The Poet X

Book Cover

The Poet X may be the most celebrated Young Adult novel written in 2018. It received the National Book Award for the YA category. The Poet X has been the recipient of many other awards including the Printz, Pura Belpre, National Kite, and the Carnegie Awards. It was also favorably reviewed by Booklist, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, and The New York Times. With so much positive praise I was anxious to read this book for myself, and I’m so glad I did. This novel is as profound as it is impactful.

Evaluation of Writing

The first remarkable thing about this novel is the style and language that is used. The story is told from Xiomara’s perspective and is written almost exclusively in verse. The impact of the poetry on the overall novel is profound. It feels deeply personal. We can see a glimpse of her inner turmoil and struggles with her identity from the unique perspective of her inner thoughts. The poems themselves are heartbreakingly honest. The things you write as a cathartic release, but not for anyone else to read. By writing the novel in these verses it allows us as readers to feel what Xiomara is feeling. The book’s structure is segmented in three parts: In the Beginning Was the Word, And the Word Was Made Flesh, and The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness. These sections are representative of Xiomara’s journey on her path to self-discovery. They are also biblical references that highlight the tension Xiomara feels between who she is, who she’s becoming, and who her very religious family wants her to be. Each chapter is also dated, it shows the passing of time as Xiomara progresses in her journey of self-discovery. The overall impact of these style choices in the writing gives us as readers an insiders look at what life is like for Xiomara; in her home, her school, her church, her neighborhood, and in her own thoughts.

Another element of quality writing that is exhibited is the characters of the story. The story is primarily about Xiomara, a sophomore girl living in Harlem trying to figure out who she is, who her family wants her to be, and how to deal with her developing female frame. Xiomara turns to her poetry to sort through these feelings. “To grab my notebooks, and write, and write, and write all the things I wish I could have said. Make poems from the sharp feelings inside, that feel like they could carve me wide open” (Acevado, 2018, p. 52-53). Everything about Xiomara contrasts with her family. Where she is aggressive and physical, her brother is timid and quiet. Her mother is biting and authoritative. She demands her daughter be chaste and above reproach. Xiomara is deeply conflicted about her own character. Her whole life people have been dictating who she should be and what she should do. Even her actions are reactionary in response to how others treat her or her Twin brother. Xiomara has been writing her poems for some time now, but when a teacher introduces her to slam poetry it awakens a deeper purpose that Xiomara feels in herself. “It was just a poem, Xiomara, I think. But it felt more like a gift” (Acevado, 2018, p. 77). Like all good teachers, she encourages Xiomara to write, to create, to be a part of an afterschool poetry group. It makes Xiomara feel alive inside in a real way; that she could transform from Xiomara to who she wants to be in the moniker, the Poet X.

Finally, throughout the book there is tension brewing. This tension is seen in many aspects of Xiomara’s life. They are exhibited in contrasting qualities and attributes. The first of these contrasts is that of her family dynamic. The women in her family are strong and outspoken, where as the men are quiet and melt into the background. Twin can hide in the background without having to confront his family’s ideals of who he is and who he should be. Xiomara is just the opposite. She is constantly fighting for her brother and what she thinks is right. “My brother was birthed a soft whistle: quiet, barely stirring the air, a gentle sound. But I was born all the hurricane he needed to lift-and drop-those that hurt him to the ground” (Acevado, 2018, p. 45). Another example of the tension building is the religious expectations that are in place for Xiomara and her brother. They are expected to attend mass, take communion, and fully commit to the church the way their mother has. Xiomara is skeptical and is questioning her own faith. Her mother wants nothing to do with this and demands that she be confirmed as a member of the church. Tensions rise between these two strong women over their religious disagreements throughout the novel. Finally, there is a tension between who Xiomara feels like she has to be, and who she wants to be. “My parents probably wanted a girl who would sit in the pew wearing pretty florals and a soft smile. They got combat boots and a moth silent until it’s sharp as an island machete” (Acevado, 2018, p. 8). She longs to be seen, known, and accepted. Not only because she is beautiful, but because she is a powerful. In her poetry she feels like she can be who she truly is, but her mother is unreceptive to her writing poems for much of the novel. The tension is palpable throughout the poems and come to a head in the narrative.

Personal Response

As a parent, I struggled with Xiomara’s mother, Altagracia. Altagracia rules her home in such a totalitarian fashion that her children are suffocated and cannot express the people they are becoming. While I think that instilling moral values and character traits is very important, it is also important to me that my children feel like I am a safe person to talk to. When they are struggling or trying to figure out who they are and the path they want to take, I hope to have created a culture within our family that encourages dialogue and understanding. Xiomara and Twin are terrified of their mother. This was heartbreaking to me. Your mother should be a figure of ultimate comfort, not fear. One of the things that The Poet X touched on is the way that women are expected to react to male advances. No matter what Xiomara wears, her curvy frame attracts attention from the men in her neighborhood. It makes her feel uncomfortable and disrespected. With the Me Too movement, women are beginning to feel like they can speak out against unwanted male attention. For a long time, women were expected to accept flattery from men, wanted or not. This novel portrays, from a first-person perspective, just how uncomfortable that attention makes Xiomara. For me, she embodied this movement perfectly. I hope that male readers will read about how it makes women feel objectified and cheap; and ultimately changes their behavior. I was completely glued to this novel. I finished it in less than 24 hours. The characters and the writing were so profound and beautiful. It’s easy to see why this novel has garnered so much attention. It was one of the best books I have read this year.

Conclusion

The Poet X is a personal and beautiful portrayal of a young girl coming of age in the modern world. Struggling with who she feels she must be, and who she wants to become. Xiomara’s character is richly and intimately developed throughout the narrative. This verse novel is appropriate for high school readers. There are mild sexual references that may be inappropriate for younger readers. Expertly written and impactful, I am anxious to read more from this promising new author.

APA Citation

Acevado, E. (2018). The Poet X. New York: Harper Teen.