What do you think?
Rate this book
The Furies
Defiant, ferocious and unyielding - The Furies is a unique and breathtakingly powerful debut novel from Mandy Beaumont. For those who love Charlotte Wood, Margaret Atwood and Carmen Maria Machado.
Cynthia was just about to turn sixteen when the unthinkable happened. Her mother was taken away by the police, and her father left without a word three months later. After that night, Cynthia began to walk in slow circles outside the family home looking for traces of her sister Mallory - she's sure that she must be somewhere else now, wherever that is.
Cynthia knows that she doesn't belong here. Her mother never belonged here either. This is the place of violence. Despair. The long dry. Blood caked under the nails. Desperate men. Long silences. The place where mothers go mad in locked bedrooms, where women like Cynthia imagine better futures.
As a threatening wind begins to dry-whirl around her, seldom seen black clouds form above, roll over the golden-brown land - is that Mallory she can hear in the growling mass? In the harsh drought-stricken landscape of outback Queensland a woman can be lost in so many ways. The question is, will Cynthia be one of them?
Defiant, ferocious and unyielding - The Furies is a debut novel by Mandy Beaumont that explores the isolation felt by so many women, and how powerful we can be when we join together. It puts her firmly on the literary map, blazing forth from the terrain of Charlotte Wood, Margaret Atwood and Carmen Maria Machado, with a unique and breathtaking power.
Cynthia was just about to turn sixteen when the unthinkable happened. Her mother was taken away by the police, and her father left without a word three months later. After that night, Cynthia began to walk in slow circles outside the family home looking for traces of her sister Mallory - she's sure that she must be somewhere else now, wherever that is.
Cynthia knows that she doesn't belong here. Her mother never belonged here either. This is the place of violence. Despair. The long dry. Blood caked under the nails. Desperate men. Long silences. The place where mothers go mad in locked bedrooms, where women like Cynthia imagine better futures.
As a threatening wind begins to dry-whirl around her, seldom seen black clouds form above, roll over the golden-brown land - is that Mallory she can hear in the growling mass? In the harsh drought-stricken landscape of outback Queensland a woman can be lost in so many ways. The question is, will Cynthia be one of them?
Defiant, ferocious and unyielding - The Furies is a debut novel by Mandy Beaumont that explores the isolation felt by so many women, and how powerful we can be when we join together. It puts her firmly on the literary map, blazing forth from the terrain of Charlotte Wood, Margaret Atwood and Carmen Maria Machado, with a unique and breathtaking power.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2022
16 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Beaumont
8 books32 followersMandy is an award-winning writer and a researcher in creative writing. Her debut novel The Furies was long-listed for the prestigious Stella Prize and shortlisted for the MUD Literary Prize. The Furies was also shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards Fiction Book of the Year . Her collection of short stories, Wild, Fearless Chests, was shortlisted for the Richell Prize and the Dorothy Hewett Award. Stories from the collection also won the MOTH International Short Story Prize and were shortlisted for other notable awards. She is a convenor in creative writing at Griffith University and holds a PhD and a Research Masters in creative writing. She is also a regular feature writer and book reviewer for The Big Issue.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 6, 2022
I did not get along well with this novel. While I appreciate the intent of this story and I also applaud the author for the boldness of it, the brutality and rage was relentless and I found the story so entirely devoid of hope, bleak to the point of desolation. It was a tough read.
The author has a unique writing style, a very different way of structuring her sentences. I think I might be a little too old school to appreciate such a break in convention. I found the technique distracting and chaotic, but perhaps that’s the point?
There are quite detailed and vivid scenes of animal cruelty throughout this novel, specifically taking place within an abattoir. There are also many scenes of sexual violence against women that are graphic and disturbing. This novel is not for everyone.
Why did I continue to read it when there were all of the above-mentioned factors pushing me to stop? It was eerily compelling and tragically familiar after having lived in the outback for 9 years. Sometimes it’s beneficial to sit outside of your comfort zone for the duration – even if it is a tough sit. Important themes prop up this story, issues pertinent to our society and the never ending cycles of violence and desperation that perpetuates from generation to generation.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
The author has a unique writing style, a very different way of structuring her sentences. I think I might be a little too old school to appreciate such a break in convention. I found the technique distracting and chaotic, but perhaps that’s the point?
There are quite detailed and vivid scenes of animal cruelty throughout this novel, specifically taking place within an abattoir. There are also many scenes of sexual violence against women that are graphic and disturbing. This novel is not for everyone.
