_nathanelias's review against another edition
5.0
This collection questions the nature of womanhood, the nature of the heart, and the nature of existing within the shell of a body. Walrath writes, “I am dis-embodying my body / or what I once called skin, / its remnants rounding out, / the insides of a funeral urn / whose curves make sense.” Glimmerglass Girl sets out to dis-embody our very conception of bodies altogether, and in doing so instills a yearning for what it means to live and love without ever turning an eye from the inevitability of death. These poems exist in the space between memory and longing, between blue Cadillacs during Texas summers and cotton scrapbook bird nests during raw winters. In Walrath’s contemplation of beauty and loneliness she manages to obscure how we see ourselves using a lens of poetic fantasy while simultaneously crystallizing what it means to be human.
chloemills's review
2.0
I received an ARC of this from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I am always in search of new poetry and this collection intrigued me. I'd heard it was about womanhood and self-reflection and so I started to read. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with this collection. The voice and the pacing of the collection didn't engage with me and I didn't find the poems to be that memorable. That said, I do appreciate the author's style, it just wasn't for me.
I am always in search of new poetry and this collection intrigued me. I'd heard it was about womanhood and self-reflection and so I started to read. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with this collection. The voice and the pacing of the collection didn't engage with me and I didn't find the poems to be that memorable. That said, I do appreciate the author's style, it just wasn't for me.
stefanicox's review against another edition
5.0
“My Glimmerglass Girl is merely a shadow of myself, so I ask only that you hold her gently, for she may slip away before you have come to fully know her.”
Holly Lyn Walrath opens her collection with this subtle entreaty, and the words set the tone for the rest of her work—a searching, ethereal book of poems.
Glimmerglass Girl, just out from Finishing Line Press, covers a variety of themes, but centers around the search for self-knowledge and self-recognition. This search’s incarnation is decidedly feminine, and includes moments of profound solitude, as well as the motion of being in relationship to another.
There are meditations on heart and soul, with a tender probing of loneliness underneath. Many of the poems have a mirrored and echoing quality—they seem to come from the borderlands of the psyche, where who we know we are meets the subconscious and mysterious currents below.
See the full review on my website: https://stefanicox.com/holly-lyn-walraths-glimmerglass-girl-is-a-steady-descent-into-self/
Holly Lyn Walrath opens her collection with this subtle entreaty, and the words set the tone for the rest of her work—a searching, ethereal book of poems.
Glimmerglass Girl, just out from Finishing Line Press, covers a variety of themes, but centers around the search for self-knowledge and self-recognition. This search’s incarnation is decidedly feminine, and includes moments of profound solitude, as well as the motion of being in relationship to another.
There are meditations on heart and soul, with a tender probing of loneliness underneath. Many of the poems have a mirrored and echoing quality—they seem to come from the borderlands of the psyche, where who we know we are meets the subconscious and mysterious currents below.
See the full review on my website: https://stefanicox.com/holly-lyn-walraths-glimmerglass-girl-is-a-steady-descent-into-self/
shealea's review against another edition
4.0
As a short collection of poems, Glimmerglass Girl was a quick read for me. With delightfully lyrical language, impactful images, and a sophisticated flourish under her arsenal, Holly Lyn Walrath offers a myriad of layered female experiences in a very limited number of pages. While I greatly enjoyed most of the pieces, my five favorites were Espejitos, Behind the Glass, Woman, Two Hundred Fifty-Seven, and The Art of Loneliness.
I cannot think of a better title for this book because a lot of the imagery depicted in the poems was shockingly vivid, and at times, graphically violent and fascinatingly morbid – yet, in spite of this, these images were still presented in an almost delicate, poignant manner. Additionally, no matter how dark and ominous the tone became, an underlying thoughtfulness was still palpable. As I read, I found myself constantly startled but above all else, intrigued and wanting to read numerous passages over and over again.
