Kristina Marie Darling's Failure Lyric

Kristina Marie Darling released her book Failure Lyric with BlazeVox Books earlier this year. Like Darling’s previous texts, Failure Lyric explores many relevant and emotionally evocative experiences. The most prevalent themes include the futility of romance, marriage and its many betrayals. Recurring images of the winter season, shattered glass, flowers and dead girls are expertly woven throughout the book, providing a cohesive narrative that exists seamlessly alongside a lyrical succession of images. We witness what it is to be a woman covered by the shadow of a man and a subversion of a misogynistic society while being trapped inside of it. Necessarily, there also exists a subdued feminist sensibility which aims to un-stifle the book’s narrator as she responds to her environment. This narrator, for obvious reasons is one which the majority of women can relate to.

Also effective is Darling’s borrowing from other contemporary voices. She carries on a kind of dialog with other female identified authors such as Kristy Bowen, Kristi Maxwell, Allie Marini, and others who also tackle similar themes in their works, and share a common voice. These conversations are necessary in today’s political climate and I appreciate Darling’s willingness to discuss such sensitive topics in such an artful way, making things which are so difficult easier to bear.

You can order Failure Lyric at BlazeVox Books here.