Cover Image: Women of Resistance

Women of Resistance

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Member Reviews

Real rating 2,5
When I saw the cover of the book I knew I wanted to give it a shot. Lately, I’ve been almost scared of books about feminism because I’ve read a couple of books who took feminism to an extreme point, which I don’t want to label as feminism anymore.
This book cover gave me the vibes of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, it looks approachable for a young adult audience and deals with more than women alone.

I was left a little disappointed. The colourfulness and approachable factor of the cover are nowhere to be seen in the book itself. There is really pretty photography, though it is all quite dark. The poems itself were interesting and had a good point of view, but it all felt kind of dry.

I did love how they included the variety of women in such a beautiful way. It was a beautiful thing to have many different poets as they all could give you a new point of view.
It sometimes lacked the cohesiveness that I would’ve liked because of it, which might also be the reason why it didn’t always hit me the way I hoped.

I need to put a little disclaimer for my review.
The e-arc that I received was not formatted in a way that made it comfortable to read. Which might have influenced my rating unconsciously.
Poems were squashed together and lines weren’t spaced out properly, a layout was non-existent. On top of that, every other page had a “NOT FOR SALE OR REDISTRIBUTION” note that was placed with no care if it would cut into a poem or not. This made for a really uncomfortable reading experience. I don’t want to adjust my rating because of that, because I’m sure that the actual book will have a gorgeous layout, but I am sure that it influenced my reading experience in a negative way.

I received an e-arc of Women of Resistance from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review

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I have not read poetry in years, generally it is a genre that I do not enjoy reading. This piece of poetry and commentary pieces are a staple in any modern females collection. This would make a fantastic gift for the proud feminist in your life. Some of the pieces were better than others - and like someone has already said, poetry is subjective. Some completely missed the mark. My favourites were those that told truths of the struggles of the here and now; Trump, rape, how women dress and so on. Overall, I wish I enjoyed more of the collection, but I still appreciate it for what it is.

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This is a fine collection of poets, men as well as women, speaking out against patriarchy and for the power and dignity of the individual. The focus is, as suggested by the title, on women but the poets also speak out about race. Some of the most interesting poems concern the intersection of different identities.

The poets represented include some of my favorite poets now writing: Ada Limon, Anne Waldeman, Tyehimba Jess, Mary Ruefle, Rachel McKibbons, and Kwame Dawes. But it is a collection of many extraordinary poets and really every poet contributes something valuable. There are so many poems of amazing strength.

The editors say that the anthology serves a multitude of purposes, "part love letter, part manifesto, part confession, part wish...[i]it is also a meditation on grief." The project began in response to the 2016 election and is, amongst other things, a protest against all the needless limitations we have had placed on us by an oppressive society. Many of the poems deal with violence against women and children. But just as present are poems celebrating strengths and triumphs.

Denice Frohman writes (in "A Woman's Place") in the opening poem of the collection: "all the women i know are perennials--marigolds,/daffodils/soft things that refuse to die." and "I'm a better woman now that I'm writing poems." There is strength in vulnerability and openness. And I also believe we are better when we write poems, speak to each other and listen to each other ("And the listening/seems to take no time at all.", Lauren Clark, "Vortex Temporum").

This is a volume worth taking the time to read, to listen to these voices crying out in anger and in joy. A book worth celebrating.

I thank NetGalley, OR Books, and editors Danielle Barnhart and Iris Mahan, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Never in my life have I read a book so powerful that it made me feel even more proud to be a woman. I loved this and couldn't put it down! Highly recommend this!

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This collection of poetry is absolutely stunning and liberating. No one woman has an identical experience, but we all share the same thing - womanhood. It’s imprtant to listen, to lift, and to lead. I am buying a copy when I can because this book belongs on my baby’s feminism shelf.

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Another one that wasn’t for me. Some books need to find the right reader and I wasn’t it this time around. The prose is dense and sometimes hard to follow in the collection of previously published works compiled under the umbrella of Women of Resistance. I have no doubt that someone else could pick up this book and fell in love with it, but I couldn’t.

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This is a really powerful collection of poems written by a diverse group of writers. I loved the variety of topics, especially the poem on conflict in the Middle East.

The collection did a great job of capturing different experiences and I couldn't put the book down. I also love the cover and I think it really captures how diverse the voices in the book are.

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Like most compilations, some work will appeal more than others but given the content of this book it appealed to me a great deal. It has anger and fear and love and disgust and annoyance and beauty and - well just about everything a diverse group of women would have. There is some truly stunning writing in this collection - and there is also the need to be aware of potential triggers.

"I am about to step outside, I am about to step outside to the elements and my anticipation is a long inhalation that covers the world upon release."

There is something here for every women (and man) and that might be different on any given day as the collection speaks across emotions and age/class/creed to make you glad that talented women continue to speak out and resist.

