Overview

Debuted at #19 in LGBTQ+ Poetry and #28 in Contemporary Poetry on Kindle. what are we / when we look in the mirror? / ourselves? / or the shape / of all the people who left us? In Chaos, Charity Whan writes directly through the disorientation of transformation. After the ending of a marriage and reckoning with a desire that reshaped her understanding of herself, Whan examines how identity forms, fractures, and reforms. This collection of poetry, prose, and color photography presents as a kind of collage-with generational trauma, loss, regret, sexual identity, and the quiet process of reclamation all layering into a single story. These fragments of a life move through heartbreak, shame, resilience, and self-acceptance without sensationalizing any part of the story. Instead, they focus on the internal shifts-the moments when a woman realizes she can no longer keep living a version of herself that leaves her unseen. Firmly rooted in lived experience, Chaos is a collection about honesty, embodiment, and the moments that force us to confront the truth we've avoided. It offers space for anyone who has ever questioned the life expected of them-and wondered who they might be on the other side.

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Reviews

All I can say is WOW. This is one of those rare books that doesn't just tell a story. You feel it in your bones. Charity Whan's voice grabbed me by the heart and refused to let go. She writes the kind of truth that stings because it's real, and heals because it finally gives language to the things we're afraid to say out loud. Nothing is polished for comfort. Nothing is softened. She lets her story stand exactly as it is and it's incredibly beautiful. I underlined so many passages that my copy looks like it's been through its own kind of fire. If you've ever walked away from a life that wasn't meant for you... if you've ever tried to reclaim your voice after being quiet for too long...if you've ever needed proof that beauty can come from ashes, then this book is for you. It doesn't offer neat endings or pretty resolutions. What it offers is truth. And honestly? That's so much better. I will be thinking about this book for a long, long time. - Verified Purchaser, Amazon This book is great read for anyone who has ever struggled with feeling caged in, stuck, or simply just navigating life's unavoidable heartbreaks. It's a story told with some beautiful poetry and stunning photos. If you are an artist or someone who appreciates art, this is a MUST. The uniquely poetic words and photography are unmatched. A review won't do it justice, you need to see and read for yourself. - Verified Purchaser, Amazon

Author Information

Charity Whan is a poet, artist, and walking contradiction. Equal parts rebel heart and introspective soul, her work lives in the tension between desire and grief, freedom and consequence. A native Midwesterner now based in Southern California, she writes to make sense of the anarchy she's both run from and run toward. Chaos is her first full-length collection. She is the cohost of the Brittersweet podcast, a bold, bittersweet take on life, love, and the messy middle, and also the writer behind The Wild Beast Substack newsletter.

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