Thank you so much to the author for the gifted eARC! This one is out in the US on September 10th, 2024 from Hub City Press. 

The Girl Who Became a Rabbit by Emilie Menzel is an evocative meditation on the unruly, mutable nature of bodies and the ways they refuse to adhere to neat definitions. In this lyric poem, Menzel expertly captures the sensation of being tethered to a body that transforms in unexpected ways, often against one’s will. This is a work that pulses with the tension between the desire to control the body and the reality of its chaotic autonomy.

What struck me most about The Girl Who Became a Rabbit is Menzel’s deft exploration of the body as both a site of transformation and an emotional landscape. The imagery of bodies that fold in on themselves, that spit things out only to swallow them back, creates a visceral sense of discomfort and fascination. The bodies in this poem are in constant flux, a reflection of Menzel’s larger themes about the futility of trying to impose order on the disorderliness of physical existence. It’s a haunting depiction of the ways in which bodies refuse to be static, and Menzel’s language embodies that same fluidity.

Menzel’s lyricism is as fragmented as it is intimate. The poem unfolds in a stream-of-consciousness style that mirrors the non-linear, dreamlike way we experience our own bodies. Her metaphors are dense and abstract, yet they cut to the core of deeply familiar emotions: the desire for home, the yearning to make sense of one's self, and the longing for connection amidst the chaos of embodiment. Menzel's writing blurs the lines between the physical and emotional, weaving vulnerability into the very fabric of her language.

Underlying this poem is a profound meditation on the body as both earth and home. Menzel asks whether the body can serve as a refuge, exploring how our physical forms shape our identities and whether they can offer the solace of stability. Yet, the ever-changing nature of the body in this poem suggests that home, much like identity, is elusive—an idea that feels especially poignant for those of us who struggle to find grounding within our own skin.

This book, while brief, is an immersive, almost otherworldly experience. It reads like a modern-day fairytale—a reimagining of what a body can be, how it can transform, and what it means to live within one. Menzel’s ability to navigate themes of trauma, grief, and alienation through such lush, lyric language is nothing short of brilliant. The Girl Who Became a Rabbit leaves an indelible mark, raising profound questions about the limits and possibilities of the body. I can’t wait to see what Menzel does next!

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy fragmented, poetic prose, those intrigued by the body as a site of transformation, anyone interested in deeply introspective explorations of identity, and fans of Bluets by Maggie Nelson.

🔑 Key Themes: Bodily Autonomy and Chaos, Transformation and Grief, Home and Belonging, Alienation and Connection, Trauma and Healing.