Name: Pretty Boys Are Poisonous
ISBN: 9781668050415

Megan Fox

Megan Fox showcases her wicked humor throughout a heartbreaking and dark collection of poetry. Over the course of more than seventy poems Fox chronicles all the ways in which we fit ourselves into the shape of the ones we love, even if it means losing ourselves in the process. “These poems were written in an attempt to excise the illness that had taken root in me because of my silence. I’ve spent my entire life keeping the secrets of men, my body aches from carrying the weight of their sins. My freedom lives in these pages, and I hope that my words can inspire others to take back their happiness and their identity by using their voice to illuminate what’s been buried, but not forgotten, in the darkness,” says Fox. Pretty Boys Are Poisonous marks the powerful debut from one of the most well-known women of our time. Turn the page, bite the apple, and sink your teeth into the most deliciously compelling and addictive books you’ll read all year.

Poems

Pretty Boys Are Poisonous

Susan

Is this a stellar, revolutionary collection?

’s poetry is simplistic—informed, perhaps, by that of Rupi Kaur and her infinitely instagrammable ilk, a style I’ve dubbed “Postmodern Generic.” Her symbolism, such as it is, pulls from the two most common springs of the American imagination: Christian lore and Greek mythology. I don’t see these things as faults, but rather hallmarks of the fact that she 

 a novice. If she had the space, primarily mental, and the inclination to keep at it, I’m fairly certain she could easily evolve into an interesting writer.

Taking into account the content of these poems, however—and the intention with which she wrote them to begin with, namely an attempt to communicate her feelings—discussions of technique are something of a moot point.

Put simply, this is vent art. Vent art made available for purchase, certainly, but that is fairly standard practice. How skilled she is is immaterial; the point of these poems is the excision of her grief and her rage, their verbalization. It is her sincerity which makes them attractive.

 been a seasoned poet, stylistic simplicity might’ve still been her best route. There comes a point in pain where the experience of it is so abject, so 

, it cannot be captured and expressed properly by anything except the literal. A greater degree of technical skill would have elevated them, yes—but these are not poems which need to be exquisite.

’s not my place to comment on Fox’s spiritual beliefs, which do seem to affect her quite greatly, influencing not only her conception of herself—both as an individual and in relation to the ‘boy’ these poems address; and isn’t that word, by itself, consciously or unconsciously, so 

—but also her perception of and response to the situation she’s in. I can, however, observe that this monologue is a battered woman’s address to her abusive partner.

A manchild she still, despite everything, unfortunately loves.

Depending  on your sensitivity to domestic violence, this can constitute a harrowing read. 

 in particular is quite explicit in its depiction of physical assault.

I’ve no good conclusion to this. I just hope like hell she finds the strength to throw him out of her life for good.

lianna

Is this a stellar, revolutionary collection?

No.

But what it is is honest, at times brutally.

Fox’s poetry is simplistic—informed, perhaps, by that of Rupi Kaur and her infinitely instagrammable ilk, a style I’ve dubbed “Postmodern Generic.” Her symbolism, such as it is, pulls from the two most common springs of the American imagination: Christian lore and Greek mythology. I don’t see these things as faults, but rather hallmarks of the fact that she is a novice. If she had the space, primarily mental, and the inclination to keep at it, I’m fairly certain she could easily evolve into an interesting writer.

Taking into account the content of these poems, however—and the intention with which she wrote them to begin with, namely an attempt to communicate her feelings—discussions of technique are something of a moot point.

Put simply, this is vent art. Vent art made available for purchase, certainly, but that is fairly standard practice. How skilled she is is immaterial; the point of these poems is the excision of her grief and her rage, their verbalization. It is her sincerity which makes them attractive.

Frankly, even if she was been a seasoned poet, stylistic simplicity might’ve still been her best route. There comes a point in pain where the experience of it is so abject, so bleak, it cannot be captured and expressed properly by anything except the literal. A greater degree of technical skill would have elevated them, yes—but these are not poems which need to be exquisite.

