Juj's Reviews

More than a carefully stylized collection of poetry, Finna is an embodiment of Nate Marshall’s world, which is family and Chicago; which is language and Black life. With lyrical precision, sweet slang, and cunning rhythm, Marshall acknowledges the violence imposed on Black and Brown bodies; the cultural elements that promote spiritual fortitude; and the opportunity to embrace the future as a space of beautiful possibility. His work is a testament to the people who have inspired it, and as Marshall writes, “our people deserve / poetry without meter. we deserve our / own jagged rhythm & our own uneven / walk towards sun.” These poems demand mourning, deep reckoning, and wonderful celebration. Read them. — Juj

This book is a remarkable and historic achievement for us all. Paola Ramos, host of VICE’s Latin-X, has journeyed across the United States to examine the full range of those included in the controversial term “Latinx.” With a collection of intimate interviews and portraits, Ramos demonstrates Latinx as not only belonging to scenes of immigration and assimilitude, but also as being indigenous, black, trans, queer, and so much more. For those committed to human rights and social change, this book is an essential text in understanding both the diverse experiences of the Latinx population and the challenges we face collectively as a nation. — Juj

Twenty years after his mother’s disappearance, a man broods over the many catastrophes of his life, attempting to fill a cavernous void. We are invited down memory lane in pursuit of one day leaving the bedroom of the afflicted protagonist. Strange and inviting, with strong wit, tender curiosity, and a few dark twists, Ramifications is a novel of self-reflection and the process of healing. — Juj