Why did I continue to read it when there were all of the above-mentioned factors pushing me to stop? It was eerily compelling and tragically familiar after having lived in the outback for 9 years. Sometimes it’s beneficial to sit outside of your comfort zone for the duration – even if it is a tough sit. Important themes prop up this story, issues pertinent to our society and the never ending cycles of violence and desperation that perpetuates from generation to generation.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
dnf
April 24, 2023dnf @ 100 pages
unfortunately this book just didn't work for me. while I could acknowledge its important themes and skilful writing, it was just too bleak, hopeless and depressing for me at the moment. don't let this review put you off if you are interested in the book, but just be warned of its confronting subject matter.
unfortunately this book just didn't work for me. while I could acknowledge its important themes and skilful writing, it was just too bleak, hopeless and depressing for me at the moment. don't let this review put you off if you are interested in the book, but just be warned of its confronting subject matter.
February 7, 2022
Such an amazing, brutal and enthralling novel. It is so evocative, you can smell the beer on the carpet at the pub. Her writing style makes you feel like you know these brutal, real characters so well. The novel is an absolute triumph and I look forward to reading more from Mandy.
February 25, 2022
I felt conflicted after reading The Furies. Aspects of the novel I found uncomfortable, upsetting and disturbing, and these feelings stayed with me long after the final page. Perhaps that is the point though. Because it is those feelings, as well as a lingering sense of rage at the abuse and violence perpetrated by men that has me determined to share this novel with others. So that they hear these voices, this message. The `call to arms' or `revolution' the author refers to in the epilogue.
On the other hand I found a sense of beauty and hope amongst the horror. I was reminded of the healing power of nature. Of the camaraderie of woman. Even in the darkest of times.
As someone who is grieving the death of a loved one I found the all consuming fog of grief in which Cynthia is living (barely surviving) truly spoke to me. The overarching sense of loss, grief and how our memories of our dead loved ones both haunt us and sustain us resonated with me.
The writing style has its challenges for a reader. The short sentences and the placement of words in some sentences had me perplexed and feeling a little off kilter. I really enjoyed the overuse of parenthesis though, as it seemed to create another layer to the story, to thoroughly describe, as though to say, you want more, well here it is.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
On the other hand I found a sense of beauty and hope amongst the horror. I was reminded of the healing power of nature. Of the camaraderie of woman. Even in the darkest of times.
As someone who is grieving the death of a loved one I found the all consuming fog of grief in which Cynthia is living (barely surviving) truly spoke to me. The overarching sense of loss, grief and how our memories of our dead loved ones both haunt us and sustain us resonated with me.
The writing style has its challenges for a reader. The short sentences and the placement of words in some sentences had me perplexed and feeling a little off kilter. I really enjoyed the overuse of parenthesis though, as it seemed to create another layer to the story, to thoroughly describe, as though to say, you want more, well here it is.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
May 12, 2022
When I started to read this book, I wanted to stop. I wanted it to stop. The staccato fire of language bullets ripping at me. Ugly. Uncomfortable. Hateful. Cruel.
I wanted to shout at Cyn. Tell her to grow up. To take responsibility for her life. To cherish not damage. Herself. Her baby. I wanted to shout at the author - how dare you.
Then, it dawned on me. What would I know? I was not a child, rejected by both parents. Neglected. Abused. Abandoned. Left to protect a sister who nobody but me could be bothered to love. What right did I have to judge Cyn, from my comfortable childhood background? This I feel, is the starting point for the story. The lead in to the real deal.
Despite the assault on my senses, the cringe, the disgust, the utter desperation, I was compelled to keep reading. It was a struggle. But nothing compared with the struggle Cyn had faced almost every day of her life.
I won’t lie. I did not love this book, but it brought into sharp focus the very brutal reality that we face as a society. These experiences are not mine, but. I know women who face/faced these realities. Bear the scars. May never heal. We need a revolution.
Twenty steps. To return this book to my library shelves. Not enough steps. To get it out of my mind.
3.5 ⭐️
I wanted to shout at Cyn. Tell her to grow up. To take responsibility for her life. To cherish not damage. Herself. Her baby. I wanted to shout at the author - how dare you.
Then, it dawned on me. What would I know? I was not a child, rejected by both parents. Neglected. Abused. Abandoned. Left to protect a sister who nobody but me could be bothered to love. What right did I have to judge Cyn, from my comfortable childhood background? This I feel, is the starting point for the story. The lead in to the real deal.
