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cauchemarlena's review
4.0
This book confused me. On one hand, I absolutely loved the poetry and the illustrations. On the other, it wore me out. But since the latter may have to do with my school work and I rarely enjoy newer poetry books (and this, I did enjoy reading), I've decided to give this book a rating of 4/5.
What lured me in was the absolutely gorgeous cover. When I started reading it, however, I realized how much more I would enjoy it being read out loud - and even though the book is about womanhood, I imagined it being read out loud by one of my male friends. The images author evokes are brilliant and it's a book that I intend to return to when the weather gets cold again. For some reason, I think "Glimmerglass Girl" would fit perfectly with the cold and snowy winters of Estonia.
What lured me in was the absolutely gorgeous cover. When I started reading it, however, I realized how much more I would enjoy it being read out loud - and even though the book is about womanhood, I imagined it being read out loud by one of my male friends. The images author evokes are brilliant and it's a book that I intend to return to when the weather gets cold again. For some reason, I think "Glimmerglass Girl" would fit perfectly with the cold and snowy winters of Estonia.
noirbettie's review against another edition
5.0
I read a few of the poems in this book months ago and set the book down, meaning to pick it up again soon—but of course intentions like that rarely result in action, and the book ended up back on my bookshelf, its slim spine tucked between two larger books (Voigt and Wang). Today I was talking with Holly, who is an internet acquaintance of mine, and that inspired me to pick the book up and finish reading it. What an absolute delight of a poetry collection. I am especially in love with ”She Learns How to Disappear,” “The Art of Loneliness” and “I Think My Taste is Questionable.”
ruby_roo's review
3.0
This was a nice little book of poetry dealing with women and what it means to be a woman. Well worth a read, although not the kind of poetry I tend to enjoy.
_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 .