5-Minute Bedtime Stories

Twelve fairytales by Maria Gvardeitseva based on the real stories of her friends.

For centuries, the breakup has been the prerogative of men. Today, about half of all marriages in Europe end in divorce and, significantly, 75% of divorce applications are filed by women, who often experience self-blame and stigma. In 5-Minute Bedtime Stories, Maria Gvardeitseva, divorced after 20 years of marriage and four children, takes a pronounced political and feminist approach to the story of her separation. By celebrating the "art of divorce", she helps women to look at the situation with self-love, rediscover the socio-political aspects of marriage and cope with this life trauma as well as the challenges of patriarchy. She does this in a surprising way - by reference to fairytales.

The book includes critical essays by prominent authors, archival materials, quotes from socio-philosophical and literary reviews of fairytales, and author's illustrations.

Maria Gvardeitseva is a multi-disciplinary visual artist based in London. Her work deals with memory and grief sublimation. She was a finalist in the national selection to create the exhibition for the Belarusian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022.