyrical writing. I personally love poetry, so this was a win for me before I even started reading the book.

As far as plot goes, I think it was great in its progression and I seriously enjoyed the ending. While I don’t want to go too much into spoilers, I found it to be a happy ending that really shows you just how much love means when it comes to family.

Overall, this was great read that highlighted growing up as a girl, religious expectations in a family, and the undeniable truth that comes with finding your passion and your words.

Source: Audiobook from Libby Public Library

(P.S. You can read this book for free by signing up for a free trial of Audible, which gives you two free audiobooks of your choice!)

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Publisher’s description

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

Amanda’s thoughts

This book was fantastic. It took me a little bit to warm up to Xiomara, not because of any flaws in the writing or characterization, but because Xiomara is a tough nut to crack—she keeps most everyone at a distance, is quick to fight, and is slow to reveal what she’s all about. But once this novel in verse really gets going—watch out! You won’t be moving anywhere until you’ve finished the whole thing.

15-year-old Dominican American Xiomara is used to being judged, harassed, and viewed only as a body with curves, not just from the male gaze, but even from her own mother. She’s close to exactly two people in life, her twin brother, whom she lovingly just calls Twin, and their best friend, Caridad. They are the only ones who really know anything about her, and even they don’t get to know it all. Xiomara’s mother goes to Mass daily and is extremely disappointed in Xiomara’s disinterest in church, confirmation classes, and religion. She’s very strict,but Xiomara has found ways around her rules to try to live the life she wants. She joins a poetry club at school while pretending to be at confirmation classes. She also begins seeing Trinidadian Aman, a kind, compassionate, music-loving classmate who is always ready to hear one of her poems. Her mother makes it clear that her sexuality is something to be repressed, to be ashamed of, to be denied, but Xiomara is having all of these first feelings for Aman, and not even the scolding voice of her mother in her head can override her beginning to make her own decisions and define her body and her sexuality on her own terms. But she has to keep all of this secret from her mother—just like Twin has to keep his relationship with a boy a secret. Everything begins to unravel when Xiomara’s mother sees her kissing Aman, and then further escalates when she finds Xiomara’s poetry notebook. Learning how to trust and how listen to her own voice—to find power not just in words but in the power of her words—is a rough road for Xiomara, but it’s also one filled with wonder, joy, and revelations. Powered by Xiomara’s strong but vulnerable voice, this intense, poignant, and extraordinary novel is a must for all collections.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780062662804 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 03/06/2018

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Righter of Words

editor, book reviewer, word lover

Book Review | The Poet X

In The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Harlem teen Xiomara has a lot to deal with. She is just starting to notice boys, beginning to have serious questions about her Catholic faith, and suspecting that her twin brother is gay. She also writes poetry, but hides it from everyone—especially her intensely strict mother. However, when a boy she likes returns her feelings, and when a poetry club starts meeting at the same time as her confirmation class, she finds herself at a crossroads.

First, this truly is a book meant to be heard. It is told entirely in verse about a poet getting into spoken word poetry, and the audiobook is performed by the author herself. And Acevedo’s voice and delivery is fantastic; I loved listening to her. If you read this book (which I recommend), try to get access to the audio version. I can’t help feeling the print version would be lacking something, but I’m biased now.

The characters are excellent: Xiomara is complex, relatable, and has a strong narrative voice. You really feel she is real and root for her as she faces different struggles. Her twin brother Xavier (called Twin throughout the novel) and Xiomara’s crush Aman are also great. And side characters like her parents, friends, pastor, and favorite teacher help this small Harlem setting feel entirely realistic. I loved getting to know all these people.

I also love how this story is structured. Some things Xiomara says have powerful imagery, especially in the sections that compare and contrast her drafts, and then final products, of her English assignments. Through these, we are given a clear view of what she really thinks and feels while also seeing how she portrays herself to others. Overall, the writing in this book is spectacular.

The themes and topics of this book are deep and important: feeling free to express oneself, relations between parents and children, questions about faith and religion, and the complexities of remaining devout while also learning about love and romance. These are mature, but presented in a perfect way so that both teens and adults can appreciate them.

In the end, The Poet X is amazing. With strong characters, an addicting storyline, and impactful, memorable writing, it’s one of the best debuts I’ve read recently. Even if you aren’t a fan of poetry, I highly encourage you to give this one a try. I also have the audiobook of Acevedo’s new novel, With the Fire on High , and I can’t wait to start that one!

Overall rating: 9/10

Review: The Poet X

Summary: A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

Review: Note: The Poet X includes physical and religious abuse, sexual harassment, and references to homophobia.

One of the best things about a novel in verse is how immediate the character’s voice can feel. Xiomara is an outstanding character who is trying to figure out how to express herself and coming to terms with the fact that what her church teaches (and her mother staunchly believes) does not reflect the world as she sees it or the way she wants to live. She is sharp, witty, and always bracing for a fight, and some of my favorite poems are the contrasts between what she wants to say and what she actually feels she can say (e.g., her homework assignments).

The Poet X is a great coming of age story. Xiomara pretty much does it all—falling in love, questioning religion, clashing with family, finding an outlet for her passion, calling out rape culture and sexism—and good times and the bad help her discover who she truly is and what she believes. Xiomara discovering and falling in love with slam poetry while we’re reading her poetry is a beautiful experience. It made me want to pull up some of my favorite Sarah Kay videos (yes, I had a slam poetry phase in my 20s) and just put them on repeat.

Even without knowing author Elizabeth Acevedo’s impressive and extensive body of slam poetry work, her love for the form was clear throughout the book. And so was Xiomara’s. I loved every time Xiomara made it to the poetry club or interacted with the other members, especially Ms. Galiano. Women mentoring other women is one of my favorite things, and having this teacher repeatedly reach out to Xiomara and encourage her talents was honestly inspiring.

But Xiomara’s story isn’t just a steady upward climb of honing her poetic talents; it touches on several more difficult topics. She is keenly aware of how much rape culture permeates her life and how much her mother buys into it and into the church’s sexism. There are some awful, painful scenes where Xiomara is punished (or insulted) for her budding sexuality and religious doubt. While there is a mostly hopeful conclusion to some of this, it left me concerned that Xiomara had only really bought herself some breathing space with her mother. (But that’s my pessimistic self.)

