shine your icy crown

shine your icy crown by amanda lovelace is a 129-page collection of contemporary poems. It’s the second book in the you are your own fairytale series, published as a follow up to break your glass slippers. The poetry is weaved together to tell the story of a young girl struggling with self-worth, on the cusp of learning to stand in her power. lovelace also deals with other themes along the way, such as relationships with friends, lovers, and family, mental illness, eating disorders, and more, relating them all back to the speaker’s journey of self-discovery.

Fans of lovelace will not be disappointed with her new book, as it offers all they’ve come to expect: a beautiful cover and inside art, feminist fantasy retellings, brutal truth about the human experience, and short and succinct thoughts presented in an artistic way. What works really well in her latest piece is the contrast of what the speaker is feeling to what “big sister says.” I love this structure so much. First, as someone with sisters, it’s nice to see that dynamic depicted, but shine your icy crown goes beyond that. Not everyone has a big sister, and therefore, the book shows us two options for how we personally can talk to ourselves. Either we can be cruel, or we can look at ourselves with the kindness this big sister offers. In part ii, big sister disappears as the reader seemingly integrates her teachings into herself. I love that message, but I also really miss big sister’s commentary once that happens.

That being said, I was hoping for some more variety in this new offering. I’d love to see lovelace tackle topics we haven’t seen her approach yet, or if sticking with similar subjects, to find a fresher lens to view it through. Overall, if you’re wanting more of lovelace’s work that you’ve come to know, you’ll enjoy shine your icy crown.