Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

29 reviews

mari1532's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I listened to this audiobook with Libby through my library.

Brief Summary: Camila Hassen's dream is to become a professional soccer player. If her team can win the upcoming woman's soccer competition she might be able to obtain an athletic scholarship to play soccer in the United States before turning professional. However, in Rosario, Argentina professional soccer is something only men can hope to achieve. As Camila tries to reach her dream and break down societal barriers she also has to navigate typical teenage milestones.

Thoughts:  I enjoyed this book. Méndez captured the essence of the teenage experience on the page. Camila was such a lovely character. She can experience her first love without losing herself or her dreams in the orbit of the boy she loves. The pride and joy she experiences on the field as La Furia is infectious and I loved seeing her gain confidence in her innate talent and how she shares that with those around her throughout the book. 

Camila's relationship with her mother was my favourite part of the book. Realizing that your parents are only people is something that often comes along in the teenage years and how Camila comes to better understand her mother throughout the book and how her mother comes to understand her was beautiful to read. 

I wish there was a little more of Camila and her friends on the page. Roxana does pop up throughout the book and the dynamics of their relationship is an excellent description of teenage girls, but there were a few times that Roxana felt a little too in the background. Also, it felt like Camila's relationships with her teammates were not explored in as much detail. It would have been nice to see the girls together a bit more off the field. 

A heartwarming and emotional read. I would recommend it.  

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

karyboobooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is just… I have no words for the way this book took me back to memories of playing fútbol as a little girl in Colombia & the emotions that came with it. Although the books takes place in Argentina, the descriptions of the houses, streets, views, vendors, children asking for help/donations in buses & other things felt soooo much like being taken back home to Colombia. These are truly things that you couldn’t explain to someone who hadn’t experienced them first hand. 

No book has ever made me feel so close to home while breaking my heart apart with the reminders of all the ugly parts mi tierra has. Some of the topics addressed in this book are very hard but they’re SO real! I’ve felt the exact things this book touches on & it only makes it that much more heartfelt. 

I try to be a big supporter of Latina/Latino authors & honestly this book was one of the most heartbreaking positive surprises I’ve had with books as I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it before picking it up. This story will live in my heart forever, truly. 

I’d recommend this book to absolutely EVERYBODY but especially to my fellow Latinas who may have felt the need to dim their light, hide their goals & dreams or been told to reduce themselves to a smaller version of who they truly are simply because we seem like too much & we call attention on to ourselves which could make us seem disrespectful at or home or a target when we leave our house. Let us all break the generational cycles we’ve been told to continue. 

¡Ni Una Menos! ¡Vivas Nos Queremos! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

dalstellar's review against another edition

Go to review page

hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

year23's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I loved the last half of the book, there was more futbol, more exploration of the challenges Camila is facing (family, relationships, career dreams), all while shedding light on the day-to-day for women in Argentina. 

It is terrifying to see the trend of missing women show up in multiple countries, though not surprising. Having recently read more about Argentina's history, it was interesting to see the ways things have shifted (in positive ways), though still lag behind in others. This story feels, at its heart, a love letter to these women (those still here and those not), celebrating their continued dreams and ambitions, pursuing them even at risk to their lives and agency. 

This is a profoundly hopeful story, even as oppression and other horrors are detailed here. Do check the content warnings (only one scene). 

Do recommend it - it's a slow burn, as it spends too much time on the romantic relationship with Diego for the first half. But once he leaves, the story opens up and it's definitely worth your time. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bjdarby's review against another edition

Go to review page

inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

amberinpieces's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

laureliz's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

leahkarge's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I picked this up to finish one of my 2022 reading challenges. Sports stories aren't necessarily my jam otherwise. Yamile does an excellent job representing Camila's sports aspirations and how those clash with mysogeny in the culture around her, as well as her developing romance. Content warnings for mysogeny, abusive father, and murdered or missing girls. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

camillej's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings