Looking Despair in the Eye: A Review of Maranda Russell’s Can’t Keep Me Down

For those among you who’re looking for quick answers, long story short, I can’t recommend this book enough! 

Before I Begin: A Caveat

Having said that, I must also say that my review of Maranda Russell’s book of poems and short prose, Can’t Keep Me Down, is most likely a somewhat biased one, for I could relate to Maranda’s work so much that I wish I had written half the poems in the collection.

On Themes and Style

Dealing with themes both personal and universal, political and not, Maranda cuts through the clutter and goes straight to the heart of the issue, mincing no words. The result is a series of poems peppered with short prose pieces, as moving as they are succinct.

From relationships and privilege to difficult emotions and states of mind, such as grief and suicidal ideation, Maranda paints her words on a palette that is…