Cover Image: Aphrodite Made Me Do It

Aphrodite Made Me Do It

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Member Reviews

Oof. That one hit hard, kids. That was so powerful and moving and I won't lie to y'all, I cried the entire time I was reading it. I don't usually reach for poetry but this was absolutely amazing and I know I will definitely go back and reread sections in the future!

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I was super intrigued by the book's conceit of alternating between Aphrodite's point of view and the unnamed narrator's. The poems here explore a lot of tough topics in an accessible, no-bullshit way that lots of readers will undoubtedly love. For me, I wished the poetic language was pushed further; I wanted more figurative language to balance the confessions, more creativity with language and form. Some of the artwork crossed over from profound to trite, but I did adore all the tarot imagery. It's clear that Mateer was working through a lot in these poems, and I have no doubt that many readers will absolutely love this collection.

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I'm not usually a person that read poetry but this book is different from the ones I've read before. This poetry collection is about empowerment with a little love and melancholy. the way they mixed poetry with Greek mythology seemed very original to me.
thanks to netgalley and central Avenue publishing for providing me with a free arc in exchange for a a review

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Though I've read other collections by this poet, this one stood out to me a lot more. I know I enjoyed Honeybee, but this one really hits you hard. It's a wonderful collection of learning self worth, of saying 'I deserve better', but also speaking about trauma and the fact it's always there even when you want to move past it. As someone who is Pagan, this also hits home with the relationship between the poet and Aphrodite. How they were able to find similarities, how their goddess was there for them, while also setting an example of stepping past expectations. It's personal and lovely and the art in it also helped spread the message. A great short read that I highly recommend.

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I received a copy of this collection from the publishers but that in no way affects my review.

TW for rape, abuse, sexual assault, death, eating disorders, gore, blood, queerphobia
I always find it really difficult to rate poetry collections because it is such a personal thing but this is
probably the easiest 5 stars I have ever given. Never before have a felt so seen or had my feelings so
well represented on page. This collection was absolutely beautiful but insanely heartbreaking and I
found myself crying at so many different points. I really can't put into words how much this
collection now means to me but I'm going to buy copies for all of my friends. I truly felt this
collection in my soul and I'm already highly anticipating reading it again.

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Trista Mateer's beautiful poetry book is a quick but powerful read. It is filled with dark but empowering poems and illustrations that will help you get started on your healing journey. Thank you for sharing it with me!

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Wow, what can I say. What a wonderful book. I think this book is absolutely amazing and has such a nice feel about it. Trista Mateer is a wonderful author. I would recommend this to anyone.

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This poetry and prose collection was different than I was expecting but in a good way. It's a storytelling of a loose retelling on greek gods and goddesses that helps you realize and step towards your own healing, and though it's quite different than Nikita Gill's 'Mgreat Goddesses' greek mythological poetry book, fans of that would thoroughly enjoy Aphrodite Made Me Do It. I'd even recommend to people who are not familiar with greek mythology.

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I really enjoyed Trista Mateer’s collection of poetry in Aphrodite Made Me Do It. The art is beautiful, and the prose is quite moving. It’s a quick, powerful read. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in poetry and feminist works.

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Love the art in the book and the different structures of poems, it keeps the flow going without getting boring. Some poems could’ve been developed more but she will definitely grow as a poet.

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3/5 Aphrodite Made Me Do It was part poetry but mainly basic twitter advice to young girls. Conceptually I thought it was interesting, but in my opinion, it didn't necessarily work. I was much more interested in the lyrical and often very beautiful poetry from Aphrodite's voice, but when it came to the poet, aside from some vulnerable and heartfelt pieces, I felt like I was reading regurgitated Tumblr lines from earlier in the decade. There is no doubt the author is talented, but here I felt like I was reading two different books and one was much more original and enjoyable than the other. Unfortunately, the book came off messy. Between the mixed media art (which was all beautiful might I add) randomly assigned to pages up until the end of the book, and the cacophonous change in style between the Poet's narration and Aphrodite's, I can't say it's anything especially original or new. I would absolutely adore a series dedicated to Aphrodite's voice alone as those poems were beautiful and held on their own. As a collection though, I can't say this really did it for me.