Despite the assault on my senses, the cringe, the disgust, the utter desperation, I was compelled to keep reading. It was a struggle. But nothing compared with the struggle Cyn had faced almost every day of her life.
I won’t lie. I did not love this book, but it brought into sharp focus the very brutal reality that we face as a society. These experiences are not mine, but. I know women who face/faced these realities. Bear the scars. May never heal. We need a revolution.
Twenty steps. To return this book to my library shelves. Not enough steps. To get it out of my mind.
3.5 ⭐️
February 6, 2022
An electrical storm of a book. Usually unseen characters from small town Australia. The imagery is tangible and the story gets into your veins, keep a drink handy.
Read
February 23, 2022There are almost no words that can covey how awful the story in this book is.....but what a writer.
Cynthia's life has always been horrible. Surrounded by a long list of just terrible people and situations. She endures her long suffering mother, an incapable father, hideous townsfolk and the death of her baby sister.
You just wish Cyn had lead another life, in another family in another town and not have to experience all the hideous things that happen to her.
Be prepared this book is not for everyone. Please research it before you read it. Every page is drenched in sadness and It's almost as if you are in Cyn's head the entire book and it's frightening reading each horrific experience that happens to her. You just want out, but you just can't leave her.
What a talented writer Beaumont is to construct a book that will honestly haunt readers. To be able to create a story filled with such vivid description and details that it's difficult to keep reading but impossible to put down. So very talented.
Thank -you Hachette for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cynthia's life has always been horrible. Surrounded by a long list of just terrible people and situations. She endures her long suffering mother, an incapable father, hideous townsfolk and the death of her baby sister.
You just wish Cyn had lead another life, in another family in another town and not have to experience all the hideous things that happen to her.
Be prepared this book is not for everyone. Please research it before you read it. Every page is drenched in sadness and It's almost as if you are in Cyn's head the entire book and it's frightening reading each horrific experience that happens to her. You just want out, but you just can't leave her.
What a talented writer Beaumont is to construct a book that will honestly haunt readers. To be able to create a story filled with such vivid description and details that it's difficult to keep reading but impossible to put down. So very talented.
Thank -you Hachette for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2022
I’ll admit, I completely judged this book by its cover. Here I was thinking it would be your typical crime/thriller — a genre I usually have to be in the right headspace for — which is primarily why I hadn’t picked this one up until now.
I was pretty much completely off the mark. And I’m so glad I was.
It’s probably best to class this as literary fiction; the desperate, raw, unyielding kind. Exactly my type of book. A story intended to highlight female oppression and the trauma women are subjected to on a regular basis. A system of misogyny and the powerlessness of women in a place where only men can belong. A culture that insidiously dehumanises women and violates their rights, continually eroding their sense of self until almost nothing remains.
Heavy stuff right?
The frightening thing is that it’s set close to home, right in the heart of the outback. Cynthia is a young woman who has lost her family in the most tragic of ways, an ending brought about by dysfunction, neglect and abuse. Her story is one of pure survival when all love and hope has been lost.
The grating feelings I had while reading this reminded me a lot of how I felt when I read A Little Life. There is that omnipresent sense of spiralling despair. And the poetic prose was sparse but strong, vividly evoking the dry, desperate heat of rural Queensland. It was such a sticky, uncomfortable read — and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is one fierce, devastating debut, but handle with care because there is a lot of graphic and disturbing scenes of violence. Beaumont is definitely one to watch out for in the future though, and I would not hesitate to pick up more of her work.
{review copy from Hachette Australia}
I was pretty much completely off the mark. And I’m so glad I was.
It’s probably best to class this as literary fiction; the desperate, raw, unyielding kind. Exactly my type of book. A story intended to highlight female oppression and the trauma women are subjected to on a regular basis. A system of misogyny and the powerlessness of women in a place where only men can belong. A culture that insidiously dehumanises women and violates their rights, continually eroding their sense of self until almost nothing remains.
Heavy stuff right?
The frightening thing is that it’s set close to home, right in the heart of the outback. Cynthia is a young woman who has lost her family in the most tragic of ways, an ending brought about by dysfunction, neglect and abuse. Her story is one of pure survival when all love and hope has been lost.
The grating feelings I had while reading this reminded me a lot of how I felt when I read A Little Life. There is that omnipresent sense of spiralling despair. And the poetic prose was sparse but strong, vividly evoking the dry, desperate heat of rural Queensland. It was such a sticky, uncomfortable read — and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is one fierce, devastating debut, but handle with care because there is a lot of graphic and disturbing scenes of violence. Beaumont is definitely one to watch out for in the future though, and I would not hesitate to pick up more of her work.
