Cannibal

by Safiya Sinclair
Cannibal cover
Good Books rating 4.5
Poetry
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  • ID: 2292
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • ISBN: 9780803295384
  • Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
  • Published: 2016-09-01
  • Formats: 7
  • Reviews: 3

Safiya Sinclair's Cannibal is a collection of poems that delve into themes of postcolonial identity, race relations in America, and the complexities of womanhood. Drawing on Jamaican history and personal experiences, Sinclair crafts a hybrid Eve/Caliban figure, symbolizing the tension between cultural heritage and contemporary displacement. Her work is both deeply personal and universally resonant, blending lyricism with provocative imagery. The poems in Cannibal are rich with metaphor and historical allusion, creating a multitextured exploration of exile, otherness, and the female body. Sinclair's language is both elegant and explosive, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths while offering moments of beauty and insight. This collection is a testament to the power of poetry to disorient, provoke, and transform.

Reviews
Fork and Page · 2017-08-06
impressive 4.75

The reviewer describes the collection as a 'lavish feast of language' that impressively spans from Jamaica to Virginia, showcasing the poet's mastery of language.

The reviewer is deeply impressed by the collection, calling it one of the most impressive debut collections they've encountered. They highlight the poet's ability to traverse different landscapes and cultures, creating a rich and layered work. The language is praised for its lushness and the way it carries the reader across oceans and identities.

Quick quotes

    A lavish feast of language that crosses the ocean from her native Jamaica to Virginia and back again in one the most impressive debut collections I have ever encountered.

    The language is lush and evocative, carrying the reader across oceans and identities.

    The collection is a rich and layered work that showcases the poet's mastery of language and form.

Philadelphia Printworks · 2016-10-01
compelling 4.25

The reviewer finds the collection both beautiful and disturbing, with a cover that demands more than a glance, much like the work of Wangechi Mutu.

The reviewer describes the collection as both beautiful and disturbing, drawing a comparison to the work of Wangechi Mutu. They note that the cover art is striking and demands attention, much like the content within. The collection is described as grotesque yet compelling, making the reader want to look closer.

Quick quotes

    It's beautiful and disturbing. It's signature Wangechi Mutu, grotesque in such a way, it demands more than a glance.

    The cover art is striking and demands attention, much like the content within.

    The collection is both beautiful and disturbing, making the reader want to look closer.

Goodreads · 2016-09-01
powerful 4.50

This collection of poems explores themes of Jamaican childhood, race relations in America, womanhood, and exile, written in a powerful and evocative style.

The reviewer praises the collection for its exploration of identity, culture, and history. They highlight the poet's ability to weave together personal and political themes, creating a vivid and immersive experience for the reader. The language is described as both beautiful and unsettling, reflecting the complexity of the subjects addressed.

Quick quotes

    The poems in Safiya Sinclair's Cannibal explore Jamaican childhood and history, race relations in America, womanhood, otherness, and exile.

    The language is powerful and evocative, creating a vivid and immersive experience.

    The collection is both beautiful and unsettling, reflecting the complexity of the subjects addressed.

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