Andrea Gibson’s unabashedly emotional poetry performances create communal spaces for audiences to feel through the pain and joy of being queer, express queer love, and break the isolation of mental illness. None of this emotional power is lost in the transition from stage to page ... this book demonstrates that Gibson’s meteoric quotes are nested within complex and finely crafted poems.
... arresting ... Gibson expertly walks the line between grief and hope, giving readers a deeply layered collection of poems ... With all the grace and hope that fans of Gibson’s work have come to expect, the author finds beauty even in the most painful moments of their life ... This is a collection which will undoubtedly appeal to long-time fans of Gibson’s work and newcomers to poetry alike. With its willingness to tackle all manner of trauma and social issues and still center optimism, these poems will prove most appealing and most vital to readers in need of the proverbial silver lining.
Propelled by all that is raw, heartfelt, and confessional, this fifth collection from Gibson... is a tour de force of performance poetry. Gibson is a natural storyteller and delivers with gumption, whether narrating a visit to an ex-lover’s new ivy-coated apartment or digitally editing a sister’s mug shot ... Despite Gibson’s storytelling prowess, some of these poems feel a little too familiar while simultaneously falling flat on the page. Though this work lacks the vivacity of Gibson’s stage presence and live performance, the book is notable for its energy and diverse array of voice-driven poems.
