Cul-de-sac Rabbits

by Jax Bulstrode

In a debut that is all heart, Jax Bulstrode’s Cul-de-sac Rabbits gently lays bare the anchorings of childhoods in small towns, the beautiful confusions of youth and raw reflections on the nature of change, transitions, and gender identities. Bulstrode’s poetry delves into deep metaphors, pregnant with paradox, and nocturnal musings–sometimes melancholic, sometimes euphoric–cementing Cul-de-sac Rabbits as a poignant discovery of resilience and becoming.

Genres: Poetry

150 pages, Paperback

Published August 9, 2024

Reviews

[Zoe Thorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BEST COLLECTION OF POEMS EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so tender and expansive and full of wonder. just incredible. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS. <3 <3

[birchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a collection made to be read in the sun<3

[Mia Caven · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautiful voice that is needed in the publishing world, relatable as a queer person.

[Sarah Stivens · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘It’s 3am and this machine won’t stop telling me I am alive’

Cul-de-sac rabbits is an exceptional debut. This collection is brimming with honesty, and a gentle curiosity that compels the reader to walk alongside, or even join, Bulstrode in their self-discovery. Each poem resists the urge to find completion—as a result, the collection feels like a meditative experience.

I was struck most by Bulstrode’s deep affinity with nature/the land they inhabit, and their capacity for gratitude: ‘I thank the land for this medicine’, ‘the water in my body is just visiting’, ‘the permanently open window gifts me a cool breeze’.

Bulstrode skilfully explores topics of queerness, self-exploration, disability, and chronic illness in ways that are innovative, but also desperately needed. Images of young Jax are both heart-wrenching and beautiful—these poems will resonate with anyone who is learning to reach their inner child. ‘I lay down in the grief of who I was to every other person’

Ultimately, it was such a pleasure to read a collection that elegantly balances a deep observation of the small moments that make a life, and the larger transformative experiences we may go through. A must read for 2024.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Hukka · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Let me first share this part of a poem that made me cry so many ugly tears;

”my gender is a performance and
I haven’t paid the lighting bill
you reach your hands out in the dark and I am afraid you’ll find
these hips and thighs
and name me woman”
— A love letter to:

A lovely book full of poems about fruit, love, touch, queerness, and transness. The poems remind me of my youth (and now I sound old, but yes, they do), somehow, yet at the same time they’re very far away. Almost unreachable.

I can recognize the emotions flowing through, and they are very real, sometimes painful, sometimes achingly familiar in their nakedness. These poems made me laugh, smile, cry, long. Why, I can't really say. I can see that the author has poured so much of their life into these. And I think it's absolutely beautiful.

Without even knowing these poems are queer, they'd feel very queer. They ooze this cozy familiarity, this unspeakable feeling that is recognizable for most queer people.

Sometimes the poems felt detached from each other, but not so much that it would've bothered me. Some were unpolished, and maybe they were meant to feel that way, I don't know. Still, each one was beautiful, and crafted with feeling.

[Niké · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This collection was good, but I unfortunatelly didn't enjoy it as much as I expected. The poems from the parts 'Love' and 'Body' were really nice, still, I loved only a few from the whole book. For me, I need them to be a bit more cohesive, because (save for some instances where two poems were clearly written with a shared idea) the poems felt a bit random when it came to their placement throughout the book.
I would still like to highlight some of the poems I enjoyed:
- Summer shame
- A love letter to:
- I’m still scared of space
- I am brave enough to take care of my body

As I said in the very beginning, this collection isn't bad at all. The themes of gender and queerness were especially great to read about, but this book just didn't have a spark that I needed to enjoy the collection from start to finish.

[Alisha Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has left me feeling like warm butter. Jax has written a gorgeous collection of doe-eyed poems that are understated, tender, and full of heart. 'Cul-de-sac Rabbits' is entranced by the intimacy of small moments, finding hope and meaning amongst the mundanity of a citrus peel or the warmth of a familiar patch of sunlight. It's queer, curious, yearning, and beautifully soft. This book is, at its core, a shy invitation towards the love that was always promised to us.

[Cavak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bulstrode shared poetry that resonated in a spiritual way with me, where I didn't understand everything I read but I felt them. That vibe that can sometimes only be found in poetry. Which turned out to be a delightful surprise as I read. Especially since many poems felt like confessional ones in a similar vein as What I Learned from The Trees .

I have so much empathy for the narrator in these poems, who is obviously young and blue, yet filled with so much awe, love, and hope for the world. Most of these poems sound rich to the ear when read aloud with their short line breaks, vivid wordplay, and deceptive simplicity. "Fingernail moon" is so masterfully distinct, I can dig it being used again in the same book. Would love to hear a few poems performed by Bulstrode on stage someday.

Cul-de-sac Rabbits is my first read from a queer poet from an Australian press (I believe). Hope Bulstrode keeps writing more books. Promising start for a vulnerable and lovely voice.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[candle_thrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely beautiful. It is divided into several parts (Land, identity…), creating poems that can almost be touched, of how beautifully written they are. It's perfect for those looking for something that resonates with them, without overly intricate or dense metaphors. And if that were not enough, the cover is GORGEOUS. For me it has been an honor to collaborate with this author reading his work. I enjoyed it so much that I will upload a more detailed review of this wonder to my bookgram account (all this voluntarily of course). I highly recommend reading it!

Extra: My native language is Spanish but I have still managed to understand everything perfectly!.

[Emily Lupo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I want someone to give me a home."

This line absolutely gutted me. It's from the poem Cornflower blue which is about death as are many in the poetry collection. There were several moments while reading different poems that I had to stop and take a moment to collect myself. Many of the poems discuss religion and nature which I personally loved. There is also a consistent theme of time passing that I connected with deeply. Truly a beautiful and cohesive collection that I could not recommend more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kajsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching. Heart warming. Soul expanding. Beautiful. Mindblowing. I could keep going but I don't think I will ever run out of positive words about this poetry collection. I will be going back to this many times during the rest of my life.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I do not want to make art out of it, / but birth and death are a spiral and time just keeps / going.”

Cul-de-sac Rabbits is a tender, real, and warming debut. Bulstrode has excavated their queer suburban experience with such care and consideration that it’s impossible not to smile as you read their work. The poems in Cul-de-sac Rabbits are divided into 4 sections (Land, Identity, Love, and Body), each inviting the reader closer to Bulstrode’s world. My personal favourite poems include “Cornflower blue”, “Summer shame”, “Generational girlhood”, “A sacred space”, and “Picture it”.

Bulstrode’s poems are wholesome and forgiving, poetic hugs for the queer, the disabled, and the doggedly hopeful deep from Australia’s residential belly. Between mangoes, shadows, and fingernail moons, Cul-de-sac Rabbits’ gentle universe is not one you will quickly forget.

[Elliel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested and received this book from booksirens, my opinions are my own.

"Cul-de-sac Rabbits" by Jax Bulstrode is a well written and heart squeezing exploration of home, queerness, and love. (But that feels like a very limited description.) I loved this collection. There were several poems and lines that struck a deep cord with me.
I'm excited to see what the author writes next!

[Elise (Taylor’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I liked this book quite a lot, many poems were relatable and it sometimes felt like it's something I could've written myself.

Some of the poems really grabbed me and made me feel strong emotions, I nearly cried.

The 5stars is missing because I didn't like the presentation of some poems and some of them didn't talk to me at all and I don't know what they were supposed to convey but that is only a small amount, overall it's a really good poetry book and I enjoyed reading every page.