BOOK REVIEW
For the Broken and the Brave, is an insightful and emotional read from Kaliane Faye where she takes the reader on a journey through light and dark. The poetry collection is a storyful book of poems split into two parts ‘the broken’ and ‘the brave’. It’s an engrossing read that demands to be read in full.
There’s a lot of imagery in the book that plays out with a lot of emotion painting a picture of her pain and triumphs through metaphors written excellently. It’s an utterly raw and powerful read with many highs and lows. It will strike a nerve with the content that will resonate with many.
Detailing a journey of what it means to be fiercely delicate and what it is to be a soft warrior, the feminist poetry collection is written in fairytale poems including themes of overcoming abuse, learning self-love, breaking down the patriarchy, and being comfortable in your own thin skin. There’s a display of anger, hope, growing, and healing present that makes it a memorable read.
Although some pieces are definitely hard-hitting pieces, the unfiltered and rawness is overall aesthetically pleasing. Regarding the triggering pieces, her poetry will deliver lessons to learn and survive tough times to become a strong individual. The thought-provoking pieces were craftily written and read with passion knowing similar themes one will resonate with will make one feel less alone. The struggles and reflections show growth, strength, and power in Kaye’s voice shining light that it’s okay not to be okay.
For the Broken and the Brave, is the follow-up book from Kaliane Faye’s books Moonrise, and The Bitter End.
Kaliane Faye is a 25-year-old self-published author based in Arizona. She began writing poetry at the age of 14 and decided to put all her work into one collection in 2015. You can find her watching movies, drinking hot tea, and cuddling with her puppy. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter for special promotions and see what she plans on doing next.
Words by Danielle Holian
INTERVIEW
Tell us a bit about your writing background.
I began writing at an early age in school. During my teen years, I wrote for a publication called Affinity Magazine which focused on social justice issues. I published my first book ‘moonrise’ in 2017, my second ‘the bitter end’ in 2019, and my third ‘for the broken and the brave’ in 2020.
What, or who, inspired you to start writing?
It was just always something I did. Amanda Lovelace definitely sparked my interest in poetry though. Nina Lacour also heavily inspires me.
What inspired your micro-chap poetry collection, The Bitter End?
A relationship with a friend in high school that was extremely confusing. Boundaries were always being crossed and it was just a tumultuous time. I wrote it after the friendship had started to dissolve in our adult years.
And your follow-up book, For the Broken and the Brave, is a feminist poetry collection detailing a journey of what it means to be fiercely delicate, what it is to be a soft warrior, can you tell us about this?
I think being angry is an important part of healing. I think seeking out justice is a very powerful route to take. They believe our empathy and softness are weak points instead of something that benefits us. Being a soft warrior means to be strong but not hard. You can be tough without blocking out the emotional parts of yourself.
What attracted you towards the self-publishing root compared to potentially publishing your books through a traditional publisher?
‘the bitter end’ was originally supposed to be an Instagram series but I ended up self-publishing it as requested by some of my followers. It turned out to be one of my best selling books. ‘for the broken’ was actually submitted to a few traditional publishers but rejected.
How has your life in general influenced your work in general?
I write from personal experience. While ‘the bitter end’ is tad more on the lighthearted side, ‘for the broken’ really focuses on some dark experiences I’ve had. Writing helps process things for me and get it off my chest in a healthy way.
And how do you find the balance between writing about your own personal experiences and exploring topics that may not necessarily be autobiographical, but still speak to many people?
As far as poetry goes, I try to stick to personal experiences. poetry is fun, the way you can bury truth under fantasy. I do have a few fictional works in progress, some young adult novels I hope to get out into the world.
What makes a piece of your writing right to post on your Instagram, versus the ones that stay in the book?
I find that the shorter pieces perform best on Instagram so I usually post those or take a few lines from a longer poem. I try to pick things that can relate to a broader audience that can bring more people to my page.
And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
To stay consistent and not give up. to not define the quality of your work by the amount of likes and followers you have. you don’t have to produce new content everyday to be successful and you don’t need to burn yourself out. Also, to find a solid group of writer friends in the same stage as you and grow with them. don’t get caught up in community drama. I’ve seen writers burn bridges and lose out on opportunities because they preferred to talk shit than to do the work.
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