“…the same fat sneered at without consequence might be your one / and only advantage might be a gift; might be the only barrier between you and/ a pin-less grenade…”

This collection explores anger, trauma, mental illness, black identity, body image, fatness, queerness, loss, and grief- and covers each topic, and their interconnectedness, in such an insightful, beautiful, raw, and revealing way.

From the very first poem in this collection, the titular “Revenge Body,” I was hooked and had to finish it in one sitting. Equal parts angry and joyful, Wiley covers a huge number of topics in only a short amount of space, but does it so beautifully I never felt overwhelmed by the switch from one topic to another. My favourite poems were “revenge body” and “executive functioning.”

I loved how the author was able to write about conflicting emotions like anger, despair, joy, and a whirlwind of others, while also showing how these feelings can exist together as well. I especially enjoyed the honest exploration of relationships she had with toxic family members and how fond memories exist along side traumatic ones. I loved the vulnerability shown in how Wiley wrote about these relationships. Though experiences differ many people can recognize themselves in these poems.

The different poems will definitely resonate with many people in many different ways; some are so relatable they feel like hearing your own thoughts played back, just worded so perfectly, while others feel like a close friend is revealing their secrets to you. I can’t even describe how much I loved this collection. I just know that I finished this book feeling like I got to read something really special, and I can’t wait to read everything Rachel Wiley writes.

Thank you to netgalley for proving me with an e-ARC of this book.

This book takes an empathetic approach and gives bite size approaches and allows you to have kindness and patience with yourself when dealing with life. This is so necessary for everyone to read in life. Highly recommend. Especially loved the reflection to true life to humanize my feelings and relate. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 stars

This was an interesting collection and I like the writing style, but I don't feel like I connected with the poems. They were all written well and I admire the things Rachel Wiley decided to write about. We get a great collection with a variety of important themes like mental health, trauma, relationships, blackness, body shaming... I liked more the ones about mental health (Excuses is my favourite), but still this collection didn't work for me.

Revenge Body is a delicious meal for the fat and radically happy body. Full of radical self love, deep longing, and angry feminism - Wiley weaves an artful poetic experience for the reader. Fans of Nayyirah Waheed and Andrea Gibson will enjoy the lyrical prose and female empowerment. I was particularly fond of the poems where Wiley speaks on the growth she comes into after breaking ties with her mother. They were raw and emotional but healing nonetheless.

My favorite poems are: "All The Pills I've Tried Before", "Heavy", and "Float."

Personal poems on being fat, biracial, queer, mental health, fraught family relationships and trauma
Nothing in our house is ever thrown away; it barely escapes or is buried alive - Want Not

Loved the frank treatment (and diverse set) of subjects Rachel Wiley deals with in Revenge Body, but I was less impressed by the execution.

Mental health (including how to respond to a suicidal friend), fat shaming, queerness, blackness, fraught family relationships (…or is the grudge holding you like your mother should have?) and bad moms (She’d never meant for me to have anything better than she’d wanted - Break up with your mother, I’m scarred)
Toni Morrison quotes precede the three parts of this bundle. I can't say the poetry is on par with that level, some poems feel a little too Instagram friendly, but still some struck me:
My sister reminds me that the bruise will fade, that I will not. - Unbow your head sister

I have stared at smaller bodies wondering what it might feel like to move through the world not so much as a steamship through a hostile canal - Heavy

While this book was very short it had a lot to say and I loved every second of it. All the poems were well written and even though I'm not much of a poetry reader I have to say this is one of the best poetry collections I've read.

Rachel Wiley is a new poet for me, but I greatly appreciated the clear voice and skill in this work. A lovely mentor text of verse.

This was an absolutely beautiful poetry collection. From the raw emotion to the elegant writing, this one really resonated with me. I know poetry is so subjective, but this is one of the best poetry collections I've experienced in the last several years. I absolutely recommend it!