As well all know (and complain about a lot), adulting is hard. Sometimes you just need to stay in, get comfortable on the sofa, and enjoy poems about other people’s struggles with being an adult. Authors Eva Victor and Taylor Garron have collected their poems into Look I Bought Plants: And Other Poems about Life and Stuff, to help us all put into words the stress of having to deal with life as an adult.
With sections divided into Living, Friendship, Dating, and And Every Other Damn Thing, they share their thoughts about fitting into last summer’s swimsuit, watching Friends, Trader Joe’s frozen taquitos, roommates, being ghosted, group chats, edibles, Diet Coke, baseball caps, spin class, buffets, AirPods, and dogs.
Have you been catcalled by a myriad of men, none of whom were hot? Have you considered getting bangs as an alternative to processing your disappointment with your life? Do you think about Oreos more than any man you’ve slept with? Have you been drunk in the grocery store? Do you spend your time thinking about how your ancestors suffered so that you can smoke weed every day? If you answered yes to any of these, Look I Bought Plants may be the poetry book you need.
With self-deprecating humor with a large side of snark, Victor and Garron offer up questions and curiosities about modern life for readers to ponder, agree with, argue with, and laugh at. Look I Bought Plants would make a perfect gift for a good friend or someone you were wanting to turn into a good friend, for someone who is struggling with a challenging time of life, or for someone celebrating a milestone (like buying plants).
Witty and biting, honest and charming, this book points out the best and worst parts of being an adult, and that dealing with them all is something we all have in common. I really enjoyed Look I Bought Plants. It makes me feel connected to others and grounded in my own life. The authors’ openness about their own frustrations and shortcomings unites us, and I feel like I have found some of my tribe. This book may not be for everyone, though. There is some cursing, talk of sex, alcohol and marijuana. But if that’s your thing, then by all means, dive in headfirst, the water’s fine!
Egalleys for Look I Bought Plants were provided by Chronicle Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
