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Jenny Xie shines in this brilliant, pensive, meditative collection. Each poem challenges the reader to question their perspectives on time, place, and the self. Xie writes of her travels, particularly about feeling out of place in various cultures and locations. As an immigrant to the United States, she shares how difficult and "ill-fitting" assimilation is. Xie also imparts wisdom that she learned from Buddhist practices, including living in the present, while acknowledging that it is no easy feat to let go of the weight of the past. Throughout the collection, she observes different cultures, people, and locations while pondering the self and its connection to it all.

While I don't believe I will fully grasp this work until giving it several more reads, Xie's honest ponderings about life, loneliness, and even mental health issues like depression were searing and life-changing. They made me feel not alone.

Favorite poems: Naturalization, Visual Orders, and Ongoing (but you should certainly read the entire collection)