{review copy from Hachette Australia}
December 20, 2022
Wow! I had no idea where this would go but, that ending, it was powerful.
April 22, 2024
Very different read, found it difficult, at the start but over the journey started to understand. The portrayal of inter generation trauma was clear and devastating.
May 28, 2023
This book makes the case for a feminist revolution but it’s a hard, graphic, violent, visceral, hate-filled slog through the vile slop that is the patriarchy. I was hoping to be rewarded with a catharsis but what little there was came too late for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2022
Powerful, challenging, and heartbreaking.
Don't be put off by the jarring nature of the writing. It becomes apparent why the writing makes you uncomfortable, and you'll fall into a good rhythm.
Don't be put off by the jarring nature of the writing. It becomes apparent why the writing makes you uncomfortable, and you'll fall into a good rhythm.
March 1, 2022
"Those are the eyes of women who are standing in the place the world thinks they don't belong. And they are afraid of nothing."
This will hurt.
January 29, 2022
Mandy Beaumont’s beautiful prose is lush and poetic, in direct contrast to the landscape and the story contained in this book, which is brutal, desolate and relentless.
The content is very heavy and depicts violence towards animals, sexual violence and child abuse. I found it deeply upsetting and a difficult read. I stuck with it because it was wonderfully written and tells a vital and all too familiar tale for people who have grown up in small and hopeless towns.
The descriptions of working in an abattoir and the types of people and the relationships formed were so similar to my experience working in a butchery for a number of years. Accurately captured.
Make sure you have something uplifting to read afterwards!
The content is very heavy and depicts violence towards animals, sexual violence and child abuse. I found it deeply upsetting and a difficult read. I stuck with it because it was wonderfully written and tells a vital and all too familiar tale for people who have grown up in small and hopeless towns.
The descriptions of working in an abattoir and the types of people and the relationships formed were so similar to my experience working in a butchery for a number of years. Accurately captured.
Make sure you have something uplifting to read afterwards!
January 24, 2022
“What is the collective noun for a group of men like this - a terror, a calamity, a butchery? A butchery.”
The Furies is the debut novel of Mandy Beaumont. The story focuses on sixteen year old Cynthia who lives on her family’s isolated property and one day watches as her mother is taken away by police after an unthinkable act. Her father walks out three months later and never returns. A few years later an increasingly isolated Cynthia is working at the same abattoir as her father used to, looking for signs of her sister Mallory and being subjected to some pretty horrific experiences.
The writing is rich with the desperation of Cynthia. The stilted stop start way of expression gives life to Cynthia's thoughts. The author has given her a depressingly awful life, and yet the writing and descriptions are also sort of beautiful?
The book stunned me. The blurb kind of hints this is a thriller, but it's much more a literary piece that aims to highlight women and their traumatic experiences at the hands of men. The experience is unrelenting. A story of collective grieving. Brutal. Exhausting. So I have to flag some massive trigger warnings here – just about every one you can imagine.
Given what I have just said I’m not sure how I feel about this book overall. I did absolutely appreciate the writing. The author uses a technique throughout much of the book, ending a sentence with an “and” or “of” followed by a full stop instead of running on the sentence. This had an interesting effect on the flow, but I’m not sure I understood why it was used? In addition the brutality Cynthia experiences leaves you feeling without hope and I'm not sure the payoff was worth it.
Thanks so much to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
The Furies is the debut novel of Mandy Beaumont. The story focuses on sixteen year old Cynthia who lives on her family’s isolated property and one day watches as her mother is taken away by police after an unthinkable act. Her father walks out three months later and never returns. A few years later an increasingly isolated Cynthia is working at the same abattoir as her father used to, looking for signs of her sister Mallory and being subjected to some pretty horrific experiences.
The writing is rich with the desperation of Cynthia. The stilted stop start way of expression gives life to Cynthia's thoughts. The author has given her a depressingly awful life, and yet the writing and descriptions are also sort of beautiful?
The book stunned me. The blurb kind of hints this is a thriller, but it's much more a literary piece that aims to highlight women and their traumatic experiences at the hands of men. The experience is unrelenting. A story of collective grieving. Brutal. Exhausting. So I have to flag some massive trigger warnings here – just about every one you can imagine.
