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mari1532's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Kidnapping and Murder
bessadams's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Physical abuse
Minor: Child death and Pregnancy
katherine_alexis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
karyboobooks's review against another edition
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
jenisreading's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Such a wonderful tale of feminism, resilience, coming of age, and making the hard decision to choose yourself without regret. I really appreciated how the author tackled touchy subjects for younger readers - the oppressive machismo of her surroundings, abusive family dynamics, the danger of simply existing as a woman, but also the relationship with the love interest. I also really liked the cadence of the narrator’s voice, but was annoyed by several mispronunciations
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Lesbophobia
bjdarby's review against another edition
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity
amberinpieces's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Classism
writingcaia's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
This is the book I didn’t know I needed.
A powerful story that deals with so much from domestic violence, violence against women, repeating cycles, breaking cycles, poverty, to friendship, love, women empowerment, and fútbol.
Furia, is Camila, a girl who dreams of being a futbolera (soccer player) something forbidden by law in Argentina just decades before. But, she’s lying to everyone about it, except her brother, a famous player, but not as good as she can can be even if money and fame wise no women will ever reach it. And, there are still more lies keeping her away from her truths.
Her lies are protection, from a family home that is corrosive. Her mother and father have a strained relationship and the threat of violence is impeding in Camila’s home, even her brother speaks up as if violence against women was normal, and there’s also violence outside and all around her, girls go missing everyday, and every other day a women is killed by a men.
Her parents will never support her, even her mom, a women who should fight for her, to break the cycle seems stuck and erased.
Then there’s Diego her childhood friend and love, who’s also a football player now playing in Italy, famous and rich, but he has come back to woe her and confuse her and make her love him again, still she’s trying to keep her goal of being a professional player in her mind and not get lost in him.
But, lies and truths, desires and fears will all be tested and exposed.
Camila has to decide if she is Furia or not, and if she has the resolve to be honest and break the cycle.
Absolutely adored it!
The writing is accessible and engaging, the pages fly by, the passion for the game and for family and love are all there and brilliantly portrayed, I felt everything as if I was Camila and I’d love to have kept reading about her and the children of Argentina who want to break the cycles, especially the girls.
¡Ni una menos! ¡Vivas nos queremos!
A powerful story that deals with so much from domestic violence, violence against women, repeating cycles, breaking cycles, poverty, to friendship, love, women empowerment, and fútbol.
Furia, is Camila, a girl who dreams of being a futbolera (soccer player) something forbidden by law in Argentina just decades before. But, she’s lying to everyone about it, except her brother, a famous player, but not as good as she can can be even if money and fame wise no women will ever reach it. And, there are still more lies keeping her away from her truths.
Her lies are protection, from a family home that is corrosive. Her mother and father have a strained relationship and the threat of violence is impeding in Camila’s home, even her brother speaks up as if violence against women was normal, and there’s also violence outside and all around her, girls go missing everyday, and every other day a women is killed by a men.
Her parents will never support her, even her mom, a women who should fight for her, to break the cycle seems stuck and erased.
Then there’s Diego her childhood friend and love, who’s also a football player now playing in Italy, famous and rich, but he has come back to woe her and confuse her and make her love him again, still she’s trying to keep her goal of being a professional player in her mind and not get lost in him.
But, lies and truths, desires and fears will all be tested and exposed.
Camila has to decide if she is Furia or not, and if she has the resolve to be honest and break the cycle.
Absolutely adored it!
The writing is accessible and engaging, the pages fly by, the passion for the game and for family and love are all there and brilliantly portrayed, I felt everything as if I was Camila and I’d love to have kept reading about her and the children of Argentina who want to break the cycles, especially the girls.
¡Ni una menos! ¡Vivas nos queremos!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
leahkarge's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
whatannikareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
sometimes i’m like mmmm maybe i’ve outgrown YA, but books like these show me i can find books i enjoy out there! i didn’t play soccer, but i appreciate this as a girl who grew up playing sports. i think mendez does a great job of highlighting layers of argentinian culture, from fùtbol to the rising feminist movement to the shackles of domestic abuse and violence and trying to make it out of the barrio. i liked the combination of realistic outcomes but still daring to dream big and reach the reader’s imagination with achieving your dreams. i’m down to read whatever the author puts out in the future; she’s solidified a follower in me. now i just want to read books like this! will be seeking more fiction about girls playing sports, a genre i didn’t realize would touch me so closely :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail