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The Poet

A propulsive novel of female empowerment, solidarity and revenge

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The Poet

By: Louisa Reid
Narrated by: Nadia Clifford
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

I believe every word you say. That was always my mistake.

Bright, promising Emma is entangled in a toxic romance with her old professor - and she's losing control.

Cruel, charming Tom is idolized by his students and peers - confident he holds all the cards.

In their small Oxford home, he manipulates and undermines her every thought and act. Soon, he will push her to the limit and she must decide: to remain quiet and submit, or to take her revenge.

The Poet is a portrait of a deeply dysfunctional relationship, exploring coercive control, class and privilege. It is also a passionate, page-turning tale of female solidarity and survival.

© Louisa Reid 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

 Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Women's Fiction Fiction Suspense

Critic reviews

This is the book I have always needed, it is F*****G BRILLIANT and everyone should read it.
A beautiful, biting page-turner... is it any different for young women, these days? Reid's novel provides -- as the best fiction does -- a nuanced, thought provoking answer to this question.
Brisk, disturbing and very satisfying
Written in verse and wildly original, this passionate tale of coercive control and female solidarity is nothing short of a work of art.
We've never read anything quite like this before... the poetry sings so beautifully... you'll be completely submerged
Brilliant and beautifully written. It'll have you raging and rejoicing till the very last page.
I devoured it both as a breath-taking, page-turning novel on betrayal and a series of startling poems, chiselled from bone. The Poet is going to e x p l o d e into 2022 and leave us all spilt and shuddering! Astounding book.
A novel in verse about poetry, female desire and achievement, gender politics and revenge, it weeps, rages and triumphs in words as exquisite as emotion. Loved it.
A thunderstorm of female power with nods to the greatest poets of all time. Drop everything and read.
Superb . . . Raw, angry and utterly compelling . . . The writing is stunning - I hope it'll put verse novels on the map.
All stars
Most relevant
This was beautiful. The revenge of a woman written in poems. Applause to Louise Reid

Hell hath no wrath Like a woman scorned

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I found it took a couple of chapters to get into this book but it’s so worth sticking with.
The writing is truly remarkable, reflexively exploring the world of academia, inequality and their effects on the people behind the learning. Insightful and thought provoking. Highly recommend.

Beautifully written

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Louisa writes like many of us now think, in short bursts of verse. It’s a style that works well when performed in audiobook. Louisa is an old school pal of mine and I love her dearly and every word she writes. This is another corker of a book that speaks to every girl with a great mind who has ever doubted her value in the places where men have traditionally flourished. Her in Oxford, me in Cambridge. Belatedly for me, she teaches us that making a life for yourself requires more than hard work and following the rules. In Louisa’s story, Emma is sensitive and vulnerable but open, sassy and creative. She reminds us that if you find yourself in a bad relationship, you don’t need to be brave but you do need to recognise it then be clever, bide your time, have a plan, shift your ass and hotfoot outta there. Thanks Louisa, x

Another superb book

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As enraging as it is beautiful, The Poet is a brilliantly written story of an abusive relationship between a manipulative professor and his student. I loved every single word.

Every line is exquisite

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Couldn't stop listening, coercive control detailed painfully and beautifully. Clever revenge that I didn't see coming.

Gripping.

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