Pretty Boys Are Poisonous is essentially a monologue. It’s not my place to comment on Fox’s spiritual beliefs, which do seem to affect her quite greatly, influencing not only her conception of herself—both as an individual and in relation to the ‘boy’ these poems address; and isn’t that word, by itself, consciously or unconsciously, so telling—but also her perception of and response to the situation she’s in. I can, however, observe that this monologue is a battered woman’s address to her abusive partner.

A manchild she still, despite everything, unfortunately loves.

Depending  on your sensitivity to domestic violence, this can constitute a harrowing read. oxycodone and tequila in particular is quite explicit in its depiction of physical assault.

I’ve no good conclusion to this. I just hope like hell she finds the strength to throw him out of her life for good.

I don't know what prompted me to pick up Megan Fox's autobiographical poetry collection that came out earlier this week. The Rupi Kaur comparison I read did not help in the slightest (or did it?), but Megan Fox was a pop culture phenomenon; after all, who amongst us does not remember Jennifer's Body?

The introductory letter penned by Megan was touching, although I was skeptical about the throat chakras. The resulting collection had moments of wit and originality but a whole lot of Megan Fox sounding like every other white girl who has been given the chance to have a poetry book published. 

But the wit that does seem to have come straight from Megan Fox is absolutely worth it. That comes in the forms of things like titles such as "it's giving patrick batemam" and "you'd be so much more handsome if you'd get an exorcism" and some really cool lines from her poems.

What does genuinely horrify the reader are the details Megan Fox includes about these relationships. Those are painful details. 10 weeks and a day is too specific to be creative license; those things have happened to her. And keep in mind that this woman has been sexualized and routinely let down by a lot of people around her. The variety article made it pretty easy to understand; she was beautiful and considered shallow, so why did anyone want to help her? No, people preferred to slut shame her and be grateful for the chance to audition in a bikini washing a car.

Seher Mohsin

I don't know what prompted me to pick up Megan Fox's autobiographical poetry collection that came out earlier this week. The Rupi Kaur comparison I read did not help in the slightest (or did it?), but Megan Fox was a pop culture phenomenon; after all, who amongst us does not remember Jennifer's Body?

The introductory letter penned by Megan was touching, although I was skeptical about the throat chakras. The resulting collection had moments of wit and originality but a whole lot of Megan Fox sounding like every other white girl who has been given the chance to have a poetry book published. 

But the wit that does seem to have come straight from Megan Fox is absolutely worth it. That comes in the forms of things like titles such as "it's giving patrick batemam" and "you'd be so much more handsome if you'd get an exorcism" and some really cool lines from her poems.

What does genuinely horrify the reader are the details Megan Fox includes about these relationships. Those are painful details. 10 weeks and a day is too specific to be creative license; those things have happened to her. And keep in mind that this woman has been sexualized and routinely let down by a lot of people around her. The variety article made it pretty easy to understand; she was beautiful and considered shallow, so why did anyone want to help her? No, people preferred to slut shame her and be grateful for the chance to audition in a bikini washing a car.

Megan darling, you deserve a hug, a warm blanket, and forehead kiss after reading this poetry book. I preordered a signed copy, FedEx dropped it off, and I finished it shortly after its arrival. It was beautiful, it was moving, with emotional and raw moments. Megan please continue to utilize poetry as  an outlet and an escape. I will continue to hand you my money with every release. 🖤

Corey’s Books

Pretty Boys Are Poisonous by Megan Fox

5 ✨

Megan darling, you deserve a hug, a warm blanket, and forehead kiss after reading this poetry book. I preordered a signed copy, FedEx dropped it off, and I finished it shortly after its arrival. It was beautiful, it was moving, with emotional and raw moments. Megan please continue to utilize poetry as  an outlet and an escape. I will continue to hand you my money with every release. 🖤

Pretty Boys Are Poisonous Poems