Reviewed by Marlene Cullen
“Tangled by Blood, a Memoir in Verse” by Rebecca Evans opens with the powerful “I wanted to be your womb,” letting us know this is a manifesto of bold writing. Unveiling her truth in poetic form offers a lyrical quality to her candid and extremely personal stories, revealing a heart that will not be shattered, a voice that will not be shuttered, and a resilience to be admired.
Strong writing, impressive abilities, and remarkable insights, Evans shares her journey with integrity, honesty, and unflinching intelligence.
“Tangled by Blood” is a treatise to be read and re-read, picking up different nuances with each reading.
Available on Amazon.
Rebecca Evans’ work reflects, among many things, fractured relationships. This fracturing influences every subsequent relationship—carrying scars and wounds throughout one’s life. Evans weaves disability, domestic violence, and a fight for survival throughout her narratives, hoping to start conversations, create awareness, compassion, and tolerance.
Rebecca hopes to inform what it means to navigate this world as a woman, a Jew, a single mom, a veteran, dwelling in broken body and spirit. She hopes to bust beyond borders and boundaries, and mostly hopes to help others feel less alone in their own experiences.
Rebecca is a memoirist, poet, and essayist. In addition to writing, she teaches Creative Nonfiction at Boise State University and mentors high school girls in the juvenile system. In her spare time, she co-hosts a radio program, Writer to Writer, offering a space for writers to offer tips on craft and life.
She has a passion for sharing difficult narratives infused vulnerability and woven with mysticism.
Rebecca earned two MFAs, one in creative nonfiction, the other in poetry, University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. She lives in Idaho with her sons, her Newfoundlands, and her Calico.
