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First Impression: Relateable in parts for readers that have been a victim of toxic/unrecquited/failed relationships.

destruction in love book cover

Elizabeth Weseloh trusted me with a gifted copy of her work in exchange for an honest review. What follows are my initial impressions of the book at the time it was first sent to print.

Wow, it has been a while, but upon first reading these poems, there was a sense of nostalgia. Recognizing some of the pangs of first/unrequited love, it was like a journey through one’s own past. A combination of rhymes and free verse (minimally), Destruction in Love by Elizabeth Weseloh appears to start with a couple embroiled in a tumultuous relationship. As the poems persist, so does the journey the couple must endure. I imagine it to be the experience of a toxic first love that has turned sour. The poet longs to be loved and spends too much time waiting around and dwelling on how they might alter the situation they find themselves in, even after the couple have seemingly parted ways.

The collection fits neatly together although the poet lacks the growth you would expect over the course of the book. (By poet, I mean the overarching voice attached to each verse). The relationship moves on in a physical sense, but it is a subjective view whether the lover does or not. That said there is a cohesive flow, from one poem to the next. At the end of most poems is a little quip, almost like the poet is voicing their second persona.

The writing itself is simple. Occasionally there is some awkward phrasing and strange grammatical choices in order to fit a rhythm or rhyming pattern, e.g.,

Do you like the way?

My chest is aching?

Are you happy that?

My life you’re taking?

On these occasions, it feels like the poet should have opted for a different poetical format rather than their favored A, B, C, B format. With such destruction and devastation, the free verse format and choppy lengths would have created a huge sense of drama as opposed to the skippy rhymes that I personally associate with a buoyant, happy skip.

An odd feature of the book that is obvious from the start is the lack of titles. Whilst there are individual poems, they practically run into each other. It is those quips typed with right alignment that signal that a new poem is about to begin. Had there been titles, it might have added to the readers overall understanding and provided signposting that made the relationship’s development somewhat clearer.

As a short book of a mere 34 pages that will set you back $6.91 for the Kindle version and $12.43 for the paperback, it felt like the right length because the poet was stuck on one phase. Had the book had a series of poems that built up to the destructive love, or had they written about moving on, however that may have been, the book would have needed to be significantly longer to leave the reader feeling satisfied that there were enough pages between their hands and that they were receiving better value for money.

This book of poetry is best suited in the hands of someone experiencing their first or second heartache. It has a niche that puts it firmly in the interests and hands of the romantic reader that has loved and lost, and who is still finding it hard to give their heart permission to move on. It will not necessarily teach you how to get over the loss of the relationship, but it is relatable, particularly in the early days of a breakup. Consequently, it will find itself most appreciated in the hands of teen readers, and perhaps though in their early twenties, despite the poet signifying they’ve grieved over time. Readers of sophisticated poetry that give careful thought to rhythm, tone, delivery, presentation, and the senses it wants to evoke will find the writing style immature and underdeveloped and are, therefore, advised to skip it entirely.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐ / PG-13

Have your say: What are your experiences of first love? Is it something that pangs your heart when you look back? Perhaps you’ve only ever known one love. The Papergirl Community cannot wait to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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