This one is mainly about grief, as many poetry books are in some way. The loss of a loved one and dealing with it can be manifested in many ways. I sympathize with this one as I can easily relate.

Unfortunately, I didn't really connect with this poetry collection at all. I loved the concept, of sharing stories told or assumed from strangers, and I thought the pictures included were absolutely beautiful. But as far as the actual poetry, I didn't personally feel anything very deeply from it, which is so important to me when it comes to poetry.
I don't doubt that there will be some people who really love this. And maybe if I read it again in a year, I would connect with it in new ways based on experiences I haven't had yet. But for now, it fell flat.
I preferred the second part, You, to the first. The first part focused largely on the grief that came with the loss of the author's grandfather. While this was certainly sad, it felt like a lot of the meaning had to be gleaned from the reader's understanding of their family traditions, or songs that were important to them and I, unfortunately, was not. It felt like I was sitting in on somebody else's Thanksgiving, as everyone recounted memories that I was not at all a part of.
The second part was slightly more interesting to me, although the theme of telling others' stories wasn't as prevalent as I was hoping for. The collection seemed to move from theme to theme and end rather abruptly. Overall, this was a quick read, but unfortunately one that I feel I could've skipped.

This poetry collection is divided into two parts. The first part is about the author's personal life and the people that she cares about, whereas the second part tells the stories of others.
I did appreciate the first part more, maybe because I felt more connected to it and all the aspects of grief Emmy Marucci dealt with. The author faces the grief she feels for her grandpa. All the aspects she touched upon were very raw and real and that's what made me connect so deeply.
Overall it was a nice poetry collection.

This collection explores a variety of topics including loss, youth, love, acceptance, heartbreak, and much more.

Over half a decade ago now, I lost my grandfather to cancer. It was a drawn-out, miserable death where he became a very small shadow of himself before finally leaving us. Like Emmy Marucci's grandfather, he was a musician. He played the mandolin, and that's what I'd wake up to every morning when I slept over and what I'd hear at any family gatherings.

"and if there was any religion
inside those walls at all

it was the music
coming from your horn"

I miss him, and the poems about Marucci's own grandfather really, really got to me. I don't think I've ever cried over poetry before today.

Turns out, I don't like heaven, either.

There are no words to explain how beautiful this book is. I think there's a poem— at least one, but almost certainly more— that each and every one of us can really connect to. Granted there were a few I didn't like— I'm not a fan of hearing about boys crushing fireflies between their fingers or people pinning butterflies and watching them struggle until they die, but I still enjoyed the writing and the meaning behind the words. My heart just can't handle anything suffering.