Given what I have just said I’m not sure how I feel about this book overall. I did absolutely appreciate the writing. The author uses a technique throughout much of the book, ending a sentence with an “and” or “of” followed by a full stop instead of running on the sentence. This had an interesting effect on the flow, but I’m not sure I understood why it was used? In addition the brutality Cynthia experiences leaves you feeling without hope and I'm not sure the payoff was worth it.
Thanks so much to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
January 4, 2022
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
Rawness and stark reality in equal doses imprint immediately on the reader as we meet Cynthia and witness the life she lives.
Drought, misogyny and life in an abattoir are daily factors for her as well as emotional baggage from a fractured family.
At sixteen she lost both her parents and entered adulthood prematurely.
The old family home, a place that evokes memories of isolation and desolation, a place where her sister disappeared and her mother lost her mind.
The barren and soul destroying landscape and the graphic descriptions of death providing imagery that reflect the inner feelings of Cynthia.
Places she doesn’t belong.
Intelligently written with short and sharp sentences.
The darkness and starkness adding authenticity and reminding us that life isn’t always a bed of roses.
A thought provoking and enjoyable read that at times made me squeamish and sad.
A debut novel that will make its mark on the literary world and an author to watch out for.
Rawness and stark reality in equal doses imprint immediately on the reader as we meet Cynthia and witness the life she lives.
Drought, misogyny and life in an abattoir are daily factors for her as well as emotional baggage from a fractured family.
At sixteen she lost both her parents and entered adulthood prematurely.
The old family home, a place that evokes memories of isolation and desolation, a place where her sister disappeared and her mother lost her mind.
The barren and soul destroying landscape and the graphic descriptions of death providing imagery that reflect the inner feelings of Cynthia.
Places she doesn’t belong.
Intelligently written with short and sharp sentences.
The darkness and starkness adding authenticity and reminding us that life isn’t always a bed of roses.
A thought provoking and enjoyable read that at times made me squeamish and sad.
A debut novel that will make its mark on the literary world and an author to watch out for.
January 9, 2023
This book deserves 5 stars. It's intense, traumatic, filled with misery and down right depressing. It's probably the worst book I've ever read in the terms of theme and graphic nature. But that doesn't mean that it deserves a bad rating.
I fell into the misery and understood why it was written. Even if you haven't experienced such trauma, as a woman you know how this happens and this book will resonate with all women and hopefully men.
Only thing that irked me was when a sentence ended in 'and' and a full stop. I didn't really understand what that was about. Definately not needed.
I'm hoping the author publishes again very soon. She's gained a fan.
I fell into the misery and understood why it was written. Even if you haven't experienced such trauma, as a woman you know how this happens and this book will resonate with all women and hopefully men.
Only thing that irked me was when a sentence ended in 'and' and a full stop. I didn't really understand what that was about. Definately not needed.
I'm hoping the author publishes again very soon. She's gained a fan.
June 15, 2022
Absolutely loved the writing style & message in here. The grammatical style gives Cynthia real voice - it is quite poetic & ethereal, ever so slightly disturbing. I loved the dream-like sections where she is in the bush out the back of the abattoir or at her home. Yes, the events are very bleak & depressing, but there is a small spark of hope & optimism there as well.
October 14, 2021
A choral literary experience with deep roots in the life of every woman. I really enjoyed every page of this book and I recommend it. Believe me: you won't be disappointed.
The style is unique in its crude lyricism and the plot evocative in its more mystic aspects.
The style is unique in its crude lyricism and the plot evocative in its more mystic aspects.
December 4, 2023
Whilst I wouldn’t rush to recommend this book, I did rush to the end. I know that the collective grieving of generations of women will stay stay with me. I hope that live long enough to be part of the revolution.
Read
May 27, 2022DNF Too graphic
September 16, 2022
Vegetarians/vegans swipe left.
April 2, 2023
This book hit me hard. Wow. Simply wow!
June 4, 2022
What the heck do star ratings symbolise? If it's enjoyment, it would be a low rating. If it's appreciation for creativity and craft, it's a high rating. As a student of writing myself, I rounded it up to 4 because it's a debut novel and I do want to read more from Mandy Beaumont.
First: this is a book you read to be challenged. It is not a pleasant holiday read. Clearly Beaumont intended to make her reader squirm and contemplate their privilege and perhaps cultivate some empathy for Australians on the fringes of society.
It is a very Aussie book in many ways, set in a sparsely populated regional area, a dying town experiencing a prolonged period of drought. Everything in the protagonist, Cynthia's, world is parched and impoverished, including the love and care of her parents. Predators abound when times are hard. There are lots of metaphors in the environment alone that reference the hardship of the characters and their precarious relationships.
