A siren song of queerness, disability, and myth, these poems reinvent love, life, and death. BEAUTIFUL MALADY is an exploration of pain, weaving speculative poems about fairy tales, folklore, fantasy, and the supernatural with the reality of chronic illness and disability. Ennis Rook Bashe deftly creates a world where the broken body is beautiful.

I thought the combination of fantasy/speculative with talk of disability was interesting, so was glad to pick this one up. I found the poems themselves to be beautifully worded and full of imagery – they definitely draw you in so that you are invested. Sometimes the talk of disability (though the inclusion is appreciated) can seem awkward or out of place, but here it was seamless. Whether the poems be about fighting against prejudices etc. or living within your disability, they were full of authenticity and heart.

Happy reading!