Jessica Semaan

‘In between being your mother and father,
I forgot to be your daughter
And became the child of the moon

“In her debut collection, Semaan offers an upfront &moving glimpse into the true nature of healing: an imperfect, nonlinear journey"--Amanda Lovlace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this one

An illustrated poetry collection about finding light in the darkness. Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War and the author’s turbulent family life, Child of the Moon is a powerful reflection on her journey through fear, shame and despair, and the unconditional love that helped her begin to heal from childhood trauma.’

Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan spoke to me on a deep, visceral level. Each poem is a snippet of soul, plucked from the author's deepest and darkest places. From a childhood steeped in war, and in familial trauma. The author turned to the ever present moon, a constant source of solace. Interspersed among the (hopefully) cathartic poems are drawings of the moon, and people in solidarity. These are poems of trauma and abuse, of guilt, anger, and shame, and of hope and acceptance. Many poems dealt with issues of self-worth and self-confidence, a dearth of which I suffer from. This collection gave me hope, a feeling of not being alone in my sense of shame for merely existing. Recommended for any who have ever found themselves feeling lost and alone. Seek solace in the moon and find a friend who will never abandon or judge you.

***Many thanks to Netgalley/ Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review.… (altro)