It was very different from reading what I am used too but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Would definitely recommend it to poetry lovers.

I enjoyed this. Lyrical and filled with diasporic longing at sometimes and passion wrought prose at others. A truly linguistic rollercoaster.

I found several verses extremely poignant and moving. The author does a great job of showing her emotions and thoughts. It is an enjoyable read. I wish some words were explained in the footnotes rather than at the end, though. Flipping to the back often took me out of the poem.

Pau’s ancestors were part of the South Asian diaspora in East Africa, and later settled in the UK. Her debut, which won one of this year’s Eric Gregory Awards (from the Society of Authors, for a collection by a British poet under the age of 30), reflects on that stew of cultures and languages. Colours and food make up the lush metaphorical palette.

"When I was small, I spoke two languages.
At school: proper English, pruned and prim,
tip of the tongue taps roof of the mouth,
delicate lips, like lace frilling rims of my white

cotton socks. At home, a heady brew:
Gujarati Hindi Swahili
swim in my mouth, tie-dye my tongue
with words like bandhani."

Alongside loads of alliteration (my most adored poetic technique)—

"My goddess is a mother in marigold garland"

—there are delightfully unexpected turns of phrase, almost synaesthetic in their blending of the senses:

"right as I worry I have forgotten the scent
of grief, I catch the first blossom of the season

and we are back circling the Spring."

"I am a chandelier of possibility."

Besides family history and Hindu theology, current events and politics are sources of inspiration. For instance, “We Gotta Talk About S/kincare” explores the ironies and nuances of attitudes towards Black and Brown public figures, e.g., lauding Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, but former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel? “our forever – guest of honour / would deport her own mother – if she could.” I also loved the playfulness with structure: “Ode to Corelle” employs a typically solemn form for a celebration of crockery, while the yoga-themed “Salutation” snakes across two pages like a curving spine. This reminded me of poetry I’ve enjoyed by other young Asian women: Romalyn Ante, Cynthia Miller, Nina Mingya Powles and Jenny Xie. A fantastic first book.

In this poetry collection, the author explores and depicts all the directions her family took as Indian immigrants arriving to UK. So like most poetry collections, it’s a very, very personal thing.
There’s a much too long author’s introduction that reads like a sort of political manifesto on immigration, assimilation, etc.
And then it gets into the poems. Which, as modern times seem to require, are all rhythm and no rhyme. But the style and imagery are there, brightly vivid.
The author uses so many Indian words that the collection comes with its own notes/glossary. But then again, it gives it a sort of authenticity, which presumably was the goal.
Overall, though it did have some striking imagery and language, the collection didn’t quite sing to me. But then again, I’m not a fan of modern poetry – I don’t care for its choppy unrhymed inelegance and the highly self-focused/navel-gazing quality of most of it, so maybe don’t go by my opinion. Thanks Netgalley.

This collection of poetry is different from what I am use to. This collection, in my opinion is much about family and tragedies. Its a very good book. Some ate easy to understand and some I had a hard time figuring out what was meant in the poem. This book but it was fun for me. Liked the book and everyone should read it.

I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review

A lovely collection of poems inspired by bother inner and outer journeys. Listening to the stories of her elders, who immigrated to the UK and found ways to keep their identities while learning to fit in to their new culture, the poet was inspired to consider their lives and her own as she travels herself to find her own way of being in the cultures of her grandparents.

In the preface she states, 'Conversations with our elders suggests that they...have compartmentalized fragments of their identities in order to survive. For me, writings Routes has been a process of holding these fragments up to the light, laying them down on a page and acknowledging the overlapping narratives and the silent spacesin between.'

I like the play on words in the title--Routes (as I pronounce it) could just as easily be Roots.

These poems are very accessible and brought me along with the poet as she explored these themes of belonging, cultural unfamiliarity, and self-discovery.