Poetry Review: “Unfollowing You” by K. Kapoor

Title: Unfollowing You

Author: Komal Kapoor

Genre: Poetry

Length: 176 Pages

Publisher: McMeel

Release Date: February 5, 2019

My Review:

Unfollowing You was a delightfully fun romp that explored what it feels like to fall in love in today’s society. Kapoor uses text messages, social media posts, and micro poems to vividly bring to life what it feels like to fall in love through a phone screen. In our world heavily laden with social media, the image we project is much more alluring than reality of who a person is in real life.

Kapoor tells a universal story that is updated for a modern audience: What happens when a deeply introspective woman falls in love with a playboy? The feelings are ageless but the telling of the tale is distinctly modern.

Anyone who has fallen in love within the last five years will know what it means to create a joint a Netflix account with one’s beloved. Modern readers can all identify with the heartbreak of an unanswered text message with a “read” receipt.

This book captures the hilarious and at times heartbreaking moments we all experience in today’s world of dating. I can personally attest to the unique anguish of how it feels when he won’t return your return texts but you see him active on Instagram. Kapoor captures that feeling perfectly.

Kapoor also captures what it actually feels like to move on after experiencing such an ill fated love. Her poetry collection shows a deep understanding of the myriad of minefields that plague modern relationships; nevertheless, she remains hopeful.

I heartily recommend Unfollowing You to anyone who enjoys unique forms of poetry and diverse books. If you’ve ever creeped on a crush’s Instagram feed, Kapoor’s work will resonate with you.

Thank You, Andrews McMeel Publishing!

I would like to take a moment to commend Andrews McMeel publishing for the wonderful work that they have been doing by bringing diverse poets to the forefront of the reading public’s awareness.

I started blogging about three months ago in order to develop my platform as an author and to connect with other book lovers. One of the delights of blogging has been the fact that publishers now allow me access to free advanced reader copies of books in exchange for my honest reviews. In the past, I have spent a great deal of money on books (especially poetry) and I’m only too delighted to participate in this exchange.

I was immediately drawn to the books released by McMeel because I absolutely love poetry; furthermore, as a female of minority descent with a disability, I am particularly hungry to read the work of poets from the Own Voices movement.

The Western literary canon is heavily dominated by people who are white. For years I have asked myself, “What would the art of poetry become if we allowed people from the margins to have a voice/”

McMeel is exploring the answer to that very question. Along with Unfollowing You, McMeel has has published many diverse books including, Love Looks Pretty on You by Lang Leav and You are Here by Dawn Lanuza (click the links to see my reviews).

Although I realize that taste is entirely subjective, I have yet to pick up a book of poetry from McMeel that I haven’t enjoyed. Thank you, McMeel, for sponsoring the unique and beautiful brand of poetry that comes to us only when we listen to the margins.

*Please note: I received a free digital advanced reader copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.