Content warning: this novel features explicit scenes of sex and abuse, including child neglect and abuse. Also, vivid descriptions of animal slaughter. Language warning too. This is a story for intrepid readers only!
What I loved: the alt-grammar and broken prose. I found it poetic, communicating Cynthia's broken world view so there was no need to spell it out for the reader. At times the writing was breath-taking, suspending my disbelief, immersing me in heat and sweat and flies and bull dust (and beer and blood and guts and bodily fluids).
What I loathed: aside from abusive sex, I struggled to empathise with Cynthia's plight. I wonder if she had been just a little more vulnerable and a little less stoic, whether her story would have touched me more deeply? There were moments I can't mention due to spoilers where I felt a lighter touch might have made Cyn's inner fear and conflict as visceral as the violence but then maybe that wouldn't be true to the author's hard-edged style.
Saying that, I know Cynthia's impenetrable barrier is probably the author's intention: a trauma response. If she had better capacity to reason would the story have taken the course it did?
I have tried not to include spoilers but I think readers do need to know what they're in for. Much as I love the cover, it really didn't communicate the genre clearly to me.
First: this is a book you read to be challenged. It is not a pleasant holiday read. Clearly Beaumont intended to make her reader squirm and contemplate their privilege and perhaps cultivate some empathy for Australians on the fringes of society.
It is a very Aussie book in many ways, set in a sparsely populated regional area, a dying town experiencing a prolonged period of drought. Everything in the protagonist, Cynthia's, world is parched and impoverished, including the love and care of her parents. Predators abound when times are hard. There are lots of metaphors in the environment alone that reference the hardship of the characters and their precarious relationships.
Content warning: this novel features explicit scenes of sex and abuse, including child neglect and abuse. Also, vivid descriptions of animal slaughter. Language warning too. This is a story for intrepid readers only!
What I loved: the alt-grammar and broken prose. I found it poetic, communicating Cynthia's broken world view so there was no need to spell it out for the reader. At times the writing was breath-taking, suspending my disbelief, immersing me in heat and sweat and flies and bull dust (and beer and blood and guts and bodily fluids).
What I loathed: aside from abusive sex, I struggled to empathise with Cynthia's plight. I wonder if she had been just a little more vulnerable and a little less stoic, whether her story would have touched me more deeply? There were moments I can't mention due to spoilers where I felt a lighter touch might have made Cyn's inner fear and conflict as visceral as the violence but then maybe that wouldn't be true to the author's hard-edged style.
Saying that, I know Cynthia's impenetrable barrier is probably the author's intention: a trauma response. If she had better capacity to reason would the story have taken the course it did?
I have tried not to include spoilers but I think readers do need to know what they're in for. Much as I love the cover, it really didn't communicate the genre clearly to me.
April 14, 2023
I picked this up because it's on the MUD Awards short list. It's the last book on the list of five books for me to read. After competing the book, I'm not sure I'm glad I read it, even though I think it's a powerful book. I do know it's a book I won't read twice.
How can I be not glad to read a book but rate it four stars? I rate it four stars because, as a narrative, it does its job well. And unlike what the title of the book suggests, I don't think the main message of this book is about anger. Sure, it is full of anger, but the main message is deeper. It's about what happens when a community begins to crumble. What happens when you're ignored and nobody seems to care? What happens when you're thrown into a life that is setup for you to fail? It's also about power, and the abuse of power. It's also about violence, and how violence is often ignored, and as this books suggests, sometimes celebrated. Then, behind all that, the story is about outback life, and the struggles faced by people in drought, and how that can bring the strongest person to their knees, which also leads onto the topic of mental illness, and how that is often ignored in the outback. It's a rich tapestry where some threads of hope are rare and hard to find.
You will need to remove yourself from the traumatic narrative at times to appreciate the different concepts in this story.
One thing I didn't enjoy is the writing style. It bugged me. The intentional breaks in sentence structure, that may be an attempt to show disjointed thinking. Yes, it will probably excite somebody sitting on a book award panel, but for me it's just too ornamental, and the ornament is of the pretentious variety.
Because of the books content, I can imagine many readers not finishing this book once they start.
