A really touching poetry collection. I resonated with some, but felt like there was more the author wanted to say. The art really brought the poetry to life, especially for solely visual segments. The crushing feeling of isolation and helplessness brought on by the climate crisis really came across but it left me wanting more. Some of the artwork felt repetitive without purpose, while nice to look at I just felt like some lines of poetry were missing on some pages due to this. Overall it was a nice calming read, a well needed break from the noise we're constantly surrounded by.

You are a sacred place is an illustrated collection of poems that talks about the environment and the damage that is being done to it.

Here you will find divine illustrations, although some are without words, they manage to convey a lot. Madeleine speaks from her heart, concerned about the good of the environment.

I think it is a work that can be read by everyone since it seeks to give a global message.

I recommend it, but; However, if you are looking for something more inclined towards poems, I think this is not the reading for you. In this aspect I feel that it falls short, the message is there, the illustrations are beautiful but the poem is missing.

You Are A Sacred Place has a gorgeous art style as well as a beautiful message. I would recommend it to anyone who feels bad about the current state of the world.

The only thing that took me out of the reading experience is the religious side of the text which was fine and not that present but it was distracting to me nonetheless.

This book resonated very deeply with me. I have had a lot of climate related anxiety for a while now and while I have done a lot of work towards managing it, it is always present and often flares up during the next climate related disaster.

The illustrations are beautiful and resonant and the poetry itself is clear, commanding, and empathetic. There were a few different spreads where I found myself getting a little emotional. I will be purchasing this one to come back to during times when I need some reminding that yes, things are very bad, but as the author says "we are not the beginning and we will not be the end."

You are a sacred place. 4/5.

Review in english & avis en français plus bas.

Where do I even start ? One thing is for sure : that book has something special in it. Something different. It's impactful. So simple yet so essential. We need to talk about it. More. As human beings.

It's a really nice touch to have the trigger warnings at the beginning. Maybe don't read it when you're in deep dark place. Pay attention to the trigger warnings.

Also, it's a good thing I didn't read it during summer time or I would have, for sure, mentally broken down seriously.

You are a sacred place is a collection of such simple drawings and a few words splattered here and there, yet it is so so so impactful.
I love how that book is made. I love the graphic style, the chart, the rhythm of it. Soft, smooth colors. The wording. The layout of it. It's really simple. It clashes with the contrast of the strong message behind it.

I don't know how a book managed to make me feel that touched, and stirred something deep within me, with just a few words and colors. So simple, very effective.
It's sad. It's beautiful. It's honestly gut wrenching. Light and dark, pretty selection of words

There's silence. Heavy but important, crucial subjects. For humanity. And a glimpse of hope. Necessary hope.
Really loved the experience of reading it.

(I'll probably add more about it when the book is out)

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L'avis en français sera peut être répétitif mais aussi complémentaire sur certains points et aspects de ma découverte de cet ouvrage.

Ça a été une expérience de lecture vraiment hors du commun pour moi. Dès le début ça m'a impactée. C'est tellement vrai, profond, déchirant et humain. On apprécie les TW mentionnés au début. Ça a été vraiment touchant, et dur. Et ça va chercher quelque chose en nous.

J'ai vraiment adoré la pâte graphique. Le style si minimaliste mais qui dit et exprime beaucoup. La palette de couleurs : douces mais accueillantes, tristes et nostalgiques presque. Le choix des mots. C'est très simple. Le contraste avec la force du message.

J'adore comment le format de la page est organisé avec le découpage et le concept des quatre -- quatre parties, quatre saisons, quatre étapes d'un jour, la terre la mer le ciel et les étoiles. Comme les quatre vitres de verre d'une fenêtre qui a vue sur le monde, sur l'extérieur et sur soi ?

J'ai adoré comment le dessin joue avec ce format coupé en quatre, quand les mots et les dessins, coulent d'un cadre à l'autre, passe à travers et par dessus, par dessous. On a vraiment un fond et une forme.

Le seul bémol, qui fait que ce n'est pas un 5 étoiles, c'est le côté un peu trop ramené à la religion, pour moi. Car ça reste un message universel, avec ou sans cet aspect.


#YouAreaSacredPlace #NetGalley #bookmeawayreviews

An absolutely breathtaking collection of visual poetry. The use of the soft watercolor medium with contrasting dark dense textures adds a unique layer that feels so immersive. A little piece of hope and exactly what I needed in our current social and physical climate.

Thank you Andrews McMeel publishing & NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the first time I have read a book of visual poetry like this, which truly enhanced each poem's depth. Some didn't even need words to be impactful. The sentiment was beautiful, and this is a comforting, almost optimistic look at the climate crisis, which can be overwhelming to so many. I will be looking for more poetry from this author in the future.

