Book Review: Lang Leav, Poemsia

This Young Adult tale tells the story of 19-year-old Verity Wolf, an introverted writer whose lifelong dreams of being published become an overnight reality. The book is narrated by Verity as she navigates new-found fame, the ups and downs of digital culture and an ever-changing literary landscape.

Most definitely a nod to her own beginnings, Leav’s Poemsia makes a compelling case for social media-generated literature (dubbed ‘pop poetry’). It challenges readers to think about gatekeeping in creative industries and the subjectivity of art.

What’s most refreshing about this novel, however, is that it truly knows its audience. Poemsia portrays not just what its YA characters talk about, but how they talk about it. This is something YA writers granted a more traditional publishing route often fail to do.