I loved Hannah’s debut collection, Three Poems, which are geographically dispersed across the United States, and possibly the United Kingdom. There were some set in New York and California, and she lives in Oxford currently, so she’s definitely a coastal elite and has a bunch of cachet to her name.

I had a confusing time with this one. There was not one poem I remember or connected with. The thing about reviewing poetry is that I can say that I didn't connect to it or didn't like it, but there could be ten people out there who will gravitate to it. I wish I were apart of this orbit of empathy, of relating. But I would get lost in the middle of a poem, losing my footing in its meaning - not because its bad but because I couldn't connect to it, and with that, I was bored.

I also think the structure of the poetry was not for me. I will try again with it, knowing that different moods and times of existence have a way of shaping your reading experiences. I have to say I do love the cover though.

DNF @ page 33

I know this is a short poetry collection and it's less than 100 pages, but I did not like this one at all. I feel miserable while forcing myself to read each line and I don't like feeling that way about reading. I don't hate the poetry or the writing here. I just feel so indifferent towards it. That indifference led me to decide to DNF this one. i don't think I will pick this one back up later. Official DNF for Was It For This.

A collection of narrative poems that feel somehow ideal for a rainy-day reading. I loved the way the prose poems aligned with the beauty of the lyric short--lyric essay, etc.

I loved lines such as these: cranes snapped / like nutcrackers on little nubs of sky

I loved moments where we entered in and out of the landscape of Sullivan's world, contrasted with wider observation.

I enjoyed the space she gave to really sitting with a description and the honesty. Recommended for those who enjoy an exploration of everyday moments.

I can see so many people enjoying and really connecting with this poetry collection; unfortunately, I am not one of them. It is purely personal preference. I do not like prose style poems, or poems that are very long. I like my poems to be a bit shorter, 1-2 pages max and not in a prose/paragraph format, which is what a lot of these poems were. Because I disliked the style so much, I had a hard time getting through the poems, and they weren't as impactful as they would be to someone else who does like that style. If you are a fan of longer form poetry, or prose style poetry, I recommend checking this out.

thank u for the arc net galley!

i liked the themes of this collection a lot - it felt purposeful and authentic and driven. it wasn't really my style but i can still appreciate the talent and emotion it took to write these and i'm grateful to have read them all the same !

I like the book a lot. It's such a brief read but still, the book is definitely worth my time. I will definitely do reread sometime real soon.

I am so gracious to Hannah Sullivan, FSG, and NetGalley for granting me advanced access to this poem collection before it hit shelves on January 24, 2023. The way author Hannah Sullivan so eloquently trauma dumps on us, the reader, but still graciously delivers awareness on what it means to be a survivor of such a heinous act of violence is so courageous and empowering.

An excellent example of poetry with purpose and relevance. Challenged my thoughts in an insightful way.

Starts out ok, the middle full of prose and a boring catalogue of living spaces felt like dragging my feet through mud, finally got to more poetry but after the slog it just didn’t hold my attention. Not for me.

I really enjoyed Hannah Sullivan's way of writing and telling a story throughout this collection but a lot of it wasn't really catching my attention like I had hoped it would. I can appreciate the way these poems were put together and the themes Sullivan wrote about, which will definitely click with other readers interested in poetry and themes about motherhood!

WAS IT FOR THIS is a striking, honest collection of poetry. Being new to Hannah Sullivan's work, I wasn't sure what to expect - but through tackling themes like motherhood, the Grenfell Tower fire, and London, Sullivan writes compelling, emotional poetry. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, for the ARC which I kindly received in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the focus around the tower fire, but I couldn't get into the poems for the most part. I appreciated the craft of the poems, but they weren't easily understood.

There's something so intense and mind-opening about this collection. I think it tackled a very tragic event in the most profound way that had me intrigued the entire time. It ranges back and forth from quite a few different topics at the same time. The Grenfell Tower fire is a very notable one throughout but still touches on motherhood and the terror felt by so many things. I think this will be a very notable read.

This is a well done intellectual assortment of poetry. I didn’t find myself drawn to the poems the way I’d hoped but I can recognize the craftsmanship.

Unfortunately, just not really my thing. Sullivan’s writing is full of imagery and she certainly has a talent, but the subject matter and cohesion of the book just didn’t do it for me. Not bad, but not a book I’ll be thinking about long term.

"Was it for This" is Sullivan's latest, hybrid collection of poems. Themes range from new motherhood, London, and the Grenwell Tower fire. In visceral language she juxtaposes these different subjects and moods which soothe and stimulate the reader. Recommended reading for poets and lovers of poetry. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.