A lyrical and gripping examination of experiences that happen to many people in real life, Wild Failures is a perfect read for those interested in poetic essays about life.

Before I begin my review, I’d like to mention some content warnings for this book. Some of them will spoil the story. For those who don’t want to be spoiled, please skip the sentence sandwiched between “spoilers start!” and “spoilers end!”.

SPOILERS START!

CWs in this book: rape (Half-Pipe), depression and implied suicide (This is Carrie’s Whole Life), sexual assault (The Sex Castle Lunch Buffet), and forced miscarriage caused by injury (I Need a Miracle). I’d like to give a disclaimer that these warnings are what stand out to me at the time I’m writing this review, but may not encompass everything that happens in this book.

SPOILERS END!

Wild Failure by Zoe Whittall is an unapologetically queer and feminist collection of short stories that forces readers to recognize the intertwined intricacies of violence, desire, and love.

Although the short stories in Wild Failure are sometimes hard to stomach, there’s a readability and tension to them that always kept me engaged and wanting to know more. Some scenes were so heartbreaking that I had to take a pause before jumping back in, but there was never a doubt that I wouldn’t jump back in and see the story to the end. All ten stories are extremely unique and stand apart from each other, yet are undeniably tied together by a common thread of queerness, desire, and violence. Each story features a female protagonist who is far from perfect, but is never unlikeable and is trying her best. The complexity of the characters, their situations, and their issues felt realistic and satisfying even if some situations were so specific that I’ll never experience what they’re going through. This collection simultaneously demands imagination and sympathy while staying grounded and true.

Like it did for me, Wild Failure will fail to leave your mind long after you’ve finished reading. People who enjoyed Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado will also enjoy this book. Big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine Books) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. ⅘ stars.

This short story collection, from bestselling author Zoe Whittall, explores themes of growing up and living in a misogynistic, dysfunctional world.

The protagonists are queer women and the stories seem to take place at one pivotal point in their lives. They struggle with mental health issues such as OCD and agoraphobia. Their survival is laced with shame and doubt. Their experiences and reactions relatable. It also makes you question the actions and consequences of the men and other genders in this book.

The author’s humor helps balance the overall collection. I enjoyed reading this collection. It was funny and thought provoking. Whittall’s raw emotional takes feel honest and witty. I recommend this collection.

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a weird little short story collection. All of the stories revolved around different experiences of queer women. Some of them got under my skin. I appreciated the way it explored aging and being queer. Most of the stories were centered around women in their mid thirties and how aging has affected them. It also explored bisexuality, being trans, and being how people few different sexualities. It had been a long time since I’ve read a short story collection and I enjoyed these. I don’t think I had a solid favorite of the bunch.

This is a collection of small stories about queer people living their life and dealing with life. They make you think about your life and people around you. Some are eye opening than others, but all are good.
Nothing sparked my interest tho, they were good stories, but I don't think they’d be memorable much

I try not to give negative reviews, but this book was almost unreadable for me. The writing was stilted, almost in note form instead of a fully formed novel. I'm not sure if it was because it's an uncorrected arc. I hope it improves before it's released. I couldn't finish the story and barely made it through the first five chapters.

A lovely, engrossing, and often heartbreaking collection of 10 short stories. I’ve enjoyed previous works by the author and this was no exception.

Each story offers us a glimpse of a woman dealing with the realities of living in a man’s world. There is violence, disregard, disrespect and the women depicted manage to cope and sometimes persevere. The writing is full of compassion and dry humor. There isn’t always a clear resolution which adds to the beauty of the storytelling.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Each of the characters and their stories are so vastly different. The writing style is a little dry but it reminds me of Sally Rooney’s Normal People in that sense.
I definitely would recommend picking this book up!

After listening to The Spectacular audiobook, I immediately purchased a hardcover of the title. When I saw a new title available that is written by Zoe Whittall I knew that I would love it as much as the first book I read of hers.

Wild Failure is an amazing collection of short stories that shares the hardships and achievements of the characters included. Enjoyed each and every one of them! I tried to pick a favorite but I just could not, it is liking trying to pick a favorite child. This is a must read for everyone!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the chance to read this amazing title!