Absolutely stunning, vivid poetry — razor sharp storytelling through each poem will leave you in awe of the way Long wields her pen.

This collection is as absolutely beautiful as it absolutely heartbreaking. The writing is romantic and relatable and it's just everything you need to tell or be told.

I liked this collection. Rachel Long has a clear and distinctive voice. That being said, there were three poems that I felt were violent in their content. I enjoyed the form and the language (to a certain extent) but feel as though their inclusion took away from the rest of the book.

These poems were Red Roof, Hotel Art, Barcelona, and Helena. As these poems deal with sexual experimentation(?) between the writer, a child two years older than the other subject of the poem, a discussion of race and a somewhat violent feeling sex scene between the writer and a much older man, and a friend recounting what sounded (at least to me) like sexual assault. The lack of restraint in these three poems only as they drop pretty heavy topics in-between the others felt disjointed. I tried to pay attention to the others following but the darkness of these stuck with me until now, as I write this review.

I loved the short poems with the same title throughout the collection. I would have liked to see them in the last section as well. They were incredibly striking visuals on their own, and more powerful upon a reread. I think this is a strong debut collection. I wish it felt just a tiny bit more cohesive. I will read whatever else Rachel Long writes in the future without hesitation.

Absolutely breathtaking. Rachel Long astounds the senses with My Darling from the Lions, a poetry collection that will leave you breathless, weeping and begging for more. Long is the kind of poetry we need today but I’m not sure what we’ve done to deserve her.

My Darling from the Lions by Rachel Long is a powerful collection of poems. The author explores childhood trauma, her culture, and her relationship with her mother, and paints a unique perspective the more you read. Recommended!