Rupi Kaur’s new book, “The Sun and Her Flowers,” will not experience success

By Megan Sullivan

Executive Arts Editor

Two years ago, every other poetry lover could be seen carrying around, Rupi Kaur’s first book, “Milk and Honey,” however, this year her new book, “The Sun and Her Flowers,” will not experience the same success.

Rupi Kaur’s new book, “The Sun and Her Flowers,” includes redundant phrases, cliche subject matter, and nonsensical poems, making it too similar to her other works, and ultimately a waste of time for poetry lovers and avid readers alike.

Kaur is most recognized for her first collection of poetry titled, “Milk and Honey,” which made the New York Times Bestsellers list and sold over a million copies. Kaur began drawing and writing poetry at a young age and pursued the field immediately out of college.

“The Sun and Her Flowers,” released on October 3, is Kaur’s second published collection of poetry. It is broken up into five sections: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming, and discusses love, loss, migration and femininity through short poems.

Although the poems are designed to cover a range of subject matter, most poems use the same imagery of flowers, planets, and the human body. These phrases become overused, causing the reader to lose interest. These metaphors also rarely make sense in the context Kaur uses them in, so the reader is misled by the meanings of the poems.  

In addition to the redundancies rampant in the book, Kaur uses a multitude of cliche ideas, which not only confuse the reader, but also diminish her talent as a poet. Many of the poems seem to be written about basic subject member such as falling in love, causing the book to lack any originality.

Despite these shortcomings, “The Sun and Her Flowers” includes drawings every few pages that break up the poems, and add more creativity to the book. These drawings are illustrated by Kaur, showcasing her skill in multiple artistic fields. The drawings are small so they do not distract from the poems, but instead add another level of interest to the book as a whole.

Kaur’s newest book does not successfully portray her talent due to its use of cliches, redundancies, and unclear poems present throughout the writing although it includes intriguing drawings. However the book falls short of the high expectations set by her previous novel.

“The Sun and Her Flowers” is available for purchase on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble for $10.50.