The romantic relationship between Xiomara and Aman is very well done, and Aman is one of the many interesting supporting characters in the book. One of the best traits a romantic lead can have, in my opinion, is consistently demonstrating a desire to listen. When Xiomara felt like she had to be silent, Aman was there, encouraging her with her poetry. (Another excellent trait is knowing when to apologize and how to make up for doing wrong.) I was also very fond of Twin (Xiomara’s twin brother, Xavier) and Caridad, as well as Ms. Galiano.

Overall, The Poet X is an important, moving novel in verse about growing up and finding your voice in a world that can be very hostile to your existence. Acevedo’s writing made me pause, more than once, to wonder at the beauty and cleverness of particular phrases or imagery. I’m definitely going to spend the weekend watching some of her videos (link below).

Recommendation: Buy it now, especially if you love poetry. The Poet X is a great coming of age story about discovering your voice in a world that is hostile to your existence. Acevedo’s debut novel features a memorable heroine and gorgeous poetry, and your life would be richer for reading it.

Elizabeth Acevedo – Books, Poems & Videos

Elizabeth Acevedo and Sarah Kay on Their New Books, Latinx Representation, and Why Poetry Is Political

Q & A with Elizabeth Acevedo

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Best book of 2018!

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Book Review

Elizabeth Acevedo
Contemporary , Drama , Romance

Readability Age Range

HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
National Book Award Finalist, 2018

Year Published

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

Xiomara (see-oh-MAH-ruh) Batista, who often goes by “X,” is a high school girl of Dominican heritage living in Harlem. She keeps a journal in poetry form, since she believes no one else cares about her words and thoughts. Mami, a devout Catholic, speaks more Spanish than English. Papi is silent, docile and detached from the family.

X knows her mother wanted to be a nun, and she has heard her father was a ladies’ man before X and her twin brother, Xavier, were born. Since Mami and Papi didn’t think they could have children, people often say the twins are the miracle that saved their marriage. Being a miracle is just one of the ways X feels burdened.

X is tall and large-breasted, which makes her a frequent target for ogling, groping and sexual comments from males of all ages. She’s torn between disgust and excitement as she starts to experience new thoughts and feelings about sexuality. She longs for Xavier, whom she calls “Twin,” to defend her against these assaults. But it has never worked that way. X has always had to fight for her smart, scrawny brother.

Mami forces X to attend confirmation classes with Father Sean on Tuesday nights. Although X would never tell her mother, she has numerous questions and doubts about faith. She says Jesus is a friend she no longer wants around. Her best friend, Caridad, takes the classes with her. Caridad embraces her faith wholeheartedly. She teases X about her rebellion but believes X will figure things out. X desperately wants to spend Tuesday nights at the school’s new poetry club. She eventually discovers she can sneak out of confirmation classes and attend the meetings.

X also has to sneak around when she begins dating a classmate named Aman, since Mami forbids her to date. X and Aman’s relationship progresses, until one day Mami sees them making out on the train. Mami throws a fit and calls X names. She makes X go to confession and further punishes her at home by making her kneel on dry grains of rice.

At school, a boy gropes X. Aman is standing nearby but does nothing to defend her. She curses at Aman and tells him never to speak to her again. X believes her mother and God think she should be remorseful, but she doesn’t believe what she did with Aman was wrong. She loses herself in her poetry club and participates in open mic nights. These activities make her feel alive when everything else makes her sad. X learns Twin is gay and is dating a boy named Cody. She tries to be supportive, knowing Mami would never understand.

X comes home one day to see Mami holding the poetry journal filled with X’s secret thoughts. Enraged by what she’s read, Mami shoves X around and sets the book on fire. She quotes Scripture while it burns and keeps X from extinguishing the blaze. X fights back by yelling all she can remember of her poetry.

X texts Aman and goes to see him. He comforts her, and they begin to undress. They kiss and grope while naked, but she stops him short of intercourse. She stays at Aman’s that night before deciding to face her mother again. She brings Father Sean home with her so they can talk things out the right way.

Mami breaks down in tears, and they slowly begin to heal their rift. Mami and X, sometimes accompanied by Papi and Twin, start going to weekly counseling sessions with Father Sean. Even X’s sullen father seems to come alive. Father Sean, Aman, Twin, Caridad and X’s parents all come to support her at an open mic poetry event. X feels discovering the power of her own words has given her more freedom than she’s ever known.

Christian Beliefs

The sections of the book have headings like “In the beginning was the word” and “The Word was made flesh.” X says most of her family members other than her have biblical names. She says a number of things make her question God, like the fact that the Trinity doesn’t include a mother.

X says church looks at girls like her differently and people judge her by what’s under her skirt. She often fights on her brother’s behalf, and she thinks turning the other cheek is the sort of thing that could get her brother killed. She doesn’t feel like she should have to be so indebted to a God who isn’t doing much for her.

Mami frequently emphasizes ideas like indebtedness to God and the need to earn one’s salvation. X notes her mother still has scars all over her knuckles from being taught faith in Catholic school. X thinks her mother neglects Papi in her all-consuming devotion for Jesus. X says she feels like Jesus is a friend she’s had throughout childhood who invites himself over too often and texts too much. She says she knows it’s blasphemous, but she doesn’t think she needs Him anymore.

X finds it interesting when Father Sean says confirmation class is about accepting the gift of the Spirit of one’s own volition. X doesn’t think much of anything she’s done in life has been of her own volition. During one session, she asks Father Sean a barrage of questions about the creation of the earth and evolution and how much of the Bible is real versus metaphorical. Father Sean takes her aside and tries to calm her down. He tells her curiosity is normal and welcome in Catholicism and that honest dialogue is good. She still feels he has failed to answer any of her questions.

While taking Communion, she wonders why God even gave her life if she can’t live it the way she wants. She asks why listening to His commandments mean she has to shut down her own voice. She begins taking the wafers out of her mouth and hiding them under the pews at church each time she takes Communion. She says she feels the eyes of the Jesus statue on her as she leaves His holy body for the mice to eat.

Mami sometime tells X she needs to pray extra hard so her well-developed body won’t get her into trouble. X wonders why God would have given her a body that caused her such problems. After catching X and Aman making out, Mami takes X to church and physically drags her before the statue of Mary to confess. She also makes her kneel on rice as penance. X makes a confession to Father Sean, saying she committed lust and disobeyed her parents. She recognizes, however, that God will only forgive her if she is really remorseful.

