Heart Like A Window, Mouth Like A Cliff

by Sara Borjas
Heart Like A Window, Mouth Like A Cliff cover
Good Books rating 4.33
Poetry
Technical:
  • ID: 750
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-19
  • ISBN: 9781934819791
  • Publisher: Noemi Press
  • Published: 2019-01-01
  • Reviews: 3

Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff is a poignant collection of poetry that delves into the complexities of cultural identity and the struggle for self-expression. The speaker grapples with the pressures of cultural assimilation and the desire for the privileges of whiteness, all while navigating the oppressive traditions that shape Chicanx relationships. The collection is a powerful critique of how colonization manifests in familial love and the performance of love, often filtered through alcohol abuse. It reveres and destroys nostalgia, offering a raw and unfiltered look at the human experience./n/nThis collection is a blend of golden oldies and punk attitude, capturing the essence of pochas sipping gin martinis in lowriders cruising down Who Gives a Fuck Boulevard. It's a transgressive yet tender confrontation of what it means to want to flee the thing you need most, making it a must-read for those interested in Latinx studies and the intersection of culture and identity.

Reviews
The Georgia Review · 2019-05-19
Compelling 4.00

Borjas's poems wrestle with personal and familial trauma, confronting stereotypes and cultural expectations with raw honesty.

This reviewer highlights Borjas's ability to confront dual and dueling identities through her poetry. They appreciate the raw honesty with which Borjas addresses personal and familial trauma, as well as the confrontation of stereotypes and cultural expectations. The reviewer finds the collection to be a powerful exploration of these themes, making it a significant read for those interested in contemporary poetry that challenges societal norms. The book is seen as a compelling and introspective journey through the complexities of identity and culture.

Quick quotes

    Borjas confronts this dual (and dueling) identity in poems that wrestle with personal and familial trauma, confronting stereotypes and cultural expectations.

    In this poem, Borjas shows how this re-imagining can transmute reality: I cannot explain this luxurious farm of losers, or these girls who drink Two Buck Chuck.

    Sara Borjas's work is confrontational. It isn't poetry for anyone's comfort, least of all the speaker of her poems.

The Rumpus · 2019-05-10
Powerful 4.50

The collection expands a small town and family into a deep study of race, class, and gender. It's a powerful exploration of complex identities and societal issues.

This reviewer praises Borjas's ability to take a seemingly ordinary setting and transform it into a profound socio-psychological study. They highlight the book's exploration of race, class, and gender, noting its depth and impact. The reviewer appreciates the raw and unfiltered perspective Borjas brings to the table, making it a compelling read that challenges societal norms and expectations. The collection is seen as a powerful confrontation of personal and familial trauma, making it a significant contribution to contemporary literature.

Quick quotes

    Borjas takes a small town and a small family unit and explodes them into a socio-psychological study of race, class, and gender in the United States.

    The piece gives a slice of life on a typical farm-town night, elevating and satirizing it by naming it for the mythical origin of the Aztecs.

    She is electric—smart, funny, sassy, vulnerable—and these qualities come through immediately in her debut collection.

Goodreads · 2019-03-15
Poignant 4.50

The book is a transgressive yet tender exploration of the desire to flee from what one needs most. It's a poignant and introspective collection.

This reviewer describes the book as a transgressive yet surprisingly tender confrontation of the complexities of human desire and need. They appreciate the introspective nature of the collection, which delves into the intricacies of wanting to escape from the very things that are essential. The reviewer finds the book to be a poignant exploration of personal and familial trauma, making it a compelling read for those interested in deep, emotional narratives. The collection is seen as a significant contribution to contemporary poetry, offering a unique perspective on the human condition.

Quick quotes

    Heart Like a Window, Mouth like a Cliff is a transgressive, yet surprisingly tender confrontation of what it means to want to flee the thing you need most.

    I loved this book immensely. I have nothing to compare it to outside that love.

    It's a collection that is unwavering in its ability to speak in, through and against a literary tradition that is often marginalizing.

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