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Dub

"Dub: Finding Ceremony takes inspiration from theorist Sylvia Wynter, dub poetry, and ocean life to offer a catalog of possible methods for remembering, healing, listening, and living otherwise." 

Although I have finished reading the final instalment in Alexis Pauline Gumbs' trilogy, I keep referring back to the synopsis for help explaining the experience. At first glance, tackling theory and Black history in one poetry collection sounds like an impossible goal, but Gumbs does so flawlessly and effortlessly.

Dub

The thing I love about Gumbs' work is that only she could have written this book; no one else could have accomplished such storytelling in this format. Reading Dub is truly a journey, as it starts off slow and steady, with the pace and tempo increasing with every turn of the page. The story Gumbs' painted was amazingly vivid, and the history she chose to relate also becomes personal, which added to the beauty of the narrative. 

While reading this book, I cannot deny that I felt a variety of emotions. Most of the time I felt exposed, raw, but the concluding words definitely helped me find healing in an unexpected but welcome way. 

This book was an absolutely flawless page turner, and it should come as no surprise that I see it as a 5 star read...I definitely need to go back and read Spill, the first of the trilogy.

What other poetry should I be reading? To share your thoughts, questions or review requests, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

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