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Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Laura Williams cannot remember a time she did not love to read; her passion for writing came later, but poetry has been her life-long love. The younger middle child of four, she has been blessed with a large, close-knit family. She is in the process of earning her doctorate in education, focusing on adult literacy, at Louisiana State University and lives with two mischievous cats.
Reviewed by Foluso Falaye for Readers' Favorite
Granddaughter of Dust by Laura Williams is a poetry book that combines a heartfelt portrayal of opinions on sociopolitical issues with the personal experiences of the author and delivers a new way of looking at several well-known stories and popular ideas. The themes explored in the book include heartbreak, crumbling relationships, sexism, passion, mental health, biblical stories, fairy tales, fantasy, civilization, and more. One of the poems, "Questions Never Asked," expresses the author's wish to go back to the past to give herself words of advice like: "You’re not broken for what you can’t do." Another poem is about a "beloved princess" who becomes the "terrible witch." In "Hansel and Gretel," a horrible reality related to the original fairy tale is portrayed.
Laura Williams's book is rich and packed with several explosive ideas and inventive perceptions that trigger further contemplation, making the collection of almost sixty poems seem much more than they are. One of my favorite poems in the book - of which I have many - questions what it means to be civilized. With the use of striking similes and metaphors, hard-hitting irony, and colorful descriptions, Laura Williams gives readers an unconventional way of looking at different deeply rooted concepts. I never questioned the need to be civilized or imagined Mary, mother of Jesus, was "Holy Raped." Yes, the book explores some controversial ideas. In conclusion, Granddaughter of Dust can be seen as a perfect tool for readers interested in unlearning some popular concepts they were taught before they had enough conviction and awareness to question them.
