The Poet X

by Elizabeth Acevedo

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I never, ever reach for novels written in prose, but this one drew me in.

The Poet X tells the story of Xiomara, whose body betrays her at every turn. Her mother has raised her to be a good Catholic girl, but she struggles with the religion and her desire to find her own beliefs and place while being terrified of going to Hell and her mother's wrath. It's a complicated story to tell - on top of the religious conversation, Xiomara is a first generation American on her mother's side, she's a teenager trying to find her own, and she's a twin born to older parents. She's scared and passionate and alone and trapped and lost. Her brother Xavier could have his own book in prose as well - he's a story on the sidelines you wish you could see more.

And it's a beautifully written book.

Because Xiomara finds solace and strength in poetry, it makes so much sense that this book is written in prose. Beyond that, the poetry is simply beautiful. A lot of these poems stand on their own and like any good poem... there's bound to be one or two that reaches out and wraps its fingers around your heart. I really enjoyed the poetry, which surprised me. I'm very particular about my poetry. I'll fall in love with one poem and hate the rest. I didn't with this book - it flowed together spectacularly and was very gripping.

I'd recommend this to ANYONE interested in YA Contemporary and anyone who likes novels in prose.