twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one

"In this tender, evocative and thought-provoking collection, Leah Soeiro's complex, condensed narratives, both poetic and photographic, allow the reader the voyeuristic pleasure of being temporarily included in the protagonist's world. Created during the lockdowns of 2020/2021, the collection fearlessly addresses enforced intimacy, the tearing down and rebuilding of identity and the exploration of past and present trauma. Soeiro's words are precise and disturbing, her photography intimate and compelling. A collection to savour and a timely, refreshingly original, reminder of the recent pandemic. Lest we forget..."

-Sue Burge, author of Confetti Dancers, The Saltwater Diaries and Lumière

"Dazzling, lyrical, and unexpected, Leah Soeiro's twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one marks the debut of an important new voice. Probing identity and place, Soeiro explores both surfaces and what lies beneath with her breathtaking poems and photographs that recall at once the heartbreaking ruins of Camilo José Vergara, the playful profundity of Cindy Sherman, and the confrontational intimacy of early Nan Goldin. In doing so, she poses important questions about growth and decay. Challenging ideas of narrative ownership, Soeiro delves into time and identity in new and significant ways, presenting them as both constraints and possibilities. While grounded in a particular moment and narrative voice, twenty-twenty-twenty-twenty-one also speaks to vital and universal questions: it is a beautiful and intricate exploration of the complex interplay between our inner and outer lives that, ultimately, makes us human."

-Rachel Kapelke-Dale, author of The Ballerinas and Ingenue