I received a copy of this ebook as part of Library Thing Early Reviewers. A clever retelling of classic tales, brought forward into a (somewhat depressing) contemporary time. I usually dislike poems that do not rhyme, but many of these poems were clever enough to eclipse that for me. Even the formating for poems (especially the sword and the stone reference) was clever. This would be an excellent read for an adult still inspried by disney and fairy stories. Possibly a bit too bleak for small kids. ( )

Me encanto!!! Creo que fueron muy ingeniosas las metáforas que utilizo la autora con los cuentos de hadas que todos conocemos,en situaciones de la vida cotidiana de una chica, desde aspectos románticos hasta partes de autoestima, identidad y con los que mas me identifique la salud mental, como persona a la que le encantan los cuentos de hadas y todas sus reinterpretaciones fue muy mágico leerlos en poemas con temas que tocaron mi corazón. realmente recomiendo que le den una oportunidad al poemario sobre todo si te gustan los cuentos de hadas como yo o si simplemente quieres, escuchar los sentimientos de una persona en las distintas temáticas que se tocan, escuchar los sentimientos y pensamientos de una chica, te lo recomiendo un montón, si estas buscando poemas escritos por mujeres como por lo regular es lo que busco yo, dale una oportunidad. Ademas de que para practicar la lectura en ingles queda muy bien Los poemas que mas me gustaron son el numero 2, 4, 6,11,12,13,16,21,25,31,33. ( )

I am thankful to have received an advanced copy of "Poems for Princesses With Peas Under Their Mattresses" via LibraryThing.

The poems are beautifully written and silently evoke stories, places, and characters that we all grew up with or have heard of. And even if you can’t make the connection to a literary reference, it conjures a profound emotion.

I deeply connected with the author's experience and efforts, as the poems took me back to my childhood but also made me appreciate the experience from the perspective of the woman I am today. I felt a strong sense of appreciation, nostalgia, joy, and encouragement. And maybe a little wiser? Yes! Womanly and BIPOC pride and wisdom.

There is a musicality that flows from one piece to another, not always harmonious, as the poetry switches between prose verse and rhymes, but it is never out of tune. I found it fascinating how the book encompasses a mix of genre flavors, ranging from the obvious tales the poems draw from to the less obvious, such as the Spanish "Romances," which are narrative poems that I grew up reading.

Perhaps it is because of the connection I made between "Poems for Princesses" and the "Romances", that I read this book as pieces of spoken word poetry. It felt like a declamation in my head, with cadence, rhythm, and deep emotion. I even discovered myself reading some of them aloud!

I greatly enjoyed Maithy's craft, and above all, I cherished how the book made me feel.

I would definitely purchase a printed copy when it becomes available. ( )

This is the very first book that I've been given the chance to review early. And my goodness, I feel very lucky. I really thoroughly enjoyed this! It was so well written and it made you re-consider what you knew about the tales we've grown up with. This was so cleverly written, and the entirety of the book so well considered. Vu takes the time to consider not only the poems, but the presentation of them (yes, I saw the effort of turning a poem into a sword, and a beanstalk). I will be buying this in hardcopy. I was enthralled. I read it within one sitting - not an easy feat for me, given I'm continually interrupted with work and life. I also don't normally go for a book with poems, but I'll certainly be looking for more in future - you've opened up a genre I didn't think I would appreciate. So for that, I thank you. Vu, this is brilliant. I love the take on giving fairytales a spin with contemporary issues. I love the consideration - the way that you know what tale the poem relates to, without even needing to overtly state it. My favourite? "I trudge through a race I never asked for...." ( )

I received an advance copy of this book through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. This may be the first ARC I’ve received that I will buy in hard copy.

Maithy Vu weaves a variety of poems inspired by various fairytales and princess stories, each one referential but not titled as such, which is nice. Something about having to read the poem and have the character revealed to you within feels better than if it were titled “Cinderella,” y’know?

I found myself highlighting the dickens out of this ebook with quotes I will probably make into stickers. Vu has quite a way with words, many phrases reaching straight into my heart and tapping into emotions I feel as a kid-at-heart, as a mom, as a wife, as a tired adult woman. I won’t give them all away here, because you need to read this book for yourself, but the first line I saved for later (and one of my favorites) is:

“Little dove, remember:
when they want
a bite of your apple,
do not be afraid
to give them a taste
of your poison.” ( )