I would recommend this collection to anyone becoming cynical about the current political climate and needing reassurance that their voice can be heard.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

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“This anthology does not have a singular purpose. It is part love letter, part manifesto, part confession, part wish and those are just the raw materials.
It is also a meditation on grief. We grieve for the woman we have lost, the violence and oppression we endure, and the children who will never make it to the terrifying and glorious world of womanhood.”
–Taken from the introduction by Danielle Barnhart.

I originally received a e-arc for this poetry collection from Netgalley, but I struggled so much with the formatting on my kindle app that I couldn’t get into the poems. I couldn’t find the rhythm. So I decided to stop trying, as I was beyond frustrated. I decided to wait until the book was released and buy a paperback edition and then try that. What I ended up doing was buying an audiobook version – much better. Hearing the poems read out loud, being able to hear and feel the rhythm, muuuuuuch better!

This collection made me ache. So much anger and pain held in their words. So many wrongs against women told with their words. Some of the poems saddened me deeply. Some I found truly profound. Some spoke to my soul. And some made me want to set the world on fire.

If you are after a beautifully flowing lyrical rhythmic masterpiece – then this isn’t for you.

If you want to feel something real. If you want to know you are not alone in the shit you have been dealt. If you want to embrace your fellow womenkind and experience some of their journeys. If you want to feel empowered by the strength of women – this is for you.

NOTE: This anthology is trigger central. It touches on everything that is Woman. Everything that is life for a woman. The beauty and the danger and the rotten core of it all. Touching on everything from physical abuse, sexual assault, racism, sexism, abortion, marriage, motherhood and menstruation.

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I really enjoyed the poems included in this collection. The poems are very powerful and need to be heard. I recommend you pick up this book and give it a try.

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A literary work that tackles femininity, sexuality and gender identity says the blurb but it goes deeper, there was more to it than that it talked about racism, violence, abuse... I love that the collection took on such subjects, especially in this day of age. It would disseminate and enlighten more people, more voices to be heard. It's great!

But I tried so, so much to get into this, it wasn't for me. I found myself skimming and skipping some pages to get it over, I wasn't that bad, it wasn't that good either, for it still gave me that emotion of purity and rawness as a finished input of it.

I would still recommend it to all to read. Pick it up and it may be your cup of tea after all.

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This book was everything I was hoping it would be. Although every piece of poetry didn't reach me all of the were eye opening and made me think.

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Poetry anthologies are tricky to rate.
I really enjoyed a lot of these poems and authors, but as a few other reviewers have mentioned, I was left a bit confused by some poems. But that’s on me. I do recommend this book, I think everyone is bound to like something and if there’s one thing anthologies never fail at is helping people discover different voices.

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Big shout out to NetGalley and OR Books for hooking me up with this AMAZING ARC!!!

---------------------WOW---------------------

"listen isn't always the same as shut up, remember the eye of the witness disarms the devil."

The intro starts off by describing the collection as "part love letter, part manifesto, part confession, part wish---and those are just the raw materials."
I would say this is highly accurate. This collection ripped my heart out, sewed it back in, boiled it in oil and healed it again.
It's ridiculous how 1 book can hold so many emotions.

"The thing about it is, once interior parts of us are brought outward, there is no way to put them back inside."

I felt so much while reading this: power, heart wrenching compassion, whimsy, anger, and an over all heavy yet comforting emotional drain (is that even a thing?).

"Today how I resent the way sadness and loss are souvenirs we're forced to carry with us."

This is definitely something I want EVERYONE to read!!!

"Don't begrudge me my sashay walk, it's all I got sometimes."

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Compiled in response to the resurgence of overt racism and sexism in American politics, the poems of Women of Resistance feature feminist perspectives on subjects such as bodily autonomy, sexual orientation, protest, gendered violence, white supremacist terrorism, and more. The poetry varies immensely in terms of both content and form, making it unlikely that anyone will enjoy all the poems equally. But, as the collection encompasses the work of a diverse range of new and experienced poets, it's well worth checking out: readers are bound to encounter at least a few writers whose work resonates with them. Favorite poems included those by Denice Frohman, Safia Elhillo, Tyehimba Jess, and Rachel McKibbens.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for a review.

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Contemporary poetry that did not grab me. I wanted to like this, but I wasn't engaged by it. Authentic anger and pain.

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Love this timely tome. We need powerful words from many different voices now more than ever. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

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There are so many beautiful and insightful poems in this book. Each one of them was an inspiration. However the reason I’m giving this a 3 star rating isn’t because of the book itself, but me personally, I didn’t really understand a lot which made me lost and confused. Don’t get me wrong I love the idea and the strength of each voice, it was just me that stopped me from liking it as much as I could have.

Overall, I’m really glad I read women of resistance and I hope that I will read this again someday. This is definitely a book every woman needs in their life.

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I love how diverse the selection of women was, and I think this is an informative piece that all girls should read!

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Amazing collection of poems that tries to empower women and that would be a great read for young girls who don't see enough representation in the media.

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