eindra lin’s Bookreads review of A Map of Rain Days

eindra lin’s Bookreads review of A Map of Rain Days

this is a seriously beautiful collection of fragile poems. the imagery in here is fantastic and hosein’s style and voice are so unique. these poems are like bruises in the way that it doesn’t hurt if you run over it lightly but the second you press in just a bit deeper the wound begins to sting. there is a real fragility and delicacy in the way hosein paints love and history and relationships and family. it feels so brutal but soft at the same time. i loveddd hosein’s imagery and metaphors it was so realistic yet intricately whimsical.

 

eindra lin’s Bookreads review of A Map of Rain Days

Padmaja Reddy’s Goodreads review of A Map of Rain Days

‘A Map of Rain Days’ by Jennifer Hosein narrates vivid experiences encompassing love, exile, romance and history. Her tone is powerful and bruised. Most of the poems in the First section are crafted ‘Mother’ as the central point. Those include ‘Heart’, ‘January’, ‘Breath’. Beautiful expressions like ‘Beloved Mother is a clipped-winged bird that floats around in lace’, ‘Walking down in corridors in mother’s bruised shoes’ charm the readers. Mother and daughter gift words to each other every day in ‘Waiting’. And the daughter has no place left to put the sorrow handed by the mother. Violence in love is painted so brilliant – ‘when your words knock me to the floor, I pick up the pieces and walk away.’ Love for mother and daughter as well as loss of a dear friend, American election, racism become central themes of certain poems. Jennifer’s style is affluent and sensuous.