by
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Published : 2019
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Synopsis
Life of the Party is a collection of poems by Spoken Word poet & sexual assault prevention activist Olivia Gatwood.
In the introduction, Olivia confesses her fear of a man crawling through her window and murdering her. This led her to become interested in True Crime, which is the inspiration for this collection.
It is also a memoir of sorts, where some poems detail intimate experiences she’s had in her life.
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Quotes
(I highlighted so many passages from this book, it took me a while to trim it down.)
“How can you sleep pretty
when there are four locks on the door
and the fire escape feels like break-in bait?”
-ODE TO MY BITCH FACE
*
“i’ve always had trouble
getting over people & maybe the dead girl
is the one i never will, the one that got away,
whose favorite song is playing in the pharmacy
while i wait for my medicine.”
-WILL I EVER STOP WRITING ABOUT THE DEAD GIRL
*
“I know my fear better
than I know
my own body.”
-MY GRANDMOTHER ASKS WHY I DON’T TRUST MEN
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My Thoughts
I am in literal awe. It’s been so long since I’ve read a poetry collection that has affected me this much. The thing that surprises me the most is that I thoroughly enjoyed every single poem. That’s damn near unheard of with collections, but hey, here we are.
The underlying subject, murder with more than a hint of feminism, is something so unique, and sadly underrated. Though the theme is morbid, the writing is so beautiful, and so refreshing. It pulls you in, leaving you wanting more.
I have never felt so proud and powerful to be a girl, after reading this book.
My heart ached after certain poems, others made me stare off into nothing, holding my face. Still others made me laugh.
I felt relieved that Olivia had a similar paranoia that I did, that I’m certain all women do. It made me feel not so alone.
I was seriously saddened when I turned the page and I had finished the book. I’m considering reading it again, and I will definitely be buying a physical copy when it’s released in August.
I highly highly highly recommend this collection.
My rating:
★★★★★ (5 stars)
Thanks for reading!!
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Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Are you familiar with Olivia? Are you excited for this release? Let me know what you think!
