Book Review: Out of the Cocoon by Rosemary Esehagu
- Kelly Michelle Thomas
- Oct 22
- 4 min read
Publisher: Manhattan Book Group
Publication Date: 2/15/2025
Pages: 144
Price: $23.99 (hardcover)
It was a beautiful Friday morning when I received an email asking if I would love to receive a complimentary copy of Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming by Rosemary Esehagu in exchange for an honest review. Of course, being a lover I am of prose and poetry, I couldn't pass the opportunity to indulge myself in the words that this author poured onto these pages. Born in Nigeria, to immigrating to the US when she was a teen, and being the survivor of childhood sexual assault, I knew she had a story to tell.
As I always do with my books, I grabbed my highlighter for annotating, my coffee, along with my four legged companion as ambient music played in the background. As soon as I began reading, I knew this would be quite the emotional read. Not only did Rosemary's story plow into my soul tugging at my heart, but I was also able to relate to her. Every woman who was once a victim of childhood sexual assault has a vault in the deepest part of her mind holding the memory her innocence was forever changed. Turning into trauma and in Rosemary's story, she shares how she turned her trauma into triumph.
Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming is a hybrid of prose, poetry and memoir. The title of the book is quite fitting for the theme because as you read through the pages, it takes you on her journey through each stage of metamorphosis, which explains her use of butterflies you can find all throughout the book. The beginning portion of the book is her memoir where she goes further into depth of her upbringing in Nigeria and her childhood sexual assault. I will say I truly appreciate her vulnerability for going into depth about something so horrific that should never happen to a child and it's further proof that her healing has brought her to space where she can talk about it, openly and in detail as she did. Not many people have reached that stage and her testimony can help give those who have yet to find their voice, the inspiration to do so. It's a reminder that no matter how different we are from one another, there are some stories we share that connects us, even if those stories are horrific and reading through her memoir I felt connected to her through the pages. She also goes into depth her journey as she immigrated to America and the emotional abuse she experienced entering into this new world, where not only was the challenge being an immigrant, but also being a black woman in America. One of the things she mentions is the killing of the unarmed African, Amadou Diallo, shot by four white officers 41 times, 19 of those bullets killing him. Rosemary was a new immigrant at the time residing in Bronx, NY and this event impacted her significantly that sent her the message, as quoted:
"It sent the message loudly that brown people like me do not matter like white people do. Tread carefully or this may be you."
— pg. 19, section "Who Am I?"
The memoir is broken into three sections, with subsections in each, before it gets to the poems. The sections are: "Who Am I?", "What Is Trauma?" and "Growing Pains". The poems are broken into four sections: "The Egg", "The Larva", "The Chrysalis", and "The Butterfly". Rosemary mentions that there are 41 poems in this collection to represent the young man who was tragically killed, Amadou Diallo. This truly moved me because it's a tragic, yet beautiful juxtaposition where Rosemary metaphorically transforms 41 bullets that took life, into 41 poems that breathe life to those that read them.
Each poem is beautifully written and you can see the evolution throughout the writing that fits the theme of each section of them poems. Some of my favorite poems were "A Broken Spirit", "The Night Is Crying", "When Meditation Dumps the Weight" and "A Child Conquers the Beast". One of my favorite lines come from the poem, "A Child Conquers the Beast", goes:
"So, when puberty parades, the colorful joyful blues and yellows of childhood can be retained as cheerful greens."
— pg. 121, "A Child Conquers the Beast"
What a beautiful way to capture the the transitioning into puberty. This is only one example of the many gems and wisdom that are between these pages.
Out of the Cocoon: Journey to Becoming is a profound journey offering wisdom, guidance and inspiration to those that seek it. The unraveling that was required of Rosemary that allowed her to shine light into her darkness that helped her through her metamorphosis to become who she is today, can be the push and inspiration for a stranger in need tomorrow.
I would like to take this time to extend my gratitude to Book Publicity Services for sending me a complimentary copy, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
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The Author
Rosemary Esehagu was born and raised in Nigeria until she immigrated to the USA (Bronx, NY) when she was a teenager. She graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts majoring in psychology and concentrating in Neuroscience. She also holds a doctorate in medicine. Rosemary is also the author of a novel titled, The Looming Fog. She is currently living in Texas with her spouse and two daughters.
Website: https://www.rosemaryesehagu.com
Instagram: @rosemaryesehagu