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A review by eviecate
Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
If you plan to read this series please be aware that it contains graphic violence and sexual assault. Most sites list it as YA but i would argue that it is too graphic for YA.
This series has been a rollercoaster. When this book picked up at the conclusion of the last one I was scared. The first book was, in my opinion, the most intense and with the main character going back to the site of the majority of her trauma, I didn’t have high hopes. However I found this book to be the strongest in the trilogy. By the time I read this book I already had a strong connection to the characters and found myself on the edge of my seat for the majority of it. I did have a bit of difficulty navigating Lei’s first-person POV with Wren’s third-person but I got used to it. While the second book focused on relationships this one was mainly driven by the war. I think that made it stronger however my favorite moments were when characters were vulnerable with each other. Lei and Wren’s connection to one another is where this book really shines. The way they help each other cope with their traumas is beautiful. Ngan does a really good job of making the relationship balanced and not just sidelining Wren as only Lei’s love interest. These characters have both faced intense trauma and their different coping strategies really make them feel like distinct characters. I really liked how the series ended and i felt like everything was wrapped up nicely. This book made me feel every emotion. I didn’t cry but I came close. At the end of the day this book is about women learning to cope with extreme trauma in a society that is built to tear them down. I can have respect for a dystopian fantasy that has real world implications and this one definitely did.
I really enjoyed Lei’s relationships with the other paper girls and how similar trauma has shaped them in vastly different ways. Specifically with Aoki, I found Lei’s story arc with her incredibly captivating. I wasn’t sure if they were going to repair their relationship at the end of the book but I’m glad they did. While Aoki’s character growth happens off-screen I liked seeing Lei evolve from feeling like she needs to protect Aoki to understanding that she needs to learn how to grow and take care of herself on her own. I also enjoyed how the Burdens that Wren has carried on her shoulders for her whole life has shaped her and how she had to learn how to be vulnerable with people. I do wish that the implications of Lova’s betrayal had been explored more and revealed earlier, that was a missed opportunity. Another character I found myself attached to was Blue. She has grown so much from the first book and I wish her arc was explored more. I wasn’t as attached to Wren’s crew and I do wish they experienced more growth over the course of the series. I would have loved to see more of how Bo’s death in the last book continues to affect Merrin and Nitta and how they have been shaped by the trauma they have endured. I think it also would have made Merrin’s death hurt more if he had reconnected with Wren. In general Wren’s POV was limited because it was in third person and it felt significantly unbalanced compared to Lei’s. I think it would have been better to have both be first person in order to strengthen Wren’s character.
My biggest problem with this book and series as a whole is the marketing to a young adult audience. I picked up the first novel in 2018 when it came out looking for a YA fantasy with a lesbian relationship and while it delivered on this I was shocked by the violence and sexual assault. While there is a trigger warning it is small and easy to miss. I think this marketing is a result of the author being a woman of color and the characters being 17-18 over the course of the series.
This series has been a rollercoaster. When this book picked up at the conclusion of the last one I was scared. The first book was, in my opinion, the most intense and with the main character going back to the site of the majority of her trauma, I didn’t have high hopes. However I found this book to be the strongest in the trilogy. By the time I read this book I already had a strong connection to the characters and found myself on the edge of my seat for the majority of it. I did have a bit of difficulty navigating Lei’s first-person POV with Wren’s third-person but I got used to it. While the second book focused on relationships this one was mainly driven by the war. I think that made it stronger however my favorite moments were when characters were vulnerable with each other. Lei and Wren’s connection to one another is where this book really shines. The way they help each other cope with their traumas is beautiful. Ngan does a really good job of making the relationship balanced and not just sidelining Wren as only Lei’s love interest. These characters have both faced intense trauma and their different coping strategies really make them feel like distinct characters. I really liked how the series ended and i felt like everything was wrapped up nicely. This book made me feel every emotion. I didn’t cry but I came close. At the end of the day this book is about women learning to cope with extreme trauma in a society that is built to tear them down. I can have respect for a dystopian fantasy that has real world implications and this one definitely did.
My biggest problem with this book and series as a whole is the marketing to a young adult audience. I picked up the first novel in 2018 when it came out looking for a YA fantasy with a lesbian relationship and while it delivered on this I was shocked by the violence and sexual assault. While there is a trigger warning it is small and easy to miss. I think this marketing is a result of the author being a woman of color and the characters being 17-18 over the course of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death of parent