... a remarkable book dealing with sexual assault and a survivor’s hard-won journey toward recovery ... As details of the speaker’s experiences surface — they are distressing but now visible and real — the reader too will come to believe that this young survivor will prevail, defined not by the wrongs done to them, but by the courage of their coming forward and giving language to the unbearable ... it is quite moving to witness the speaker arrive at that truth through self-empowerment and self-love.
... stunning ... Formally inventive, Tran includes a series of persona poems written from the perspective of cadavers used in sixteenth-century anatomical studies, some whose skin was supposedly used to bind books ... A darkly intelligent and exquisite debut.
... the poems here relating these stories are breathtaking, thought-provoking, and fearlessly honest, encapsulating tumultuous lows that will make readers shudder ... Readers will be sure to find connection and refuge within Tran’s standout collection. Highly recommended for all collections.
My purpose is precision,' Tran writes early in their vivid debut, and they fulfill this purpose, telling hard truths with clarity while exploring the legacy of American imperialism and the effects of sexual violence on the body, mind, and imagination ... Tran’s poems are curious and searching, especially as they wrestle with the contradictions of trauma recovery ... These poems embody a spirit of inquiry in their forms, too, many of which are Tran’s own. Each provides a unique doorway into the subject matter ... These searingly honest, beautifully told depictions of survival and self-love will move and challenge readers.
