Why do you write? Do you write to release the tension in your soul, to make sense of how you feel, to rationalize your beliefs?  Poetry is said to be the words of the soul, many like you and I write simply because it is asked of us. 

Elizabeth Acevedo’s Poet X tackles some of these questions. The book is banned from the shelves of some schools for its views on how one’s religion can cause more harm than good. Controversial to many who see the benefits of religion, Poet X questions in her writing the beliefs in the religion she follows.

Xiomara Alfaro (the fictional character writing the poems) explores how her parents and family abuse their power and position and force her to believe in the family’s religious practices. The book follows the path she takes to discovering herself, from feeling as though she is wrong for questioning her authority figures to dating her lab partner Aman.

This book shows that it’s okay and healthy to question one’s life as well as how your family affects your life. The book inspires the reader to search more to form their own beliefs and lifestyle.

The novel can be seen as overtly “anti-Christian.” Readers can see the impact that religion has on how people live and think about the world around them. Though I slightly agree that it could be considered to be too heavily anti-religion, a second read will show that it simply wishes to make the reader ask themselves where their thoughts come from.

I think anyone who likes reading should give it a try, who knows you might just find out more about yourself.