4.5 Stars. This is such an excellent memoir that gorgeously interweaves personal and communal/intergenerational trauma. I loved the 9-month structure, although I did ultimately wish for a bit more organization within the chapters (at multiple points, there was a bit of jumping around after mentions of pretty heavy and significant topics where I craved that she'd linger and dig in a bit deeper). There's a great deal of heavy content in this memoir, from war and government violence to infertility to addiction to sexual violence. But even still, Alyan finds hope and beauty. It's a powerful and truly unforgettable read.

Alyan has already proven herself to be an excellent writer of both poetry and prose and now she can add another format to her list of incredible talents: Prose nonfiction. Wow. This book blew me away. Although it is prose, it is still poetic. The memoir is written in many short vignettes, some as short as a sentence, but each one packs a powerful punch. I'm cutting out a page to frame in my daughter's room, if that's any indication of how wonderful this book is. Fans of her previous works will not be disappointed, and I hope this memoir brings her even more fans!