Falling in love with yourself can be difficult, with the exception being Narcissus, a figure in Greek mythology known to have fallen for his reflection. Contemptuous towards everyone but himself, the Greek youth realized he was his own true love. Whether he withered away in his longing or drowned in the pool of his reflection, Narcissus became the flower with delicate white and gold petals, staring at itself in the still waters. Like its namesake, Narcissus by Ariel Tsai reflects the human condition in all its most beautiful, mundane, and unpleasant forms.

Weaving together sharp insights, calculated rhythm, and immersive storytelling, Tsai uses poetry to guide us through growing up in New York and studying in Nanjing to experience the pain, love, vulnerability, and resistance she encountered. Her voice-unadulterated and sensual-sets a mirror on her foundational experiences and allows us to find resemblance in our own lives.

Narcissus captures human growth, for better or for worse, to reflect on what it means to love oneself- foolishly and wholeheartedly.