A review by sofia_casanova
Wild, Fearless Chests by Mandy Beaumont

4.0

Every woman should read this. Mandy’s debut collection of short stories explores the darkness of being a woman, particularly a woman misplaced. It dives straight into the heart of violence and its veins that flow through the lives of women. Across these stories her prose is sharp and rhythmic, dancing along the lines of poetry; the powerful imagery across each story cleverly bleeds together to form one overarching narrative. It’s a narrative we’ve all heard before; these are stories we are familiar with, and it was brutal to read them in such a way. This collection is a visceral experience, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The women in these stories are mostly nameless, and Mandy is unflinching in her depiction of sexual violence, poverty, abortion, humiliation, and death. Of all the stories, “Drowning in Thick Air” is my favourite from the collection, and one that I felt imprint itself on my body. When you pick up Wild Fearless Chests, know that it is a scream of anger, of recognition, full of rage and love and the smallest fragment of hope. It’s a brilliant piece of literature for our times.