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A review by thebooknerdscorner
One for All by Lillie Lainoff
4.0
A feminist retelling of "The Three Musketeers" featuring a strong-willed protagonist who is much more than just her disability.
Tania de Batz has been told her whole life that she isn't good enough. She's not good enough to be a successful wife, she's not strong enough to fight for her kingdom with her blade, and society views her as nothing more than the "sick girl." But Tania knows that she is destined for more, and with her sword in hand, she feels as though she can do anything. That is, until her retired Musketeer father is murdered in cold blood and she is sent to L’Académie des Mariées to be whipped into a fine young lady. Luckily, the finishing school isn't as it first appears and Tania finds herself part of a secret organization that are charged with investigating a dangerous assassination plot involving the king of France and some suspicious noblemen.
We need more books like "One For All." It is one of the first books that I've ever read featuring a physical disability, and to see it done in a historical setting was really neat. I've never heard of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) myself, so I found this book to be very enlightening. The feminist messages were also powerful, and I hope that many young girls find themselves in this story, whether they have a physical disability, are queer, or have to fight for their place to belong.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of historical fiction, but I love the fast paced nature of this story and the intrigue surrounding the court and the mysterious nobles. Watching the girls train to become Musketeers was truly awesome, especially because no one expects how ready these girls are to kick butt. The fight scene at the end between Tania and the big baddie was really sick, and you can truly tell that the author has experience with fencing herself as well as with POTS.
The message of sisterhood in this story is so strong and so darn cute. Tania, Aria, Portia, and Théa have such a powerful bond, and I love seeing how they support one another. I think every girl needs a few women that they can trust with anything, so it was nice to see a little found family situation happen between these girls. I enjoyed learning about them individually, but they truly shine when they are working together.
Overall, I was very impressed by "One For All." It is rare that historical fiction enchants me as much as this one did, but the characters, the high societal settings, and Tania's unique circumstances as a woman fencer with a physical disability in the 1650s really kept me engaged. I would love to check out any of Lainoff's future works and will for sure be recommending this one to anyone with loves stories of sisterhood, historical France, or mysteries featuring high society. And of course, it will be at the top of my rec list for books featuring disabilities.
Tania de Batz has been told her whole life that she isn't good enough. She's not good enough to be a successful wife, she's not strong enough to fight for her kingdom with her blade, and society views her as nothing more than the "sick girl." But Tania knows that she is destined for more, and with her sword in hand, she feels as though she can do anything. That is, until her retired Musketeer father is murdered in cold blood and she is sent to L’Académie des Mariées to be whipped into a fine young lady. Luckily, the finishing school isn't as it first appears and Tania finds herself part of a secret organization that are charged with investigating a dangerous assassination plot involving the king of France and some suspicious noblemen.
We need more books like "One For All." It is one of the first books that I've ever read featuring a physical disability, and to see it done in a historical setting was really neat. I've never heard of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) myself, so I found this book to be very enlightening. The feminist messages were also powerful, and I hope that many young girls find themselves in this story, whether they have a physical disability, are queer, or have to fight for their place to belong.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of historical fiction, but I love the fast paced nature of this story and the intrigue surrounding the court and the mysterious nobles. Watching the girls train to become Musketeers was truly awesome, especially because no one expects how ready these girls are to kick butt. The fight scene at the end between Tania and the big baddie was really sick, and you can truly tell that the author has experience with fencing herself as well as with POTS.
The message of sisterhood in this story is so strong and so darn cute. Tania, Aria, Portia, and Théa have such a powerful bond, and I love seeing how they support one another. I think every girl needs a few women that they can trust with anything, so it was nice to see a little found family situation happen between these girls. I enjoyed learning about them individually, but they truly shine when they are working together.
Overall, I was very impressed by "One For All." It is rare that historical fiction enchants me as much as this one did, but the characters, the high societal settings, and Tania's unique circumstances as a woman fencer with a physical disability in the 1650s really kept me engaged. I would love to check out any of Lainoff's future works and will for sure be recommending this one to anyone with loves stories of sisterhood, historical France, or mysteries featuring high society. And of course, it will be at the top of my rec list for books featuring disabilities.