I was not a fan of the complementary artworks that accompanied some of the poems because they made the text more difficult to read. In addition to this, none of them made a lasting impression on me nor were they value-adding to my overall reading experience. Nonetheless, I was immensely fascinated by the text. There were more than a handful of poems I could interpret in more ways than one, which was pretty interesting. Glimmerglass Girl is definitely a haunting yet captivating collection that can easily provoke readers into speculating on the lived experiences of women as well as underlying notions of femininity.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Glimmerglass Girl from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
I cannot think of a better title for this book because a lot of the imagery depicted in the poems was shockingly vivid, and at times, graphically violent and fascinatingly morbid – yet, in spite of this, these images were still presented in an almost delicate, poignant manner. Additionally, no matter how dark and ominous the tone became, an underlying thoughtfulness was still palpable. As I read, I found myself constantly startled but above all else, intrigued and wanting to read numerous passages over and over again.
I was not a fan of the complementary artworks that accompanied some of the poems because they made the text more difficult to read. In addition to this, none of them made a lasting impression on me nor were they value-adding to my overall reading experience. Nonetheless, I was immensely fascinated by the text. There were more than a handful of poems I could interpret in more ways than one, which was pretty interesting. Glimmerglass Girl is definitely a haunting yet captivating collection that can easily provoke readers into speculating on the lived experiences of women as well as underlying notions of femininity.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Glimmerglass Girl from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
branpender12's review
5.0
Fantastic prose! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves great poetry! It is so hard to stand out in the world of poetry where every line is a rhyme of simple words like you, do, too, and through! It was refreshing to find poetry that actually tells a great story! Thank you for allowing me early access to this ARC!
hannahslibrary92's review
2.0
This book of poetry is a very quick read. Easy to finish in one sitting, and while some of it was ok. I didn't really feel that compelled by this collection of poetry.
For me there was just something lacking and I found it ok, but wouldn't pick it up again.
For me there was just something lacking and I found it ok, but wouldn't pick it up again.
nourbks's review against another edition
3.0
I loved it ! I don't usually read poetry but I wanted to try this one ... I don't know ... It was so delightful and so well written . Everyone should read this short collection of poems .
divadiane's review
5.0
This is a beautiful chapbook of poetry deserving of the Elgin Award it received in 2019. These are very personal poems tinged with the fantastical and many things as simile and analogy. A beautiful relationship to objects as they become real.
The illustrations are gorgeous, many public domain images. Unfortunately, the contrast between the image and the poetry where it was superimposed was not stark enough for me and made it difficult to read.
The illustrations are gorgeous, many public domain images. Unfortunately, the contrast between the image and the poetry where it was superimposed was not stark enough for me and made it difficult to read.
zanderstruck's review against another edition
3.0
I received an arc via NetGalley from the publisher Finishing Line Press in exchange for an honest review.
This poetry collection was very special in that it had modern feel but also reminded me of classic poetry. I don't really see modern poetry collections that have wording this whimsical. I really enjoyed some of the poems, but I couldn't connect to many of them. That only speaks for my personal experience though and doesn't take away from the beautiful feel of the overall work and the lovely combination of words and drawings.
I would definitely recommend this collection to anyone who is into poetry, be it classic or modern or feminist. This collection has something for everyone.
The poems that really spoke to me personally were the following:
The Art of Loneliness
Heart as Seen Through Camera Obscura
Behind the Glass
This poetry collection was very special in that it had modern feel but also reminded me of classic poetry. I don't really see modern poetry collections that have wording this whimsical. I really enjoyed some of the poems, but I couldn't connect to many of them. That only speaks for my personal experience though and doesn't take away from the beautiful feel of the overall work and the lovely combination of words and drawings.
I would definitely recommend this collection to anyone who is into poetry, be it classic or modern or feminist. This collection has something for everyone.
The poems that really spoke to me personally were the following:
The Art of Loneliness
Heart as Seen Through Camera Obscura
Behind the Glass
book_luvr94's review
3.0
Normally when I read poetry I can develop a connection with the poet, however I found it difficult with this one. It didn’t seem like my type of poetry. Overall, it was not a bad book, however it did not connect with me.