Stunning.

I’ve been reading David Gate’s words online for a long time now, so I had high hopes for this book. And somehow it was even better than I expected. This book is a beautifully organized brilliant collection of his words/stories/experiences. This writing is what the world needs. It's beautiful and complex. It gives words to pain and somehow also comforts. I thought it would be a book of poetry only, but was pleasantly surprised to find essays to go with the poetry.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you, Convergent Books, for granting me access to this book for review through NetGalley! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As the piece ‘What Hobby Lobby Won’t Tell You’ boldly conveys - life comes in seasons.

In “A Rebellion of Care” Gate’s poetry weaves a rich tapestry of connection between our bodies and identities, friends and family, society and political structures, seasons and nature, and faith and spirituality. Gates touches upon these themes with equal lightness and weight - a strong balance between humor and a call to action for a different way of existing in the world.

The pieces showcase melody, vivid imagery, clever wordplay, and innovative form. Even for those who may diverge in faith, experiences, and personal familiarity with some of the themes presented by Gate, there are meaningful messages that connect readers through the feeling of shared humanity in an increasingly distant world.

Absolutely beautiful!
I smiled, I laughed, I cried.
It's incredibly raw, honest & thought provoking!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read these wonderful words.

⭐⭐✨- 2.5 Stars [DNF at 41 percent]

Thank you to the publisher for the pre release copy!!!

I feel so horrible every time I give a book a review below 3 stars, because I know the amount of dedication and hard work goes into writing a book. I loved the sentiment behind these works, however I feel that they were expressed in a manner which was quite abstract and utilised strange metaphors.
I feel that there were a few stand out poems within this collection, which include:
- 360 degrees
-I told the peonies about you
- The variable
- The Human becoming [essay]

I think that the author has many very good ideas to share, however I feel that poetry is not the correct medium to express these ideas in. I really do like Gate's philosophy and thought process, but I feel that such positive qualities became obscured by the abstract style in which it is written.

Thanks, Netgalley for this eARC.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but I DEVOURED this in a single afternoon.
A lot of the themes and subject matter were relatable, though there were some things I didn't connect with personally.
Reading this felt like having a deep and meaningful with an old friend, it was raw and honest but had a sprinkling of humour in between the heaviness.

4.25⭐️

[a copy of this book was provided to me by the published from netgalley. thank you!]


really enjoyed this collection of poetry & prose, beautiful writing and addresses important themes of friendship, love & belonging