This is an exceptional collection. It speaks to the American experience; gun violence, mental illness and politics are all discussed in breathtaking verse. I read this in an hour and in that time it took me through every emotion I have. I laughed through 'Boomerang Valentine' and felt my heart sink with 'Depression'. Poetry written by the same author made me laugh and cry within minutes of each other, earning its place on my favourites shelf. I will be ordering a physical copy of it to share with friends so they can read the work of Andrea Gibson in their best collection yet...

I sneak the steam from the kettle into my pocket
so the next time I'm missing the coast of Maine
I can gift myself the fog

I usually prefer to write my own reviews, but the write up in the back of this book nails it so perfectly I have to steal it:

"In a fierce oscillation between activism and love, Andrea's most recent literary triumph, Lord of the Butterflies, is a book of protests, panic attacks, and pride parades. These poems riot against gun violence, homophobia, and white supremacy, while jubilating gender expansion, queer love, and the will to stay alive."

A perfect summary. Written with all the passion I've come to expect from Gibson this collection has teeth. Political, queer, brutally raw, heart-wrenchingly honest, and fierce as hell these poems hit me right in the heart - my thanks to Gibson for writing them.

Andrea Gibson is a strong person and an equally strong poet. I say that with conviction after reading this collection. A lot of her poems are on the long side for my taste (about 3 pages on average), but the ideas and language are there. She writes a lot about gender identity and sexual identity, which I really enjoyed but may put some people off. Her metaphors are surprising and fresh, and her subjects are raw and passionate. This is without a doubt a book I'll be reading again.