Caridad loves God’s Word, does mission work and values chastity. She sometimes teases X for her irreverent words but believes her friend will work through her questions. Twin has been an altar boy for years, volunteers at Bible camps and leads Bible study discussions. X says he doesn’t question the Bible like she does.

Other Belief Systems

She thinks that if God does exist, He knows everything she and Aman have done together. X says poetry club for her is the equivalent of prayer circle for Mami. X is convinced everything in the Bible is a metaphor, so God is a comparison to humans and humans are like Him. She says when we talk about ourselves, it’s like talking about God and being in church. She suggests God could be a he or a she.

X’s perception of men colors her beliefs in God and the Catholic church. She believes religion is about men keeping women down and trying to force them to behave in certain ways. When the men she knows all seem weak or crude, she says it’s hard for her to submit to a belief system created and controlled by men.

Authority Roles

Mami is a legalistic Catholic who inflicts harsh punishments on X and criticizes men. X has heard rumors that Mami wanted to be a nun, but her parents made her marry Papi so she could come to the States. Papi is sullen and keeps to himself, having shunned drinking, women, dancing and everything else he used to love.

X says Papi is absent even though he is present. Both parents become more open and pleasant after the family starts attending counseling. Father Sean tries to be approachable and helpful to X as she struggles with her beliefs. Ms. Galiano, X’s English teacher, encourages her to find her voice by writing and performing poetry.

Profanity & Violence

The Lord’s name is used in vain. Words including s— , a– , d–n , ho (and its Spanish equivalent, cuero ), thot , suck , the f-word and horny appear frequently.

Sexual Content

X says boys assume she is sexually fast because she is tall and has D-cups. She uses the word boobs a number of times. Some men and boys ask her to send them pictures of her in a thong. Some whisper in her ears, touch her bra straps or grab their crotches in front of her. Some rub up against her or make lewd offers. She says it isn’t anything she’s doing to provoke this harassment; it happens no matter where she is or what she’s wearing.

X has dreams of surrendering to some of these offers. X says kids in youth group are always asking Father Sean important questions about things like premarital sex, masturbation and smoking weed. X tells Caridad she’s tired of not being kissed, and she’s ready for a boy to come up behind her in the stairwell and feel her up. She wonders what would happen if she liked a boy too much and became addicted to sex. She masturbates in her bed at night and wonders why something that feels so good is dirty.

X and Aman make out in the train and in the park. They dance closely and suggestively at a party. When her parents find out, they call her names like cuero . She is annoyed that they’re so angry. She says she just got a tongue in her mouth, not a baby or an STD. She and Aman get naked and grope one another after X’s mother burns her journal. She says Aman has an erection, but X stops short of intercourse because she isn’t ready. She expects him to call her names and is surprised he’s not angry that she won’t go all the way.

X learns Twin is gay. Someone at school gives him a black eye because of it. X gives him a comic book with a gay superhero for his birthday and expresses her support. X has heard people say her father was “broken” and couldn’t get women pregnant. They said he tossed his seeds freely, not caring where they landed.

X notes that half the girls in Caridad’s strict Catholic school end up pregnant before they graduate. Caridad and X talk about lust and whether their parents lusted before they were married.

Discussion Topics

Drugs: X talks to the neighborhood drug dealers. Students at X’s school get high. Aman smokes pot sometimes and says some music sounds better when a person is high.

Lying/deception: X and Twin often deceive their parents about where they are and what they’re doing. X makes Caridad lie for her so Mami won’t know she’s skipping confirmation class.

Female issues: When X isn’t feeling good, Twin suggests it’s because of her period. X recalls starting her period in fifth grade. No one had told her what to do. She googled “blood down there” and stole money from Mami to buy tampons. She talks about shoving them into her bleeding body, likening it to the way Father Sean corks the sacramental wine at church. When Mami discovers what’s happened, she smacks X and cuts her lip. She yells that good girls, virgins, don’t use tampons, and she accuses X of being sexually active. She says she will buy pads for X and will pray for her because she is too young to be bleeding already.

Perception of men: X struggles to know what to believe about men. According to her mother, men are evil. Her own father could be described as impotent compared to the lively, enthusiastic ladies’ man he used to be. He is downtrodden by marriage and parenthood, no longer enjoying the music and dance he once did. He doesn’t drink anymore or hang out with other men for fun. X says he’s been converted into a man-whore. X hates how her brother is weak and never stands up for her. Most of the men X encounters look at her and speak to her like a sex object rather than a person. She’s crushed when Aman fails to stand up for her after he sees another student grope her.

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Life In The Making

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The Poet X – Book Review

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Published by: HarperTeen Publish Date: March 2018 Genre(s): Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Poetry HB&W Rating: 4.5 View on Goodreads Buy on Amazon : Barnes & Noble , Book Depository

A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

Synopsis source: Goodreads

She knew since she was little, the world would not sing her triumphs, but she took all of the stereotypes and put them in a chokehold until they breathed out the truth.

Wow. Days after finishing this book and that’s still just about all I can say. Wow.

This is the debut novel for Elizabeth Acevedo, whose second book, With the Fire On High was one of my favorite reads of 2019. The two books both talk about coming of age against the odds, but while With the Fire On High is a feel-good story written in a traditional novel style, this one uses the art of poetry and prose to tell the story of a young girl who is struggling with loving herself in a world where she is defined by others.

I loved With the Fire On High so much that when I saw this book become available at my library, I jumped on it. I will admit that reading poetry was not something I was looking forward to. I like my poetry to rhyme and this wasn’t that, but it had rhythm, and while at first reading the lines could feel a bit choppy, the emotion that the words and rhythm evoked just cut me to the quick.

Xiomara’s mom is devout to her Catholic faith and it seems as if she carries resentment toward her husband and anger with herself for giving in to what she perceived to be the sin of the flesh…premarital sex. So when Xiomara begins to develop into womanhood, instead of helping Xiomara understand and thwart unsolicited advances, instead of helping her to understand her developing body or give her insight and explanation to it, Xiomara’s mom resorts to religion as the solution, submitting Xiomara to what I would call forms of mental, emotional and physical abuse disguised as devout religion.

Trigger Warning : the book contains a depiction of religious fanaticism that I would say crosses the line into mental, emotional, and physical abuse.

This book will straight up gut you, and watching Xiomara find a way to be true to herself, to find her voice, was a beautiful thing to watch. I will say that I felt the end was tied up a little toooo neatly to be believable, which is why I didn’t give this a full five stars. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but when a book is as realistic and gut-wrenching as this book was for the entirety, I felt it deserved a more realistic ending to it. It’s a feel-good ending, which I guess is nice, but still. I can’t really say more without giving it away. So you’ll have to read it yourself and see, and I definitely recommend that you do so, then come back and tell me what you think. ;).

Side note : I have heard some people saying that the audiobook version of this book is read by the author, and that it is amazing. The author has a background in slam poetry, so I bet it is fantastic! If you think you might have a hard time reading the poetry, I’d encourage you to give the audiobook version a go, then come back and tell me what you think!

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Ill-Fated Fortune

Harry Ricketts: The early years of one of NZ’s best poets and critics

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"He knocks off firsts: hitchhiking, infatuation with a poem, love affairs …" Photo / Supplied

Book review: We owe Harry Ricketts. He’s a poet, critic, biographer, even sports historian. He’s been an academic (English at Victoria University of Wellington), and co-editor of the former review journal NZ Books . Now comes this lucid memoir of his first three decades, ending not long before he leaves England for the Antipodes.

He’s born in Malaya, during ‘’the fag-end of Empire’'. His army dad faces Communist insurgents; young Harry faces a bellicose monkey. Soon, it’s back to Worcester, where he becomes a Davy Crockett fan, then encounters that British brutality of boarding school at age 8. “It stunted my capacity for joy.”

Right from the start, you’re into Ricketts’ thoughtful, often engagingly whimsical prose. It’s the voice of a good lecturer, plus a bit more. The puzzles that are people intrigue him; they’re recorded and respected.

You’re instantly into books as well. English poets Swinburne and Robert Graves arrive in the second paragraph; John Dryden and Katherine Mansfield in par three. Wordsworth, AG Macdonell, Philip Larkin press close behind. You get six titles in six lines. They all extend perspectives and viewpoints. They also offer some rewarding juxtapositions: King Lear with Swallows and Amazons ; his grandmother’s forbidding gaze and the Eye of Sauron. Ricketts’ own poems punctuate the story, making their own reflective, meditative comments on younger selves.

He suffers and survives at prep school. Cricket starts to obsess him; you’ll forgive – no, enjoy – his summaries of games where H Ricketts stars or slumps. A school production of The Batsman’s Bride , surely a contender for title of the Millennium, helps stir awareness of words and plots.

Harry Ricketts: Seems to have read almost everything. Photo / Belinda Ricketts

Then it’s the even more arcane world of public school, “reading all the time, often a book a day”. Cricket stays important; sex becomes insistent. Social pretensions and expectations are recalled with a sort of wondering objectivity.

Next is English at Oxford, where he hopes for “intense late-night arguments about art, love and the meaning of life”, but finds things “rather philistine”. There are photos throughout the book, and you have to see Harry’s 1969 hair. He knocks off firsts: hitchhiking (Ireland); infatuation with a poem (Keats); love affairs (UK and northern France), including first kiss – “a bit slobbery”.

Add music, films, language, “a joint or two”, holiday work in a Ribena factory: the usual subjects, crisply related. Friends die, soon after or much later. It deepens and diversifies the narrative.

And so to Hong Kong and a lecturer’s life, not liking English entitlement. Still more reading and re-reading: John Fowles doesn’t last well. Neither does the colleague who compares Bob Dylan to a Guinness ad. Our man fails to write The Great Hong Kong Novel. By book’s end, in another leap of place and purpose, he’s back in the UK, married and a new father. “Will appeared in a gush of blood, opening like a parachute.”

First Things is indeed replete with episodes and anecdotes, but Ricketts is adept at turning quotidian moments into emblematic ones. He recalls or skewers his people via a meeting, a couple of sentences, a series of phone calls. Or a collision: a child’s toy lands in the windscreen wipers after a road accident; a friend of sorts arrives to warn the author of the Second Coming.

Conventional structure. Nicely varied pace. You learn a bit of lit; even end up with an eclectic book list. Ricketts himself seems to have read just about everything worth trying, and doesn’t boast about it. Any life told well will appeal, will provide a potential template, and it happens here. A second volume, inevitably called Last Things, will follow. Hurry up, please.

First Things by Harry Ricketts (THWUP, $35.00) is out now.

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Liberty Park Library salon speaks to power of poetry

In a letter to T.W. Higginson, poet Emily Dickinson wrote “If I read a book (and) it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”

Spokane author Sharma Shields recalls that quotation when speaking about the power of poetry.

“The wonderful thing about poetry, like in all genres of writing, there’s a whole spectrum of poems being created and there’s lots of different options and so many brilliant, intelligent, accessible poems that can gut you and transform you on your first reading,” she said. “It can, in a very short phrasing, give us a new understanding or a fresh way of seeing things, a fresh understanding of our world and of one another.”

Shields will share this appreciation of poetry with established and aspiring poetry writers and readers at the Inland Northwest Poetry Salon, on Saturday at the Liberty Park Library.

Shields was inspired to create the Inland Northwest Poetry Salon after working with the Spokane Writers Conference, which focuses primarily on fiction, nonfiction and memoir. Shields put out a call for workshop proposals and ended up having to turn some proposals down because there was no room left in the daylong schedule.

“It’s going to be a day filled with poetry, lyricism and hopefully is something really accessible and fun for everybody who’s interested in poetry,” she said.

Each of the five sessions features two or three 50-minute workshops for attendees to choose from.

Session 1 runs from 10:10 to 11 a.m. and features “The Dying Art of Love Letters” with Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Noel Smith and “Animal Grief: Exploring Loss Through Animal Companionship” with Holly Thorpe, an Eastern Washington University graduate and member of the English faculty at Wenatchee Valley College.

“(Mery’s) whole ethos is about accessibility of poetry and poetry for everyone,” Shields said. “No gatekeeping in poetry.”

Session 2, from 11:10 a.m. to noon, features a “Build-A-Voice Workshop” with former Spokane Poet Laureate Mark Anderson, who Shields praised for always giving back to the poetry community, and “Falling Into Revelation Through Form” with Subhaga Crystal Bacon, an award-winning poet who has released four collections of poetry, most recently 2023’s “Transitory.”

“For poets in the area that really want to learn from someone who is kind of becoming a very established poet, she’ll be a great one to connect with,” Shields said.

After an hourlong lunch break (bring your own lunch or take a short walk to one of the many eateries in the nearby Perry District), Session 3, from 1 to 1:50 p.m., features an Old School Poetry Salon with past and present EWU MFA faculty members and “super established poets” Polly Buckingham, Christopher Howell, Jonathan Johnson and Nance Van Winckel.

As Shields explains, a poetry salon involves one person reading a poem followed by another person reading a poem related to the previous person’s poem and so on.

Session 3 also features “Integrating Field Recordings, Photos and Videos into Poetry” with poet and librarian Greg Bem, founder of Carbonation Press, and “Poetry for Non-Poets” with Heather Berndt, a trained spiritual director and expressive arts facilitator.

“She does some very visual storytelling and visual poetry,” Shields said about Berndt, who will use collages as writing inspiration for attendees.

Writer, artist, educator and mediator Asyia Gover’s “Journal Poems: Everyday Inspiration” and “Beyond the Sonnet” with Amelia Díaz Ettinger, author of three full-length poetry books and two poetry chapbooks, make up Session 4, from 2:10 to 3 p.m.

Poet and book enthusiast Ash Montenegro Hart’s “The Queer Collective” closes out the salon from 3:10 to 4 p.m.

Shields said she is pleasantly surprised by how well-received the idea of the poetry salon has been and, as some workshops fill up, she encourages those on the waitlist to show up to the Liberty Park Library because there is a good chance waitlisted writers will receive a spot in the workshops.

From her experience in the literary world, Shields feels like poetry and short story collections are neglected creative writing mediums, overlooked in favor of the more popular fiction, nonfiction and memoir. But Spokane poetry writers and readers are lucky because the city boasts a wealth of award-winning poets, including Maya Jewell Zeller, Katheryn Smith, Brooke Matson and Laura Read.

With the Inland Northwest Poetry Salon, Shields wants to shine even more of a spotlight on area poets, published or not, in hopes of growing and strengthening Spokane’s poetry community.

“I want to try to somehow celebrate the whole range of writers that are getting started and the ones that are more established,” she said. “The more of these events we have, and the more networking we have, the more success we’re going to see with our writers in general.”

Heart care for life

Feeling chilled to the bone while fishing in January is an endurable compromise for doing something you love.

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The Poet X Kindle Edition

Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award!

Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times -bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

“Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice.” —Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation

“An incredibly potent debut.” — Jason Reynolds, author of the National Book Award Finalist Ghost

“Acevedo has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddess, saint, warrior, and hero.” — Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street

This young adult novel, a selection of the Schomburg Center's Black Liberation Reading List, is an excellent choice for accelerated tween readers in grades 6 to 8.

Plus don't miss Elizabeth Acevedo's With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land!

Print length 365 pages
Language English
Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
Publisher Quill Tree Books
Publication date March 6, 2018
Reading age 13 - 17 years
Grade level 8 - 9
File size 4230 KB
Page Flip Enabled
Word Wise Not Enabled
Enhanced typesetting Enabled
See all details

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From the publisher, editorial reviews, from school library journal.

"The force and intensity behind her words practically pushes them off the page, resulting in a verse novel that is felt as much as it is heard. This is a book from the heart, and for the heart." -- New York Times Book Review

"A story that will slam the power of poetry and love back into your heart." -- Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Chains

"Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice. Every poem in this stunningly addictive and deliciously rhythmic verse novel begs to be read aloud. Xiomara is a protagonist who readers will cheer for at every turn. As X might say, Acevedo's got bars. Don't pass this one by." -- Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation

" In The Poet X , Acevedo skillfully sculpts powerful, self-contained poems into a masterpiece of a story, and has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddess, saint, warrior, and hero." -- Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street

"Though vivid with detail about family, love, and culture, The Poet X is more of an exploration of when the poet becomes the poem... Acevedo delivers an incredibly potent debut." -- Jason Reynolds, author of National Book Award Finalist Ghost

"A glorious achievement. This is a story about what it means to be a writer and how to survive when it feels like the whole world's turned against you." -- Daniel José Older, author of the Shadowshaper Cypher series

"A powerful, heartwarming tale of a girl not afraid to reach out and figure out her place in the world." -- Booklist

★ "Themes as diverse as growing up first-generation American, Latinx culture, sizeism, music, burgeoning sexuality, and the power of the written and spoken word are all explored with nuance. Poignant and real, beautiful and intense." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ "Debut novelist Acevedo's free verse gives Xiomara's coming-of-age story an undeniable pull, its emotionally charged bluntness reflecting her determination and strength. At its heart, this is a complex and sometimes painful exploration of love in its many forms, with Xiomara's growing love for herself reigning supreme." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ "In nearly every poem, there is at least one universal truth about adolescence, family, gender, race, religion, or sexuality that will have readers either nodding in grateful acknowledgment or blinking away tears." -- Horn Book (starred review)

★ "The Poet X is beautiful and true--a splendid debut." -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Acevedo plays with language, form, and space in a way that commands attention, pulling readers from one emotional extreme to the next without pause or remorse... Readers will applaud Xiomara as she journeys from a place of cautious defensiveness to being confident in the power of her voice." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

★ "Acevedo's poetry is skillfully and gorgeously crafted, each verse can be savored on its own, but together they create a portrait of a young poet sure to resonate with readers long after the book's end." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

" The Poet X is beautiful and true--a splendid debut." -- School Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

ELIZABETH ACEVEDO is the New York Times -bestselling author of The Poet X , which won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the Carnegie medal, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and the Walter Award. She is also the author of With the Fire on High --which was named a best book of the year by the New York Public Library, NPR, Publishers Weekly , and School Library Journal --and Clap When You Land , which was a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor book and a Kirkus finalist. She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo has been a fellow of Cave Canem, Cantomundo, and a participant in the Callaloo Writer's Workshops. She is a National Poetry Slam Champion, and resides in Washington, DC with her loves.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0727TNBDH
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quill Tree Books; Reprint edition (March 6, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 6, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4230 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 365 pages
#9 in Teen & Young Adult Hispanic & Latino American Fiction eBooks
#27 in Teen & Young Adult Poetry eBooks
#44 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Emigration & Immigration

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About the author

Elizabeth acevedo.

