This was an interesting if not sometimes depressing book of poems about the world we currently live in. Some poems had a lot more substance than others, but the art style is what really stood out.

I have followed Madeliene’s work on Instagram for a really long time and to be abel to read her book is truly a delight. I have loved their work so much (even signed up for their newsletter waaaay too early to get a free print) and genuinely loved that this book explores climate crisis through their stunning visuals.

Madeleine’s work at a glance seems simple but truly is the visual poetry the book says it is. The book's illustrations / visual poems talk about various aspects of the climate crisis. In a way, these simple but poignant illustrations make you focus on the book's message rather than getting lost in the illustrations.

I love how they talk about humans being together, how they draw different skies, and especially how a book has once again captivated me and will stay with me for a very long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an ARC!

Thanks Netgalley for a copy of this!
I think this one is just not for me. While I love, love the art style and how it flows intrigues me, I just didn't get the connection between the introduction to the succeeding pages talking about global warming. And I think that took me off and left me quite a bit confused for the rest of the pages. Find it quite ironic to notice the amount of pages of purely illustrations in a global warming book.

This book was just not for me. I didn't get the premise of wasting so many pages on the same pictures over and over again and some just black boxes pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have been trying to hold on to
That taut thread
Between past and future

I have been praying for
Relief

You are a sacred place is a graphic novel that seemlessly blends art and poetry together to convey a message of hope, loss, love and a need to help one another and the world around us. The main theme surrounds climate change and the hopelessness and despair people feel around their perceived inability to change things... Whilst instilling hope and optimism for the future.

People are places
And you are
A sacred place

The art style is truly beautiful. The dichotomy of the soft pastels contrasted against some of the harsher colours and illustrations, alongside the poetry evoked such raw emotions from me.

I am preparing for a future that stretches and tears
But trees with roots that knit together beneath the earth
Survive the biggest storms

I would truly recommend this book to anyone interested in enviromentalism and activism. Even those new to those worlds. Books like this are so important and make me have a little more faith in humanity.

I've been suffering from the news about the climate for some time, and this work has really helped me - the book really makes you think that nothing is lost and that it really is up to us. I really hope we have the strength that Madeleine talks about in her beautiful poetry.

"You are a sacred place" was such a nice and meaningful set of poems and illustrations that really makes you think about climate change and the world in general. I love how the illustrations are minimalist, but somehow pack such a punch when put together with the poems.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested and received this book from NetGalley.
"You are a Sacred Place" is minimalistic yet powerful book of art and poetry. I wish I had the strong sense of hope for the future that the author, Madeleine Jubilee Saito, exhibits in her work. Honestly she's given me a bit more faith in humanity just by publishing this book.

"People are places
And you are
A sacred place"

You Are a Sacred Place is a beautiful combination of art and poetry. There is a sort of rhythm to be found in Saito's union of pictures and text. A lapping of waves, an ebb and flow, a symmetry and a cadence. Which makes this work feel like a wholly unique expression of artistry.

The narrow colour palate shows us Saito's vision. Soft pastels contrast, but also occasionally mix with black and grey tones. Giving us the impression that while some ideas might be at odds, we can unite as a people to work towards solving this problem together.

"Can you imagine all of us
Trusting each other
Working together
For our common home?"

Saito strikes a perfect balance between not shying away from the darker sides of climate change, while instilling a need for action and optimism for the future.

I would recommend You Are a Sacred Place to people who love art, poetry, and environmentalism or activism. Even people new to environmentalism, because I believe it has the power to create a whole new generation of activists. This book will make a great present and coffee table book.

"Enough of disruption and extraction -
How beautiful, the quiet work of maintenance"

I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the poems are meaningful. Really makes you think about global warming and climate change, and how we should join forces and work together to protect our only home.

I really liked this one, the colours are so good. I think the writing is not as good and the drawings and page composition, but it was a nice read.

This book is about poems talking about global warming, the pictures are really interesting and the poems go with the images.

A beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel that is touching in a very real life way, in a time in the world so full of dark news this is a little bit of tangable hope.
I'll defiently be buying a copy of this for a family member.

Just beautiful.