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I'm not usually into poetry collections, but this one was really moving. I loved how Trista Mateer talked about grief and pain with a feminist perspective. I felt like I was reading a personal journey rather than prose, which added to the feeling that this was very personal.

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I still don't know how to love a thing
even my mother is ashamed to look at,
but sometimes I grow out all my wild
just to sit alone with it in the dark.

Aphrodite Made Me Do It is a creative and imaginative collection of prose that retells the empowering Aphrodite while also using poetry as a way to heal from trauma. There's so much self-love and self-acceptance and this book is so personal in its trauma (which makes it so hard to give it a rating regardless) you can taste it. I appreciated the bits with Aphrodite giving us her story and her woman strength ... though the ending kind of faltered for me because it didn't hit me as much as I was expecting. Mateer had some hard-hitting/relatable bits (that whole bit that went "I'm afraid of" — woah, so much of what I think about on my day to day #anxiety) but yeah, the ending kind of didn't deliver.

I did like the art that was included, it was very neat & also had nice lines that I thought did well within the whole collection.

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An interesting mix of poetry and illustrations. Trista Mateer never dissappoints. The contrast with the goddess point of view is amazing and feels like a refreshing look into feminity

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My favorite collection by Mateer to date. Beautiful words, beautiful art, beautiful representations of raw emotions.

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4 stars

*I received an ARC of this via NetGalley, however, this in no way influenced my opinion.*

I haven't really read much poetry but when I heard this was retelling the story of Aphrodite I knew I had to read it. The poetry is beautiful and really thought provoking, I definetely want to read more of this authors work. I loved the illustrations throughout the book, they were stunning and they really added to the reading experience.

I highly recommend it, even if you don't normally read poetry.

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Inspired by a recent read, I decided to turn towards more poetry. I wanted something feminist and empowering, and this certainly fit the bill! Mateer creates dialogue between herself and Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love. They cover a lot of topics but mostly focus on the role of women in the world, love and hate, and healing after abuse and trauma. It was powerful and rebellious, but also comforting and I really enjoyed this contrast.

I loved the references to Greek mythology, I'm a big fan of ancient history and especially ancient religion, and so the inclusion of Aphrodite was a big hit with me. I loved Mateer's representation of her, and the way that she made her so strong and warrior-like, yet also gave undertones of hope, love and acceptance. Also, this piece is super quotable! I could find so many wonderful lines in this one.

I think that the main problem with this piece for me came about an hour after reading. I'd forgotten most of it. As much as it's super inspirational and made me want to yell in the streets about the patriarchy while reading, I had a hard time remembering it's content after I'd finished. I think a few rereads would probably sort that out, but I always find that the best works are those that stick with you long after reading.

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beautiful poetry - but not what I look for in poetry I think. I rated it 3 stars because I think her imagery is great. I just wasn't totally connected to the way Trista Mateer writes.

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Trista Mateer's work just isn't for me. I have read her poems before and wasn't able to engage with it back then, and unfortunately, neither am I now. The stories she tells are self-centered in a way that I understand is probably relatable and enjoyable or even beneficial for a lot of people, but something that just doesn't quite agree with me.

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i really felt this one.

trista mateer's collection of poetry, prose, and art reads as a conversation between the poet and the goddess aphrodite. through this dialogue, we hear aphrodite tell her story and use her words to give advice to the poet. as well, we see the poet as a complex human with a hard story to tell. the poet discusses her queerness, her experience with trauma, and her mental health in ways that hit hard but are also beautifully poignant. the art that accompanied this collection was a nice touch, and a way to add another dimension to the work.

this was my second of mateer's books, and i got a lot out of it. can definitely recommend!

thanks to netgalley and central avenue for providing me with a free copy for review!

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