How can I be not glad to read a book but rate it four stars? I rate it four stars because, as a narrative, it does its job well. And unlike what the title of the book suggests, I don't think the main message of this book is about anger. Sure, it is full of anger, but the main message is deeper. It's about what happens when a community begins to crumble. What happens when you're ignored and nobody seems to care? What happens when you're thrown into a life that is setup for you to fail? It's also about power, and the abuse of power. It's also about violence, and how violence is often ignored, and as this books suggests, sometimes celebrated. Then, behind all that, the story is about outback life, and the struggles faced by people in drought, and how that can bring the strongest person to their knees, which also leads onto the topic of mental illness, and how that is often ignored in the outback. It's a rich tapestry where some threads of hope are rare and hard to find.
You will need to remove yourself from the traumatic narrative at times to appreciate the different concepts in this story.
One thing I didn't enjoy is the writing style. It bugged me. The intentional breaks in sentence structure, that may be an attempt to show disjointed thinking. Yes, it will probably excite somebody sitting on a book award panel, but for me it's just too ornamental, and the ornament is of the pretentious variety.
Because of the books content, I can imagine many readers not finishing this book once they start.
June 17, 2023
I have SO many thoughts, mostly good, after finishing this amazing novel. Yes, it's a visceral, tough read, both emotionally and physically. Step past the initial confronting violence, and sit uncomfortably with the fury and anger in this novel; as it built to the whirlwind of women's voices, I was mesmerised. For the reader, there's no escaping or looking away from the violence inflicted on the female characters, reinforcing how they would have felt. It is boldly feminist, from the blood that seeps in every scene, to the violent deaths against the female cows at the abbatoir by the men. I bookmarked so many lines, and really liked the use of unusual sentence endings and being upended and unsettled by them. Another stellar addition to the rise of dark, feminist gothic modern Australian fiction, like The Natural Way of Things, and remember having similar strong reactions to that novel as well.
"I listen to the whopping sounds of irregular air around me, to a cluster of circular movement in the heavy clouds pushing against the Earth's rotation. Spin. Spin. Spin. A violent rally. (Think of the names of storm, of cyclones. Kate. Megan. Olga. Tracey. Nora. Tiffany. Tasha. Think of what they are said to be as they approach - temperamental in nature, flirting with the coastline, teasing the town. Think about what they really are - big, bold, wild, powerful and able to destroy you. Batten down your windows, blokes. Bring the car in under the house. Go to the smallest room. Get in the bathtub. Move under a mattress. Stockpile food for when the electricity fails. Spin. Spin. Spin.)"
"I listen to the whopping sounds of irregular air around me, to a cluster of circular movement in the heavy clouds pushing against the Earth's rotation. Spin. Spin. Spin. A violent rally. (Think of the names of storm, of cyclones. Kate. Megan. Olga. Tracey. Nora. Tiffany. Tasha. Think of what they are said to be as they approach - temperamental in nature, flirting with the coastline, teasing the town. Think about what they really are - big, bold, wild, powerful and able to destroy you. Batten down your windows, blokes. Bring the car in under the house. Go to the smallest room. Get in the bathtub. Move under a mattress. Stockpile food for when the electricity fails. Spin. Spin. Spin.)"
March 9, 2023
2023 Stella longlist
I picked this up, just to have a bit of a look before I went to sleep last night and then put it down at 1am when I'd finished it. This is not my typical relaxing bedtime book, it's not what I typically read at all. As the title suggests, it's an angry book that reels along at a furious pace. At first it had me thinking how we desperately need more mental health help for people in The Bush, then it had me wondering about magical realism, all the time I was hooked on the story. The main character, Cyn is not the sort of self-destructive person that I'd normally feel empathy for but the way it was written it would be hard not to. Very impressed how some really awful subjects are handled and made readable but not less impactful. It's a book that despite it being fast paced is one that will have me thinking about it for sometime. Very thankful for it's inclusion on the 2023 Stella longlist, otherwise I'd be unlikely to pick it up. This could well move through to the shortlist.
If I didn't want to get through the longlist quickly, I might even pick this one up and read it again. An excellent and original reading experience.
I picked this up, just to have a bit of a look before I went to sleep last night and then put it down at 1am when I'd finished it. This is not my typical relaxing bedtime book, it's not what I typically read at all. As the title suggests, it's an angry book that reels along at a furious pace. At first it had me thinking how we desperately need more mental health help for people in The Bush, then it had me wondering about magical realism, all the time I was hooked on the story. The main character, Cyn is not the sort of self-destructive person that I'd normally feel empathy for but the way it was written it would be hard not to. Very impressed how some really awful subjects are handled and made readable but not less impactful. It's a book that despite it being fast paced is one that will have me thinking about it for sometime. Very thankful for it's inclusion on the 2023 Stella longlist, otherwise I'd be unlikely to pick it up. This could well move through to the shortlist.
