A review by myth
Grace and Fury, by Tracy Banghart
4.0
Here we are, folks. I am back in action and reading YA that isn't SJM, and it feels SO GOOD.
Also helpful: I enjoyed this book immensely. It consciously worked against girl hate and had multiple WoC (though none were main characters) and solidly settled the fault of needing to look beautiful and compete with each other onto the shoulders of men. Even Cassia, who is the only Grace happy to be there, the only Grace looking forward to sex with the heir, and the only Grace happy with her cage, isn't hated by the narrative. Nomi doesn't even dislike her that much: Cassia is, after all, competing with Nomi for something Nomi doesn't want.
Meanwhile, Serina is over on Death Island having to fight for her life and choosing not to murder people for the benefit of the guards anyway. Frankly, I liked Serina better? Serina was raised to trust men and to always obey them, but boy does she get over that quick. She's faster than Nomi to embrace other women despite always being raised to see them as competition. To be fair, she has utterly different circumstances, but also to be fair, Nomi already hates everything the nation stands for. Why does Nomi trust any men, especially when some just tossed her sister into hell on earth for the crime of supposedly reading?
Also, mad that Oracle died.
All in all, I appreciate that the book addressed relevant issues and tried really hard. Something about it missed drawing me in, and I suspect it's the time involved. While I liked Serina a lot, I wish there had been more time to develop her living on her own and slowly talking the others around into cooperation.
That being said, I'm definitely going to read the next one.
Also helpful: I enjoyed this book immensely. It consciously worked against girl hate and had multiple WoC (though none were main characters) and solidly settled the fault of needing to look beautiful and compete with each other onto the shoulders of men. Even Cassia, who is the only Grace happy to be there, the only Grace looking forward to sex with the heir, and the only Grace happy with her cage, isn't hated by the narrative. Nomi doesn't even dislike her that much: Cassia is, after all, competing with Nomi for something Nomi doesn't want.
Meanwhile, Serina is over on Death Island having to fight for her life and choosing not to murder people for the benefit of the guards anyway. Frankly, I liked Serina better? Serina was raised to trust men and to always obey them, but boy does she get over that quick. She's faster than Nomi to embrace other women despite always being raised to see them as competition. To be fair, she has utterly different circumstances, but also to be fair, Nomi already hates everything the nation stands for. Why does Nomi trust any men, especially when some just tossed her sister into hell on earth for the crime of supposedly reading?
Also, mad that Oracle died.
All in all, I appreciate that the book addressed relevant issues and tried really hard. Something about it missed drawing me in, and I suspect it's the time involved. While I liked Serina a lot, I wish there had been more time to develop her living on her own and slowly talking the others around into cooperation.
That being said, I'm definitely going to read the next one.