Myriam Gurba’s book, Poppy State, traverses her experiences in California, offering a non-traditional memoir that refuses traditional catharsis and instead presents a journey of self-discovery through the state’s flora and her personal connections. Her previous works, Mean and Creep, tackled themes of oppression and survival from violence. In Poppy State, Gurba explores her relationship with her father and her growing connection to plants, both facilitated by him. She also introduces concepts from Santería, an Afro-Cuban religion she practices, using rhythmic accretion to create an incantatory prose style. The book encapsulates Gurba’s journey into confusion, with the aim of self-realization and return to the land.