Book Review: Homewrecker by Jennifer Juan

I don’t tend to read poetry often. I used to think it was because I didn’t like poetry but now I’m considering the fact that I just haven’t found the right poets. Up until this point, the only poet I could truly say I enjoyed was Emily Dickinson. This is about to change…

Homewrecker by Jennifer Juan is a collection of poems that explores current affairs, extramarital affairs, and more innocent affairs of the heart.  The poems touch on the deadly sins of lust, pride, envy, sloth, wrath, greed and gluttony.

Admittedly, I wasn’t 100% sure I would feel a personal connection with Juan’s poems having read the Goodreads blurb. I was wrong. There were several poems in Homewrecker that touched me. The standout poem for me was “Telescope”, which I feel is perfect for those who are feeling down and would like to hide away but would also like someone to understand their pain.

If you don’t relate personally to the poems in Homewrecker, you might find a poem that will offer some words of comfort to a friend. Then there are the poems that remind you of someone in general, not necessarily a close friend or family member. Read “Women Who Work (Really Hard at Pretending to be Allies)” and tell me who pops into your head.

In general, Juan’s poems are short and easy to read. I finished the collection in less than an hour, but a couple of the verses will stick with me for a long time. Juan just has a beautiful way of describing feelings. Her imagery is stunning yet she uses simple wording, which allows her work to appeal to a much wider audience.

I’m happy to now have two people on my list of poets I like. I’m looking forward to checking out Juan’s other collections. In the meantime, I will be recommending Homewrecker to anyone I can.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.