Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for an ARC of They Will Tell You The World is Yours.

These poetic vignettes of growing up through the authors eyes were profound and touching. Some essays spoke to me so personally that they felt as if they were written just for me, while others were less relatable. A lot this felt like a book written from a parent to a child, and for me, I think that's where the disconnect was, as a woman in mid 30s, I just haven't gotten to that point in life, and couldn't relate to the latter half of the insights just yet. One day.

Then there are the illustrations that are scattered throughout, adding a delicate atmosphere to the book. Which are just lovely and add just enough whimsy to the book.

I really enjoyed how each poem started off with the same two words over and over again, "they will..." then it either went from "they will tell you..." "they will not tell you...", "they will give you...", etc. It was a clever way of bringing the whole book together!

I'm not usually a huge fan of poetry and I think the formatting of the e-ARC hurt this one, but I really wasn't a fan. I tried to get into the story, but it just didn't happen.

This unique collection of poetic essays, described by the author as vignettes, is divided into five sections. These sections follow the phases of life, beginning with birth and continuing through death, highlighting pivotal developmental moments for the narrator, such as marriage and motherhood. Beautiful fine-line cross-hatching illustrations are scattered throughout, adding a delicate atmosphere to the book.

Each vignette begins with the phrase “they will tell you” or a slight variation, then explores what these teachings truly mean or reveal from the author's perspective. The distinctive essay style masterfully crafts individual stories that collectively form a timeline of a person’s life.

Some essays spoke to me so personally that they felt as if they were written just for me, while others were less relatable—which I think is fair for any poetry collection. There is an element of spiritual discovery, though it is subtle and open-ended, making it applicable across a spectrum from mainstream religion to esoteric mysticism. Overall, this was a beautiful collection with deeply resonating pieces.

Writing: 4.5/5
My Enjoyment: 4.5/5

Review posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Tome & will post on Amazon when available.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!

I’m sorry to say that while this is normally a genre that I read a lot of, this just fell really flat. Like bored me to tears flat

They Will Tell You the World Is Yours is a life affirming collection of vignettes to help soothe the soul. Each tale is another stepping stone to ruminate on and consider its message. Anna Mitchael writes in an accessible, vibrant manner that makes the book a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Anna Mitchael for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying I absolutely love the title and the cover, it instantly sold me.
As someone hugely into poetry and feminism I thought this would be very for me.

Sadly it just didn't hit the mark, I tried and persevered to connect with the writing and whilst it wasn't bad at all it just wasn't for me.

I hope to try a different book of hers in the future, thanks again.

Beginning at birth and ending in old age, the poetic vignettes in "They Will Tell You the World is Yours" explores the messages we grow up hearing, versus the truth of our experiences. In each page, Mitchael prompts the reader to recall what "they will tell you", followed by pages of messages, statements, and stereotypes many people grow up hearing and expecting throughout their lives. Mitchael then goes on to describe in a poetic fashion how these messages are not necessarily standard, and in all actuality, your lived experience may differ significantly. This book of "poetry" is written more in paragraph style - each page is a new vignette with a new title, but it is not written in verse like a typical poem; instead, it has typical sentence structure and is written as a large paragraph. I wanted to point this out in the case that you are a reader who feels strongly about this when picking up a book of poetry or verse!

I found some passages of this book to be personable and touching; however, I also found many portions to be dry and hard to get through for me personally. One vignette in particular that I enjoyed was "Daisy Pickers" in Section 3. I also found the second half of the book to be more compelling for me personally than the first half. That being said, this is clearly a personal narrative from the author's own perspective, so it will not necessarily touch every reader in the same way that it touches the author, and I am always appreciative of a writer who is vulnerable enough to publish works so personal to them! Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Seeing a blurb from Joanna Gaines on the book sold me instantly on wanting to read it. I love to learn from people who have inspired or been inspired by people I already admire. I already value their opinion or agree with some part of their worldview, so, while I’m not usually the biggest reader of poetry or essays, I knew I would enjoy this one.

“They Will Tell You the World Is Yours” is broken up into five sections: growing up, stepping out, no net, cracks in the grass, and the heartsong. It kicks off with an author’s note where Anna describes how sick and tired she was of being sick and tired with how the world was, and as a Millennial, let me tell you, I FELT THAT! We were sold the dream of “do everything right” and the world will literally be yours, and that hasn’t materialized for so many of us because our entire lifetimes have been nothing but the world constantly being turned upside down.

This book is filled with beautiful writing, almost like an empathetic conversation with a great friend, and relatable self-reflections. While I couldn’t truly relate to the later parts of the book that speak on motherhood (I’m not a parent yet), I still thought they were beautiful and even recommended the book to my cousin. Great read all around.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a review copy of #TheyWillTellYouTheWorldIsYours. All feedback is my unbiased opinion, not paid, and simply for the love of books.

Thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read this. This one was not for me, unfortunately. Many of the phrases that I think were meant to be poetic, fell short for me. I just didn't really get it. "They will tell you beer makes you feel how you should feel without beer."
I've been ruminating on some of the passages, really trying to dig deep and determine their meaning, and I've got nothing.

A look at growing up through the authors eyes.
I feel like I would have appreciated this book more if I was a parent? It felt kind of like a love letter to their child while telling their story of growth.
That being said, there are parts that are relatable to everyone, not just parents.
Thanks for the ARC!

I absolutely adored the experience of reading this book. I think the author was very thoughtful of the layout which adding to a very sweet vibe.

Do you find yourself in need some uplifting essays? Check out They Will Tell You the World is Yours by Anna Mitchell. It is just what the world needs now.

This book just wasn't for me because of the way it was written (almost in short paragraphs rather than poetry) but you should definitely read it if you like that writing style and enjoy reading uplifting words about life

Short pieces that come together to tell the story of a young woman. Brilliant! I enjoyed how this was developed and the writing is exquisite. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I did enjoy the path these poems led me down. Interesting perspective to life coming full circle. Give this a read.

I really enjoyed this book. The chapters were short and easy to read, and the authors perspective, insight, and imagery were thought-provoking and refreshing. I've never read the author before, but I will now. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC. Loved this one!

There were parts of this book that I found interesting, especially the commentary around motherhood. However, I did tire of the form quite quickly and it dragged on for me. But the conclusion was really beautiful. I just think the middle part could’ve been a bit shorter, personally. That’s probably just a matter of taste!

Thank you so much for this e-ARC!

Reading this book is like talking with a friend.
Some passages are more emotional than others.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Anna Mitchael’s, They Will Tell You the World Is Yours, is the kind of book that feels like a warm conversation with someone who just gets it. I devoured every page, feeling unexpectedly comforted.

As a girl in her twenties figuring out life, I found comfort in her words. This book is a reminder that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. It’s okay to feel lost, to rebel a little, and to carve out your own path. Mitchael’s words will stay with me for a long time.