Milk and Honey- Review

“Milk and Honey” was published in 2015, and was put on the New York Times Bestseller list for twenty-five consecutive weeks, and has also received high praises from well-known YouTubers and celebrities. This book is a collection of poems with illustrations that were written and drawn by Rupi Kaur, a contemporary Canadian feminist poet.

The poems are split into four chapters: the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and the healing. Each chapter serves a different purpose with poems dedicated to that specific topic and the emotions felt. The hurting explores childhood pain, issues concerning abandonment, and thoughts concerning unwanted sexual relations. The loving illustrates the passion found within a relationship that is drawn towards affection and understanding. The breaking concerns the emotions felt after one has went through heartbreak. Then finally, the healing reveals how you can mend from losing yourself. This book reflects a deeper meaning into the way life is seen and it would be in the reader’s best interest if they would not rush to finish it. The mistake wouldn’t be how the book is written but in the way the reader interprets the poems. So since everyone is different, they would take something of his or her own out of the meaning in the words presented in the poem. But one of the greatest features about these poems is that they are incredibly comprehendible.

There is also variety in the lengths of the poem, some are two pages and some are only two lines. However, the length does not matter, because what truly matters is the meaning behind the poem. The amazing part about about Rupi Kaur’s writing is that she can give so much meaning in such a few lines. Her poems have a sense of familiarity that welcomes the reader inside, and offers them a cup of tea. The audience pool definitely has variety, and her writing appeals to all of them no matter their background or personal experiences. The topics contained in her poems are general enough so that the reader will understand the concept but detailed enough for it to be relatable and to make the reader feel like the poem was made just for them.

Another applaudable aspect of this book are the illustrations that are very peculiar but also intriguing. Most would look at the illustrations as a distraction, but they more so serve as the exact opposite. The illustrations are very simplistic and rather instead of taking the attention away from the poems, they are able to capture the mood of the poems and complements them.

Overall, “Milk and Honey” has a very pleasing aesthetic, and allows the readers to engage in their emotions through the beauty of the words presented. By allowing readers to see through her eyes, Rupi Kaur has opened many of our own eyes to the wondrous journey of love. And because of the memorizing words of her poems and the impactful evoked emotions, Milk and Honey gets an A+.