Review: Break Your Glass Slippers | Amanda Lovelace

This review is spoiler free.

“Some days,
your body will feel like a cage.

On those days,
lace flowers through the bars.”

Series: You Are Your Own Fairy Tale
Published: 2020, by Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Pages: 160
Format: Paperback
Genre: Poetry, Feminism, Nonfiction, Adult, Retellings, Contemporary, Mental Health, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Self Help, Romance
Contains: Strong Language, Child Abuse, Abuse, Toxic Friendships, Toxic Romantic Relationships, Sexual Harassment, Eating Disorders, Fatphobia, Suicide, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Trauma

‘Break Your Glass Slippers’ is the first instalment of the new companion series to Women Are Some Kind Of Magic; ‘You Are Your Own Fairy Tale’. This instalment is about overcoming those who don’t see your worth, even if that person is sometimes yourself, and how in the epic tale of your life, you are the most important character.

Amanda Lovelace’s work is no stranger to this blog, being mentioned and hyped up many, many times. Lovelace is a huge inspiration of mine, and I always look forward to the next instalment of her poetry. ‘Break Your Glass Slippers’ was no exception.

The poems themselves are depicted in a way that retells the story of Cinderella, with various narrators from Cinderella herself to the Fairy Godmother, who adds a splash of empowerment on occasion. This epic retelling of Cinderella was personally my favourite of all of her work, which I have religiously read, as it is full of empowering words and gorgeous writing techniques. It touched me on an emotional level, being simple yet beautiful and never failing to conjure inner strength within me.
The themes involved are all incredibly important and sometimes taboo, bravely exploring subjects such as; eating disorders, trauma, and toxic relationships. Personally, I’d like to thank Lovelace for including these subjects, relating to the point of near tears by the beautiful empowering words across the page.

This collection is easy to read, yet also extremely tempting to re-read time and time again, with the opportunity to dip in and out whenever you need a little pick-me-up. ‘Break Your Glass Slippers’ features some gorgeous illustrations to accompany the text, revealing a little inspiration in other artistic forms.

Overall, this was a deeply empowering read. The poems within reached me on a deeply emotional level, with powerful imagery and prose, and taught me that we really are our own Fairy Godmothers.

5/5