The Sun and Her Flowers

The Sun and Her Flowers
By Rupi Kaur
Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2017. 256 pages. Nonfiction.

"this is the recipe of life 
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too 
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom"

Rupi Kaur takes the reader on a transcendent journey through the different stages of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. It is a journey about growth and healing, ancestry and honoring one's roots and expatriation, and rising up to find a home within yourself. Kaur often mixes her succinct poems with simple, descriptive images. The effect is that the words and the art work together to enhance each other. This book is a celebration of love in all its forms.

Anyone who loved Milk and Honey is sure to love The Sun and Her Flowers. So many parts of this book resonated with my soul. The others gave me glimpses into experiences that I have never known and filled me with compassion for those who have. While Milk and Honey seemed to deal a little more with the challenges of being a woman and of the issues surrounding the female body (ie. mostly sexual abuse and body-image), this book--though these themes are still present--centers more on a self-journey of falling and then rediscovering oneself. Kaur displays a powerful blend of confidence and vulnerability. Respect and honor are apparent as she honestly explores her relationships with different family members and her own heritage.

LH