Citizen was a good read that got me out of a reading slump where I've felt demotivated for a while. It made me think, it helped me understand and it kept me engaged. I often choose books that are set in different worlds and different lands, this was very much grounded in our world but in places we wish didn't exists.

Citizen by Claudia Rankine is a selection of prose poetry about racism and being black in America. Many of the poems are written in the first person which does give me the impression that those people who racism affects the most have had the chance to contribute towards this poetry. It looks at how people may feeling either when they are in a situation where most people are white or in a situation when they are being racially abused.

I like this book because it highlights a big issue which does not only take place in America but around the world. Racism shouldn't be happening because regardless of your skin colour you are still a human, still a person. I have met a few black people and they have all been lovely so why judge someone on appearance? This poetry also makes the reader think how they would feel if they looked different as we are introduced to how many black people feel.

The one thing I disliked about this book was how it did not make any sense and the plot was not easily understandable. You could pick up the themes of the text but I personally failed to pick up the details of the plot, I only know about the different scenes which are all an example of being different and racism. The reason I was unable to pick up the details of the plot were because the writer kept changing the plot with no warning or reason.

Altogether, I rate this book 3 stars because it is an alright book about a very important issue but the plot is hard to pick up meaning you are just reading words and this takes away some of the enjoyment of reading this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin books for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy of the book in return of an honest book review.

This book was emotional, important, timely. The author wrote with brutal honesty, sharing stories illustrating just some of the racial aggressions that are wrongly still happening to this day. How, with how far the world has advanced, are these things still happening? Why do people treat people differently because of their skin colour? 

I loved the writing style. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but the subject matter is what’s important here. Although not an easy read, the writing was fresh, emotional and hypnotic. 

Everyone should read this book. Read it and learn. Read it and do better to make the world a better place for people of colour.

Rankine provides an amalgam between prose/essay and poetry in an acutely sincere collection, without shying away but through placing the topic of race at the core of the poems, a topic that truly needs to be addressed and keep on being addressed.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Reading this book in 2020 after everything that’s happened since it was published it was quite an experience. I love this author and her works, but now it feels even more necessary. I don’t know if I would call these essays, poems, lyrics, but her writing is both I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Reading this book in 2020 after everything that’s happened since it was published it was quite an experience. I love this author and her works, but now it feels even more necessary. I don’t know if I would call these essays, poems, lyrics, but her writing is somehow so raw and honest it is both beautiful and ugly. Necessary and well recommended