If I didn't want to get through the longlist quickly, I might even pick this one up and read it again. An excellent and original reading experience.
May 15, 2023
I greatly admire the literary talent of the author in creating this confronting, explosive exploration of women urged to take back their power from the community of men who have for so long threatened, abused, and silenced them. The relentless voices of the classical Furies urge Cynthia to avenge the lives of the women over time who have fallen victim to the sexual and emotional degradation of men, those who have driven women mad in their isolation. Her own family tragedy motivates the young woman to reclaim her power and join with others to escape the violence and despair.
This is not a comfortable read. Its ferocity and the inherent brutality of the narrative are expressed through often disjointed phrasing and idiosyncratic punctuation, which often unsettled me. Yet, I believe that the author deliberately threw me into such a state to further underscore her character's distress and the upheaval Cynthia was experiencing. Nonetheless, I struggled to find the key to her grammatical choices.
This is a not a straightforward narrative, but rather an often metaphorical portrayal that I felt compelled to finish despite my frequent confusion and constant unease.
This is not a comfortable read. Its ferocity and the inherent brutality of the narrative are expressed through often disjointed phrasing and idiosyncratic punctuation, which often unsettled me. Yet, I believe that the author deliberately threw me into such a state to further underscore her character's distress and the upheaval Cynthia was experiencing. Nonetheless, I struggled to find the key to her grammatical choices.
This is a not a straightforward narrative, but rather an often metaphorical portrayal that I felt compelled to finish despite my frequent confusion and constant unease.
December 21, 2025
This is a beautifully written book. Beaumont's prose are weighty and lyrical. Her phrasing exquisite - the out-of-order word sequences, hanging conjunctions (?) were all powerful.
I very much liked Cynthia (Cyn) and for me this is reminiscent of Douglas Stuart's Shuggie Bain... although time passes here it's more about a moment in time than the passing of time. Cyn's story is devastating and I wanted to rail at the hand she's dealt but for much of this I felt kinda guilty.
This is a call to action for women and girls. Against violence and oppression. Against men and the patriarchy. But unlike Cyn, the hand I've been dealt hasn't been all-bad. I can engender the anger and frustration when thinking about individuals - women abused, coerced, gaslit, made to feel less-than-they are - but in general I struggle. But of course... I'm fortunate. I know that. Many women aren't. But it means it's hard to bay for blood or feel as impassioned as I thought I should be.
That aside, I appreciated the time I spent with Cyn and look forward to reading more by Beaumont.
I very much liked Cynthia (Cyn) and for me this is reminiscent of Douglas Stuart's Shuggie Bain... although time passes here it's more about a moment in time than the passing of time. Cyn's story is devastating and I wanted to rail at the hand she's dealt but for much of this I felt kinda guilty.
This is a call to action for women and girls. Against violence and oppression. Against men and the patriarchy. But unlike Cyn, the hand I've been dealt hasn't been all-bad. I can engender the anger and frustration when thinking about individuals - women abused, coerced, gaslit, made to feel less-than-they are - but in general I struggle. But of course... I'm fortunate. I know that. Many women aren't. But it means it's hard to bay for blood or feel as impassioned as I thought I should be.
That aside, I appreciated the time I spent with Cyn and look forward to reading more by Beaumont.
April 2, 2022
Definitely a tough read, a bleak life of the protagonist Cynthia and her family, an abattoir, an unforgiving landscape on many levels.
As a woman reading this book I get it, if I were a man? Hmmm what would I think? 'she complains too much' 'she's a slut' 'why doesn't she just leave'....the usual statements?
Cynthia has a pretty crap life, and some major trauma, the writing is definitely compelling, even though it's quite a hard read I did 'enjoy' it (enjoy not being the right word).
I liked how Beaumont drew on generational trauma, the 'voices' of all the women.
It's not your typical 'goodies' and 'baddies' novel either.
Be warned, it's dark, if you're not in a good place don't go there.
As a woman reading this book I get it, if I were a man? Hmmm what would I think? 'she complains too much' 'she's a slut' 'why doesn't she just leave'....the usual statements?
Cynthia has a pretty crap life, and some major trauma, the writing is definitely compelling, even though it's quite a hard read I did 'enjoy' it (enjoy not being the right word).
I liked how Beaumont drew on generational trauma, the 'voices' of all the women.
It's not your typical 'goodies' and 'baddies' novel either.
Be warned, it's dark, if you're not in a good place don't go there.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews