Each month Abington Library will feature a favorite book from a faculty, staff member, or student. They will give a brief synopsis of their chosen book. Instructions can be found on the instructions tab or at libguides.asub.edu/VanguardSpotlightBook/Instructions.
Natascia is currently the Administrative Specialist III for Campus Operations on the Searcy campus. Started at ASUB in October 2018 as the Administrative Specialist for Admissions on the Searcy campus.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Reviewed by Natascia Mansur
My son recommended I read The Poet X when I asked him what book I should pick for this review. It was one of the books he had to read in one of his English college classes. Since this is a review for a Library frequented for the most part by students his age, I chose to follow his suggestion.
The Poet X is a coming of age book that covers many issues teenagers are facing on a daily basis, and more. Xiomara, the protagonist, is trying to find her place in the world and her own identity like all her peers, but she also finds herself facing additional issues. Hers is the story of someone who is a child of immigrants. It is the story of growing up to be a woman. It is the story of learning to lean into her passions. Hers is not an easy story. She deals with a complicated yet natural relationship with her own body, teetering between being herself and being ashamed of (and being shamed for) who she is and what she looks like. She deals with sexism, homophobia, racism, religious fanaticism, cultural differences. She navigates all these issues with a burning desire to be her own person, however she chooses. And the way she chooses is through poetry.
The book is a fairly easy read written in first person and in spoken word poetry format. It is well written and successful at letting the reader feel Xiomara’s emotions. Be ready to smile at the sweetness of puppy love, to be baffled by the passive stance of certain characters, to be amazed at Xiomara’s fierce love for her brother. There are a couple of key moments that are bound to enrage the reader (they did me) and because of the feelings stirred by those episodes I found the ending to be a bit unrealistic. Even with that, this book is a worthy read.
