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hilaryannbrown's review against another edition
3.0
For my taste, this spent too much time on an uninteresting romance and not enough time on what felt like the meat of the story - family dynamics against the backdrop of ongoing femicide in Argentina. I would still recommend this to students who love soccer and to teenagers grappling with personal identity amidst gender stereotypes.
ruth24's review against another edition
4.0
"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." - Maya Angelou
Furia is a contemporary YA novel about a young woman fighting for her right to follow her dream to play fútbol professionally. Think 'Bend It Like Beckham' (one of my favourite movies), but set in Argentina.
Camila lives a double life, playing the dutiful daughter and pretending to study for med school while hiding the fact thats she plays fúbtol. But on the pitch she enters a trance-like state and becomes La Furia. While her talent might just be enough for her to impress scouts from the U.S., Camila faces many challenges - her family's expectations, perceptions about how women should behave and rumours about her connection with a famous player. The question is, will Camila become lost or stay true to herself?
I enjoyed this book even more than I expected. Yamile Saied Méndez did an amazing job of immersing us in Argentinian culture (maté, fútbol, Spanish language). I love learning about cultures different from my own and experiencing new perspectives through books so this was a highlight for me. The author also explores important themes such as feminism, familial expectations, domestic violence and violence against women. The loved the feminist theme and was rooting for Camila and other female characters like her mom and Karen. El Buen Pastor was so sweet, I would read a whole book just about that!
Furia is a contemporary YA novel about a young woman fighting for her right to follow her dream to play fútbol professionally. Think 'Bend It Like Beckham' (one of my favourite movies), but set in Argentina.
Camila lives a double life, playing the dutiful daughter and pretending to study for med school while hiding the fact thats she plays fúbtol. But on the pitch she enters a trance-like state and becomes La Furia. While her talent might just be enough for her to impress scouts from the U.S., Camila faces many challenges - her family's expectations, perceptions about how women should behave and rumours about her connection with a famous player. The question is, will Camila become lost or stay true to herself?
I enjoyed this book even more than I expected. Yamile Saied Méndez did an amazing job of immersing us in Argentinian culture (maté, fútbol, Spanish language). I love learning about cultures different from my own and experiencing new perspectives through books so this was a highlight for me. The author also explores important themes such as feminism, familial expectations, domestic violence and violence against women. The loved the feminist theme and was rooting for Camila and other female characters like her mom and Karen. El Buen Pastor was so sweet, I would read a whole book just about that!
maplegrey's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
rballenger's review against another edition
4.0
Type of read: Commuter Read.
What made me pick it up: I first saw it on the Reese's Book Club list but the description and comparison to other books I've loved really made it a TBR.
Overall rating: 'Furia' is a beautiful story of finding yourself and finding your strength. I enjoyed this as an audiobook and while Sol Madariaga (the narrator) did the most amazing job, I do feel like I missed out on portions of the book because my only language is English. Let me be clear, that's not saying I think the book I read should have been translated/written 100% in English, that's saying that I feel like I missed out on some of the nuances and finer details because I am not completely knowledgeable or understanding of the beautiful culture and language that was depicted in 'Furia.' I am however very thankful that Saied Méndez chose to share the story of Camilla the way they did. I do think, if reading about sports is not your thing, this won't be the book for you. There are other themes (love, growth, family) but sports and pursuing your passion are the main themes in the book.
Reader's Note: 'Furia' includes themes of abuse (domestic and child), gender violence, homophobia, and assault.
What made me pick it up: I first saw it on the Reese's Book Club list but the description and comparison to other books I've loved really made it a TBR.
Overall rating: 'Furia' is a beautiful story of finding yourself and finding your strength. I enjoyed this as an audiobook and while Sol Madariaga (the narrator) did the most amazing job, I do feel like I missed out on portions of the book because my only language is English. Let me be clear, that's not saying I think the book I read should have been translated/written 100% in English, that's saying that I feel like I missed out on some of the nuances and finer details because I am not completely knowledgeable or understanding of the beautiful culture and language that was depicted in 'Furia.' I am however very thankful that Saied Méndez chose to share the story of Camilla the way they did. I do think, if reading about sports is not your thing, this won't be the book for you. There are other themes (love, growth, family) but sports and pursuing your passion are the main themes in the book.
Reader's Note: 'Furia' includes themes of abuse (domestic and child), gender violence, homophobia, and assault.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
The day before this book was published, one of my ninth-grade students asked me for a fictional book where the female protagonist played soccer. Having had read an ARC of this book, I knew Furia would be the book for her.
As a Latina, this book was a pleasure to read. Granted I am Puerto Rican and not Argentinian, but the theme of gender roles and the machísmo in the book reflects the culture I grew up in... It resonate with my student, whose parents are Mexican, as well.
Furia lives in the shadow of her brother and her ex-boyfriend who are both famous soccer players in their own right. But even though Furia has what it takes to make it big, her abusive father's expectations for a female daughter means she has to practice in secret, but her star shines to brightly and cannot be dimmed for long.
As a Latina, this book was a pleasure to read. Granted I am Puerto Rican and not Argentinian, but the theme of gender roles and the machísmo in the book reflects the culture I grew up in... It resonate with my student, whose parents are Mexican, as well.
Furia lives in the shadow of her brother and her ex-boyfriend who are both famous soccer players in their own right. But even though Furia has what it takes to make it big, her abusive father's expectations for a female daughter means she has to practice in secret, but her star shines to brightly and cannot be dimmed for long.
darkhorse488's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
4.25
yourlocal_nychotdog's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
llemmah's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
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? Yes
4.0