Teeth in the Back of my Neck

by Monika Radojevic

Overview

Chosen as one of Bustle's Best Debut Books of 2021
An arresting debut collection about identity, ancestry, and history, from a young poet selected as an inaugural winner of the #Merky Books New Writers' Prize

Written with profound depth and insight, the poems in Teeth in the Back of My Neck explore the joys, the confusions, and the moments of sadness behind having one's history scattered around the globe—and the way in which your identity is always worn on your skin, whether you like it or not.

Bristling with tension and beautifully realized, Monika Radojevic's impressive debut collection is an introduction to one of the most exciting and impressive poets of her generation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781529118636
Publisher:	Penguin Random House UK
Publication date:	11/15/2021
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Half-Brazilian and half-Montenegrin, Monika Radojevic was born and raised in London. She has a master's in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and works in the political sector on women's rights and gender equality. She writes to make sense of life. This is her first collection.

Table of Contents

The Teeth

Songs for Nobody 3

Cake 7

Men Who Howl at the Moon 10

To Be a Woman 12

When 14

The Right Kind of Blood 17

Chronic 20

Lockdown Rhythm 23

Hell Will Fall Apart for You 27

How to Weave a Chair^* 29

A Few Brown Bodies 33

When We Arrive 36

56+ 38

Jogging 41

Difficult 42

The Neck

You Always Saw Yourself in a Cape 47

Jane 49

23andMe 52

The Great Divide 54

My House Dismantles Your House 57

Tuesday Mourning 59

Patriot 61

Slow Slicing 63

Chronicles of Her 66

Caterpillar 68

Amber 70

Vitriol 72

Midriff 75

If I Could 77

If My Body Speaks 79

Acknowledgements 81

Editorial Reviews

"This is a courageous, arresting debut from a poet to watch." —Independent
 

"This book is stunning." —Catherine Mayer
 

"Monika Radojevic's poems grapple with the intersections of race and womanhood with a bite fitting of this debut's title; her ability to weave gut-punching honesty with arresting imagery makes for a standout collection ... Radojevic is no doubt a poet with a bright future and Teeth in the Back of My Neck is a testament to the powerful things she has to say. An assertive and enthralling collection of poetry. " —The Skinny
 

"Radojevic writes with an uncompromising fierceness, provocation and dedication to the physical body which acts as her most authentic, intuitive medium of expression. She offers with this collection a vital contribution to literature at a time when women's voices urgently need to be heard." —HUCK

"Radojevic's interrogation of the status quo ... is not just interesting, it is agitating." —Bad Form

 

" ...her Instagram feed is a treasure trove of musings, powerful short poems and snapshots of her life." —Stylist
 

" A striking collection that showcases a voice representative of a new generation of writers, who are unafraid of tackling important issues relating to female experience." —Mslexia

 

​"This collection of poems felt so valid, feminist, organic, pulsing, provocative and reflective." —Nightfall Mysteries

From the Publisher