' Like Pam Ayres on acid' LEMN SISSAY ' Energising fearless and joyful' SARA
PASCOE ' Hollie has such a wonderful voice. Warm relatable smart and funny' SOPHIE
ELLIS-BEXTOR ' Funny so smart and refreshingly honest' SARAH MILLICAN ' One of
the best poets we have' MATT HAIG Virgin snow Virgin mojitos Virgin mother Virgin
Mary Virgin: one little six letter word that holds such incredible power. The power to
pressure to judge to harm to praise to profit to punish. But virginity is also just a
concept a label that has been pressed upon people for centuries in numerous cultures
worldwide. In this highly anticipated collection of poetry Hollie McNish unpicks the role
this word has played in her own life as well as others with her trademark mix of humour fury
and compassion. Whether considering if Mary was a fan of her own nick-name to rejoicing her
annual excitement in ice cream vans to looking back on how ridiculously she ate creamy mashed
potato with her family after apparently ' losing' her own virginity she examines in her
own inimitable way the tracks this concept makes throughout so many minds and the
possibilities of freedom. At times hilarious at times harrowing always hopeful - a poetic
love letter against the more nefarious effects of purity culture packed with stacks of
honeycomb hand holds and early morning light.
