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SocialBookCo User Reviews

Eline Van der Gucht on 22 Oct 2016
“I was never into poetry. I don't think I've ever ready a poetry collection before this year. Look at me know, I just read my second poetry collection of the year. And I liked it. How can I not? Rupi Kaur's milk & honey is raw. It's soothing. And refreshing. It's feminine and feminist. It's also a book I'd love to give to friends. Or people with broken hearts.

It's all BookTuber & author Jen Campbell's fault I got interested into poetry. Not that it's a bad thing. I read Ted Hughes' Crow because of this, which was a five star read. It's also on Jen's Booktube channel I first heard about Rupi Kaur's milk & honey. I can't recall what she said about it, but the name of the book stuck in my head. It was on my wishlist for a couple of months and when SocialBookCo asked me if I wanted to review a book for them, I quickly picked this one from their list. So, now that we have established that I'm not a poetry buff and that, if you really are into poetry, my opinion isn't worth much. But if you aren't into poetry and want to test the waters, this one might be for you.

i'm losing parts of you like i lose eyelashes
unknowingly and everywhere

milk & honey wasn't what I thought it was going to be. With its 200 pages it was already longer than I thought it was going to be. I didn't read anything about the book beforehand, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover it's about love. And about breaking up and piecing yourself back together afterwards. And about feminism. It's a raw poetry collection, with poems like loose thoughts (don't expect rhyme). Sometimes they're soft, sometimes they lash out. Another nice surprise were the illustrations that are scattered through the book.

i don't know why
i split myself open
for others knowing
sewing myself up
hurts this much
afterward

The collection consists of four parts: the first part is raw & hard, it's called "the hurting". It deals with earlier men in the author's life. The second part, "the loving", and the third part, "the breaking" read like you're going through a relationship. While the second part is mostly sweet, the third part is painful. In the fourth part, "the healing" the poet talks about more than just healing your heart, but also about loving yourself. It sometimes felt a bit like reading motivational quotes on Pinterest, but in a less hollowed out way. I could also feel the fierceness and the anger in her poetry (through all four parts), which I really liked.

you deserve to be
completely found
in your surroundings
not lost within them

As I said in the beginning of this post: I really loved reading milk & honey. It was a very pleasant discovery. The content was so strong I won't wait long before rereading. And if you're looking for a gift for strong and/or heartbroken women in your life I wouldn't hesitate giving milk & honey.”

Petra Pavlikova on 12 Sep 2016
“This book is divided into four parts. The first is rather devastating and the third is quite sad. But the second part and the last one leave you with hope, determination and an overall good feeling.

Though (thank gods) I haven't experienced many of the bad things the author talks about, these poems still made me emotional. I was upset and angry. I felt hopeless and helpless. But the good parts make you feel hopeful again. Here is one of the poems.

Kaur deals with painful (and important) topics and she does so in a very open and raw way. It might not be easy to read this book, but sometimes the best way to deal with difficulties in our lives is simply to face them. To acknowledge and open the wound and let it bleed, because only then there is a chance for healing.

This was a powerful read that without shame and with honest determination touched upon many things people usually prefer to ignore. I love this book for that.”

Nicole Platania on 28 Sep 2016
“Milk and Honey is a collection of poetry about survival. It's that visceral deep down survival we must face when completely, devastatingly, heartbroken. It can manifest during the violent abuse of a lover or a family member. It is most vitally about being a woman.

If you haven't heard of her, Rupi Kaur grew up in Canada after immigrating from India at an early age. She started sharing her poetry through social media sites like Tumblr and Instagram. She is also a photographer and artist. Milk and Honey is her first collection.

Milk and Honey gets under your skin, digs into your soul, burrows into your bones, sets up camp in your brain. It's not just for women. Anyone with an open mind could read this book and drink in the lessons. It is a revelation of inner demons we face and how we deal with our pain. Or don't deal with it. Kaur reminds us that we as women control our bodies, our image, our selves. We do not need to be, say, or do whatever society tells us. We grow through our pain, love, despair, happiness, and sadness.

One of my favorite lines is from Wilting:

I don't know why
I split myself open
for others knowing
sewing myself up
hurts this much
afterward.

How many times I have felt this. I have lost count. It is hard to avoid opening up to someone when you feel like they can fill an emptiness. We can never avoid the needle and thread.

I'd suggest this book to anyone who needs to heal or cry or rage. It is not only filled with poetry and prose but images that are severe in their simplicity. Kaur is an inspiration for WOC first off but also for women everywhere. It is the most unforgettable books I've ever read.”