A digital copy of this book does not do it justice. I think the art is lovely and the way Saito connects the earth, mental health, and her feelings are beautiful. I do have an issue with current poetry, as a Rupi Kaur stan, I think she set a precedent for short poetry that relies heavily on empty space. I wish each stanza had more. More words, more feeling, and more cadence.

You are a sacred place by madeleine jubilee saito is a heart wrenching collection of drawings that almost act as poetry. The words and the images go hand in hand, they need to be read together to make sense. The genius combination creates a piece of art.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This book was beautiful. The poems were hopeful and soothing. A reminder that things aren’t always as bleak as they feel. The artwork was muted and beautiful and told a visual story along with the poems. This book feels like a soft place to land when you’ve had a bad day. It’s a reminder that community and taking care of the environment is vital.

While I don’t know that I’d buy a copy, this book was a balm on the soul. I highly suggest reading it if the opportunity presents itself.

First of all, I cried during the entire duration of reading this, and I’m still crying while reviewing it.

This book is an absolute gift to everyone who has sat in despair over the state of the world in any recent years. The poetry cuts deeply to the biggest points on my mind: the hopeless despair of being alive through tragedy, pulling hope back in through nature and community, and the resilient determination of imagining a future where things heal. Believing unendingly that things can be healed.

The artwork was also a masterpiece. I loved the intentional usages of color, iconography (and how they transitioned between things showing the interconnectedness even more), and the gentle frames of nature and daily life.

I already have so many people in mind that I want to read this book, to feel its cathartic release and also comfort.

We are all lucky to have this piece by Madeleine Jubilee Saito.

This was a beautiful collection of illustrated poetry. I never seen poetry in this form before so I was quite pleased to be able to read it. The poetry book is a love letter to ourselves, the people we share this world with and the earth, the sun and the sky. While also being a letter of heartbreak and hurt. Heartbroken that we, the people have hurt the earth that gives us a home.

I love the visuals that go along with the poetry. There are numerous topics about life and the world we live in that give perspective to everything and everyone around us. The societal struggles and the personal demons we all share and can relate to, are given as art in both pictures and words.

Stunning work. I enjoyed this one.

#NetGalley #YouAreaSacredPlace

"You Are A Sacred Space" is a reminder to breathe, a love letter to abundance mindset, an understanding of the importance of maintenance work, and a meditation on grief. Shades of umber and grey guide us through these thoughts with accents of foliate greens. Madeleine Jubilee Saito asks us to imagine trusting each other, working together, and surviving together; if we can imagine we can make it reality. "We are living things in the family of living things. The place we belong is here." If we are going to care at all, we must relearn how to care about place. We are sacred spaces. This work is an absolutely exquisite visual representation of the world's interconnectedness and I highly recommend it.

You Are a Sacred Place is an emotional read that criticizes the oil industry and reflects on climate change. It is as hopeful as it is heartbreaking.

This book is like a bedtime story for adults. The sparse use of words makes a book that’s so cozy and comforting, while also offering political commentary. This would be a great book to have around and reread any time you feel particularly alone or struggle to envision a world that isn’t being drained of life by corporate greed.

"You Are a Sacred Place" is such an interesting and powerful read. It really makes you think about our relationship with the Earth and how important sustainability is—something a lot of us didn’t grow up focusing on. It’s sobering but also super inspiring, reminding us how special and connected everything really is.

An extremely soothing read culminating in a peaceful start to 2025. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The illustrations in this book are gorgeously rendered, simple yet heartbreakingly real and honest. Many people will relate to the anxiety, anger, and grief expressed in these pages, but also the hope, and the gratitude. I am not religious myself so I personally didn't connect with the mentions of God, but that was a minor factor and I'm sure other readers will appreciate how faith is explored here. Overall I thought this was beautiful, sad but incredibly poignant and prescient for our times. Reading this on my small phone screen I knew I wasn't getting the full experience, so I will definitely be checking out the published version as well once it comes out.

Written as a response to a loved one's suicidal thoughts, this book is a mesmerizing testament to how beautiful the world is, with us in it.

While the motives of God are mentioned a few times, which might not personally align with my view of the world, I really enjoyed the sentiment of the poems and the stunning illustrations that followed them.

I could relate to the themes being discussed and the poetic approach gave me hope and felt like a big hug in a sorrowful world.

This book is highly artistic and the paintings are a crucial part of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the art style, which was formatted in two-by-two boxes. The use of watercolor was top-notch, and I love how the artist manipulated different panels to make effects of smoke, light, and drops.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a ray of love and hope regarding the state of the environmental crisis.

Thanks to the NetGalley, author, and publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.