ELIZABETH ACEVEDO is the author of Clap When You Land, With the Fire on High and The Poet X, which won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and the Walter Award, amongst many others. She is a National Poetry Slam champion and holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Maryland. Acevedo lives with her family in Washington, DC. You can find out more about her at www.acevedowrites.com.

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‘rise of the powers of x’ #5 offers an epic and peaceful end.

The Krakoan Age gets ever closer to ending in ‘Rise of the Powers of X’ #5.

The end of the Krakoan Age hasn’t been more obvious than right after putting Rise of the Powers of X #5 down. We knew it was coming, but Kieron Gillen and Luciano Vecchio put a definitive period at the end of it with this issue. Sure, there are loose ends yet to be wrapped up, but if you’re looking to start the new X-Men era, you should read this to know how one of Krakoa’s periods was put into place.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is all about Xavier pulling off his plan and Phoenix/Jean showing off her cosmic might. Both are on journies of their own here, with the story crosscutting between each. It’s as if they were working together, or in this case, Xavier knew how Phoenix would act to adjust things and ensure his plan worked.

A lot has happened to get here, but at its core, this is a story about Mr. Sinister becoming far too powerful and only Phoenix is capable of stopping him from killing mutants and humans. Even the Phoenix can’t do it alone, though, as Xavier figured and enacted his plan to get Moira on their side.

The coolest element, and a tough one to pull off, is how Sinister uses captions to explain how he attempts to stop Phoenix from killing his final absolute power. In well-drawn montages, we see all the ways he’s messing with time to ensure she doesn’t gain her powers or is taken off track so she isn’t where she ends up at the start of the issue. It’s a chess match, and Gillen makes you believe Sinister is super close to winning many times over, but she’s too good. You start to believe it could happen at any moment, raising the tension of the back-and-forth battle.

That park bench has gotten a lot of use in this era! Credit: Marvel

Vecchio reveals many iconic moments for Jean and the X-Men in these montages. It’s a nice way to remember the deep history of this series while showing Jean/Phoenix jumping around impossibly at this juncture. If you ever doubted Jean/Phoenix wasn’t the most powerful mutant ever, Vecchio and Gillen will make you believers by the end of this issue.

Also tense is a scene between Moira and Xavier, who sits on the now-iconic bench from HoX/PoX . At this point, Moira is enraged and wants to win, but Xavier must use his words and reasoning to change her mind. It’s fitting Moira’s story ends in this issue, and it ends on this bench. When you realize what Xavier is asking her, it’s pretty profound and tragic. On the reverse side, a lot of peace and hope is brought on with the final page. Vecchio makes you believe all is right at the end of the Krakoan Age, which is hard to believe, given how beloved and great it was.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is mostly effective in doing the impossible and closing the book on the Krakoan Age. It ends in an epic battle against a threat that could only be matched by the impossible power of the Phoenix, but also with a strategy that only Charles Xavier could muster. However much you may wish the Krakoa age would continue, it’s hard to deny that it ends on an extremely high note in the categories of epic storytelling and a peaceful final justice.

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‘Hellverine’ #1 blends horror and action well

‘midnight sons: blood hunt’ #1 is a good balance of action and horror.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 Tweet window.twttr = (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], t = window.twttr || {}; if (d.getElementById(id)) return t; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); t._e = []; t.ready = function(f) { t._e.push(f); }; return t; }(document, "script", "twitter-wjs"));

THE BATTLE FOR ALL TIME! The X-epic concludes in a battle between those who are outside time and that which is now and forever...and the result is being decided by whether someone can ultimately make the right choice. The end of the Krakoan Age barrels our way as the two series that are one conclude! Rated T+

Critic Reviews (6)
User Reviews (17)
Rate / Write A Review

This conclusion was competent and complete, but as the ending of an important series, it felt a little rushed. Read Full Review

Vecchio delivers some fantastic art throughout the issue. The story is filled with amazing moments that can only be experienced visually and those moments are stunning to witness, especially the final showdown with Enigma. Read Full Review

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is mostly effective in doing the impossible and closing the book on the Krakoan Age. It ends in an epic battle against a threat that could only be matched by the impossible power of the Phoenix, but also with a strategy that only Charles Xavier could muster. However much you may wish the Krakoa age would continue, it's hard to deny that it ends on an extremely high note in the categories of epic storytelling and a peaceful final justice. Read Full Review

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is unfortunately a mixed bag for being the penultimate chapter of the latest X-Men crossover. Kieron Gillen could not avoid falling into the trappings of how convoluted things were to tell a fully satisfying final battle involving Phoenix, Enigma, Charles Xavier, and Moira X. The way things end leaves a lot of responsibility on Uncanny X-Men #700 to ensure the Krakoa Era gets the great ending it deserves. Read Full Review

What the heck did I just read? While Fall of The House Of X showcased the X-Men at their heroic best, the final fight of Enigma went out with a whimper and Moiras final fate is just utterly perplexing. The ending does leave a bit of a cliffhanger about Xavier to be resolved in X-men 35 (presumably), but for an ending to a huge part of the Krakoan storyline, this whole issue can be summed up in one word: WHAT?! Read Full Review

Sound meets fury in Rise of the Powers of X #5 signifying nothing except the end of one Marvel Comics brand soon to be replaced by another. Read Full Review

