“The Princess Saves Herself In This One” is a collection of poems, courtesy of Amanda Lovelace, and her all-too-relatable emotions.

Lovelace’s poems reflect life and all of its traumas. The storyline is a recounting of her life and it’s divided up into four separate sections: the princess, the damsel, the queen, and then you… which is supposed to be the reader, or humanity in general.

Not everyone is keen on poetry, but some of these poems are so simple and raw that it’s quite difficult to not enjoy them.

An assortment of introductions, primarily focused on the people that affected how Lovelace saw herself, and how she saw the world, are laced through the first few poems. Most of the poems take place in a first person perspective, making them even easier to directly relate to.

Some pieces are signed off with statements that encompass the poem as a whole, simple one liners that make you want to set the book down and just think. One of the most impactful closers is “silence has always been my loudest scream.” It is in itself impressive to be able to write such depth and fullhearted emotion in just a few words.

Overcoming obstacles plays a large role in the later poems. Lovelace brings up first love and all the messes it can cause:

the princess
locked herself away
in the highest tower,
hoping a knight
in shining armor
would come to her
rescue
– i didn’t realize i could be my own knight (pg. 42).

It is in this poem that she begins to understand what loving herself is, helping her (and the reader) realize that self-realization is far more relevant than anything else. Lovelace shares insight gleaned from her distressing journey through life.

In an era where women continue to fight oppression and ridicule, the poems in this book hold the possibility to help women find their identity in a world that may oppose it.

Empowerment for women is what the poems enlist to do.

Through a series of striking oxymorons and shape poetry, Lovelace is able to depict a story with heavy, and naked truths, can resonate with anyone who may be lost and in need to be found. Especially if they can do that themselves.