I am a little shocked by this issue's mixed reception because I thought it did an incredible job wrapping things up. Stuff like Jean/Phoenix becoming the ultimate mutant circuit to destroy Enigma or Xavier's plea to Moira really worked for me. The latter of which showcases Xavier's potent optimism that was effectively crushed during this era, despite it at one point being one of his defining traits. The former is a really good bookend to what the Krakoan era promised. An era where mutants were a united front. The pacing here didn't bother me. I didn't feel the rush that I've seen complained about. In fact, given how slow Fall of X has been, and given just how expansive this last event has been, I found it refreshing that this fight didn't p lay out over a whole miniseries. Gillen managed to give us a satisfying final battle that embodies a lot of the themes this era was defined by. That's a solid win in my book. I know a lot of people are down on Fall of X as a whole and this won't suddenly change their mind, and I'm sure they'll have lots of fun wondering what Hickman might have done. For me, though, I have long since stopped caring about the Hickman What-If. At this point, invoking it almost seems like critical shorthand. I think Gillen, Ewing, Spurrier, and even Duggan, managed to mostly keep the ship upright, and tell some incredible stories. The big issue with this event falls to editorial and (probably) marketing mishandling. There's a version of this event with all the same players, and all the same stories, that is much better received because of *how* the event was published. I said in my Fall of the House of X finale review that that issue was the simplistic action-figures-fighting finale, and that I was hoping for a more cerebral finale for this miniseries. And we did get that. Yeah, there's lots of fighting, but it's all backed with a lot more meaning. There's technically a few more issues to go, but story-wise, it all comes down to X-Men #35. I wonder if they'll be able to end the era on a high note. more

I am pretty sure u probably don't care about my opinion, and I'm not trying to be passive aggressive. But I'm happy that you enjoyed this event. Because it's neat for me to read different opinion and see different perspectives. Maybe if this story comes out in collected edition I may change my mind. But I do hope the final krakoan x men issue ends on a good note

Count me among the ones who loved this issue, though I wish more of the considerable gristle of Fall of X had been pruned to make room for it; it's strange to drag a story out over a weary march through dozens of titles over the course of almost an entire year and still somehow have the best parts of the ending feel rushed

Amazing Psycamorean

It was a quick resolution that did way more than it should've had to do to offset the whole Fall of X failures. Guillen does a much better job than Duggan to tie his story threads from Immortal/Forever together but a little too neatly and the whole Moira/Xavier dynamic being rushed far too fast to make any sense within the Krakoan age post Hickman but overall he did a good job. I wish RB Silva was here to finish this book because he was the core of this book and his amazing art made this book shine. But Vecchio is a great back up artist who delivered some outstanding pages with so many mutants crammed everywhere. Nice work but how does RB Silva not finish this is a failure from this X-office.

Now that I’m recovered from the seizure this issue’s art induced, I need to ask what the hell did I just read? This was a hot mess of over-indulgent panels (that individually looked really neat), trying to distract us from the fact that Enigma was a poorly developed villain & that we gave Xavier one last taste of feeling good about himself. If you hadn’t read Gillen’s X-MEN: FOREVER, you were probably blindsided/confused by this issue’s story. Why these were separate titles when the finale of one was so dependent on the other is beyond me. Gillen spends far too many pages reminding us how powerful the Phoenix force is, likely at the request of Marvel to lead into her new ongoing series in From the Ashes. The ease of wh ich Phoenix defeats Enigma is laughable. Enigma is now 0-2 in battles he’s participated in. Remind me what he actually did or why he was such a threat? The Charles/Moira story was far too rushed to have the intended payoff & the final infographic which was meant to serve as a callback to HoX/PoX only reminded me how convoluted the whole thing became. Things happened because #plot. Luciano Vecchio does an admirable job filling in for R.B. Silva (how did Marvel not secure Silva for the finale??), but as a mentioned it all felt a bit too showy. Panel after panel felt like it was trying to one up what was on the previous page & it caused the visual pacing to be disjointed. Individual pages were beautiful, especially with David Curiel’s eye-catching colors, but the sum wasn’t greater than its parts. Two issues to go in the Krakoa Era, but July’s relaunch can’t get here any sooner. more

It's a shame. Because even though hickman is not my favorite writer and I am wary of him. Objectively speaking he's the best modern marvel writer of all time. If marvel just trusted hickman and actually proceeded with his plans instead of staying behind for two years then rushing it this could have been better. Kieran gillen is a good writer, but this was hickmans story to tell. This felt like someone telling another person's vision of their story. Like playing telephone.

I wonder what would have been hickman endgoal was. Would his vision for Moira Xavier destiny mystique and nimrod be the same. Would he have introduced Mr righteous or enigma. Only time will tell

Recent interviews from X-Men editors seem to indicate that Hickman had different ideas than where things netted out, especially as to who the big bad was (it apparently wasn't going to be Moira).

If there's one thing to summarize this event. It felt rushed. The ending was bland with Jean grey becoming Phoenix force to one-shot enigma and nimrod. Xavier and Moira were written not as well. The art was bland. Overall I wished hickman finished his vision. Because this is game of thrones season 8 of comic book stories. The fact that u has to pay extra for x men forever to get the full story is kinda sad. The dialogue was confusing for me due to the quantum dimensional cosmic dialogue. Overall as a person who hopped on the krakoan train this year I wanted this story to end on a high note.

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Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
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COMMENTS

The Poet X Book Review
Parents say ( 12 ): Kids say ( 23 ): This novel in verse is stunning, beautiful, and uncomfortably accurate at times. In The Poet X, author Elizabeth Acevedo takes readers through Xiomara's life as she finds herself being punished for simply existing and having the audacity to want to exist outside of the narrow boxes where society, religion ...
THE POET X
Fifteen-year old Xiomara ("See-oh-MAH-ruh," as she constantly instructs teachers on the first day of school) is used to standing out: she's tall with "a little too much body for a young girl.". Street harassed by both boys and grown men and just plain harassed by girls, she copes with her fists. In this novel in verse, Acevedo ...
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
ELIZABETH ACEVEDO is a New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Poet X, won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She is also the recipient of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal ...
'The Poet X' review: Elizabeth Acevedo's debut novel is a stunning
"These books aren't about us," Acevedo recalled during the launch party for The Poet X, held at the Alianza Dominicana Cultural Center in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood ...
Book Review: The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Poet X is beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. It's a deep and REAL look into a teenager's view of herself, her relationships, and her family drama. This first-person novel in verse is about a high school girl who is confused about her feelings on boys, her body, her relationships, and religion.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo: a review by Eben Roddis
The Poet X is a terrific testimony to Elizabeth Acevedo's skilful story-telling as well as her clear talent for poetry. The novel is written in verse, a series of short poems, creating a fifteen-year-old slam poet's diary. This first-hand account of Xiomara's experience of growing up in Harlem deals with a variety of topics, ranging from ...
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
And it's about how acknowledging and expressing hard personal truths—truths rooted in pain, fury, exhaustion—can lead us to hope and joy and wonder and optimism. This is a beautiful book. Necessary, true, honest. Do not, do not, do not miss it. In addition to running a library in rural Maine, Leila Roy blogs at Bookshelves of Doom, is ...
Book Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Poet X is a great read for people who love beautiful and lyrical writing. I personally love poetry, so this was a win for me before I even started reading the book. As far as plot goes, I think it was great in its progression and I seriously enjoyed the ending.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062662804. POP. Gr 7 Up -Magnificently crafted, Acevedo's bildungsroman in verse is a stunning account of a teen girl's path to poetry. Sophomore Xiomara Batista is simultaneously invisible and hyper visible at home, at school, and in her largely Dominican community in Harlem—her body is "unhide-able" she tells ...
Book Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Publisher's description Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing #ownvoices novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth. Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew […]
Book Review
Book Review | The Poet X. On June 4, 2019 July 26, 2020 By Jenny A. In The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Harlem teen Xiomara has a lot to deal with. She is just starting to notice boys, beginning to have serious questions about her Catholic faith, and suspecting that her twin brother is gay. She also writes poetry, but hides it from everyone ...
Review: The Poet X
Review: The Poet X. Summary: A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother's religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo. Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to ...
The Poet X
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo has been reviewed by Focus on the Family's marriage and parenting magazine. Plot Summary. Xiomara (see-oh-MAH-ruh) Batista, who often goes by "X," is a high school girl of Dominican heritage living in Harlem. ... Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary ...
Amazon.com: The Poet X: 9780062662804: Acevedo, Elizabeth: Books
★ "In nearly every poem, there is at least one universal truth about adolescence, family, gender, race, religion, or sexuality that will have readers either nodding in grateful acknowledgment or blinking away tears." — Horn Book (starred review) ★ "The Poet X is beautiful and true—a splendid debut." — Shelf Awareness (starred ...
'The Poet X' book review: A unique and wonderful approach to telling a
'The Poet X' book review: A unique and wonderful approach to telling a coming-of-age tale
The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo's novel-in-verse, The Poet X, is an empowering, feminist tale of a young woman discovering her own voice through writing—and then learning to use it as boldly and best she can to push back against everything aiming to drag her down. Though The Poet X is Acevedo's debut, she's already made a name for herself through her ...
The Poet X
The Poet X, published March 6, 2018 by HarperTeen, is a young adult novel by Elizabeth Acevedo.Fifteen-year-old Xiomara, also known as "X" or "Xio," works through the tension and conflict in her family by writing poetry. The book, a New York Times bestseller, was well received and won multiple awards at the 2019 Youth Media Awards.. Plot. Xiomara Batista is a fifteen-year-old Dominican ...
The Poet X
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Published by: HarperTeen Publish Date: March 2018 Genre(s): Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Poetry HB&W Rating: 4.5 View on Goodreads Buy on Amazon: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository. Synopsis. A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother's religion and her own relationship to the world.
The Horn Book
Review of The Poet X. Fifteen-year-old Xiomara, whose name means "one who is ready for war," has been fighting her whole life. The self-described "brown and big and angry" Dominican girl from Harlem furiously confronts catcalling boys, chafes under her Catholic parents' restrictive rules, and both adores and resents her "genius ...
Harry Ricketts: The early years of one of NZ's best poets and critics
1 Jun, 2024 04:30 AM 4 mins to read. "He knocks off firsts: hitchhiking, infatuation with a poem, love affairs …". Photo / Supplied. Book review: We owe Harry Ricketts. He's a poet, critic ...
Liberty Park Library salon speaks to power of poetry
Inland Northwest Poetry Salon. When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Where: Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburg St. Info: Free admission; spokanelibrary.org. In a letter to T.W. Higginson, poet ...
A final interview with John Burnside on addiction and success
Poet John Burnside on drug addiction, his abusive father and winning the 'British Nobel' In one of his final interviews, published last November, the Scottish writer - who has died aged 69 ...
Award winning poet hosts book signing at the MAX
MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - The MAX hosted a special book signing for an award-winning author. Natasha Trethewey is a Gulfport native and Pulitzer Prize winning poet.
The Prophet (Reader's Library Classics) (Illustrated): Gibran, Kahlil
The lessons in this book will change your view on life's greatest challenges. Even after you finish the book, you can always come back and review a chapter that you would like to refresh on. Overall, this book is great for anyone who loves poetry and can decipher old English to uncover the beautiful message that Gibran offers to his readers.
Amazon.com: The Poet X: 9780062662811: Acevedo, Elizabeth: Books
★ "In nearly every poem, there is at least one universal truth about adolescence, family, gender, race, religion, or sexuality that will have readers either nodding in grateful acknowledgment or blinking away tears." — Horn Book (starred review) ★ "The Poet X is beautiful and true—a splendid debut." — Shelf Awareness (starred ...
BOOK REVIEW: 'Ian Fleming: The Complete Man'
By Paul Davis - - Thursday, May 30, 2024. OPINION: I've been an Ian Fleming aficionado since my teens, so I was pleased to read "Ian Fleming: The Complete Man," the new biography by Nicholas ...
Amazon.com: The Poet X eBook : Acevedo, Elizabeth: Kindle Store
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review) ★ "In nearly every poem, there is at least one universal truth about adolescence, family, gender, race, religion, or sexuality that will have readers either nodding in grateful acknowledgment or blinking away tears." -- Horn Book (starred review) ★ "The Poet X is beautiful and true--a splendid debut."
Rise of the Powers of X #5 review
Rise of the Powers of X #5 is mostly effective in doing the impossible and closing the book on the Krakoan Age. It ends in an epic battle against a threat that could only be matched by the impossible power of the Phoenix, but also with a strategy that only Charles Xavier could muster. However much you may wish the Krakoa age would continue, it ...
Rise of the Powers of X #5 Reviews
Writer: Kieron Gillen Artist: R. B. Silva Publisher: Marvel Comics Release Date: May 29, 2024 Cover Price: $4.99 Critic Reviews: 3 User Reviews: 2. 5.3 Critic Rating. 7.2 User Rating. + Pull List. THE BATTLE FOR ALL TIME!

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