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Furia
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction (2020)An #ownvoices contemporary YA set in Argentina, about a rising soccer star who must put everything on the line—even her blooming love story—to follow her dreams.
In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.
At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.
On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.
But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.
In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life.
At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.
On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.
But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2020
About the author
Yamile Saied Méndez
38 books660 followersYamile (sha-MEE-lay) is a fútbol obsessed Argentine-American. She’s the mother of 5 kids and 2 adorable dogs. Yamile’s an inaugural Walter Dean Meyers Grant recipient, a graduate of Voices of our Nation (VONA) and the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Writing for Children program.
She’s represented by Linda Camacho, from the Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency.
She’s represented by Linda Camacho, from the Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,288 reviews
April 3, 2021
I fight for every ball, and although I don’t always win, no one can say I hold back. I leave my soul on the pitch. I relish what my body can do, appreciate its unorthodox beauty. The eyes of the crowd are on me, and I feel like a goddess.
And that is what this book is about—a girl chasing her dream of fútbol, fighting for every ball, whether that means leaving everyone and everything behind.
Furia, simply, follows Camila "La Furia" Hassan on her journey towards competing for the Sudamericano. At home, she's the expected Argentine daughter, following her mother's rules and staying under her father's roof. Her mother, with her overprotectiveness, hopes for Camila to go to med school, sacrificing herself sewing to makes ends meet, while her father, abusive, machista, and toxic, trains her brother, Pablo Hassan, to become an international soccer star while not batting an eye to what they really want. In the soccer field, she's La Furia, someone competing to give herself that chance of escaping to North America to continue finding her love for the sport. Her determination and motivation are unleashed through the ball, allowing herself to escape into the reality she dreams of.
When her team qualifies for the Sudamericano, Camila believes this is a chance of stepping forward, but there are obstacles that stop her: her parents don't know about her soccer team, let alone the tournament they won; her mother wants her to get into med school while her father believes soccer is for men; and her childhood friend, Diego, has returned home after playing in Italy with Juventus, becoming an international sensation, and Camila's feelings for him only continue growing.
Throughout her journey, we see Camila make heartfelt decisions and decide to choose her own path, the path she has been carving on her own, in order to continue feeling the bliss and joy nothing else in her life has given her.
Furia is about finding your path and doing what you believe is best for you. It is about understanding that life offers us so many opportunities that we are not aware of. It is about understanding that we need to put ourselves first before others. It is about understanding that every sacrifice you have made for your life, for your dreams, are worth it.
La redonda, the ball, obeyed me. She followed me because I treated her well. I cherished her. I treasured her, and most importantly, I let her sing her own song. Energy flowed through my team, and although the game remained scoreless, the North Americans showed signs of fear.
I grew up watching soccer (or football, as some call it). We've always rooted for European teams, regardless of whether the players are European or not. We attended small matches in our city where family members and friends would play. I remember always heading to the matches Sunday mornings with my dad, brother, and mother. We'd watch how our own family members, close friends, and other people we knew yell at each other, almost fight with each other, sharing the same love for the sport.
My dad and I have been rooting for FC Barcelona for as long as I can remember. Although we get disappointed on a daily basis, it's the team that captured our hearts. And even though the national soccer team of my parents country is not...the best...we're still proud of them, of the country, of everyone. Soccer is beautiful, and the power sports have over people is indescribable. Suddenly you forget everything because you are so attached to the one sport, the specific player, yelling at them as if they can hear you.
I played soccer for a while, but I didn't last very long. My position was also defense, mostly because I have asthma and was unable to run as much as my forward teammates, but also because, apparently, I was violent. Nothing better than being put in a position due to your anger issues, huh? The love I had for playing the sport didn't last long, but the love I have for international sensations will always be there.
Furia features the character I wish I had all along close to me, but Furia is also creating light for girls who don't believe in themselves, who want to give up just like I did when I was young.
Thank you Yamile Saied Mendez, for finally giving us a book where the younger versions of us can see ourselves in.
Fútbol could do that—make people forget about the price of the dollar, the upcoming elections, even their love lives. For a few hours, life was beautiful.
Furia, without a doubt, is one of my favorite books of 2020, regardless of its 4-star rating. The only problem, similarly to others, is the length of the book. There was so much more left to explore, from the romance, to the family dynamics, to the journey Camila was running through. With that being said, there is so much about Furia that was appreciated.
Camila's tendency to never give up is inspiring. She knows about the obstacles in her life, the pebbles and rocks getting in her way, the borders stopping her from jumping. She lives a double life, hiding her identity of a female soccer player, and you can feel the agony and sadness she feels of having to hide herself, her passion, and her talent. The constant belief that such a sport is for men and that women weren't raised marimachos (lesbians) contributes to the stigmatizing stereotypes of fútbol, women, and sports in general. Camila's family dynamics, relationship with Diego, and friendships were so realistic, it felt as if I was somehow in Rosario witnessing the injustice she had to go through, the challenges she faced, and the important decisions she had to take.
Although romance is a central part of the plot, it isn't the entire focus. Nonetheless, the relationship between Cami and Diego is one to root for. La Furia and her equal, el Titán, struggle to piece each other together as they struggle with understanding each other's dreams and hopes, but Camila knows that she needs to leave everyone, including Diego, the boy she grew to love, in order to catch her dreams. I was rooting for both of them, even if I knew there was no hope. Camila had given up so much to get to where she was at, and it was beautiful yet saddening to see how she chose her life instead of his. As much as I wanted to see more of them together, Camila made a rebound, making the choice she believed was right for herself and not for others.
I was a barefoot schoolgirl in my barrio apartment; he was a star flashing past us all, and the glow would disappear with him when he left again.
Although not descriptive, the book doesn't shy away from strong topics, especially the ¡Ni una menos! movement that is not only in Argentina, but also in Mexico, Chile, and other countries. The movement of NUM is a movement of justice for missing girls, missing women, and the author's intention of grabbing the audience's attention for it was clear. Argentina is struggling with rights and protections for women. Latin America as a whole is known, in ways, for its abuse and unfair treatment of women. I appreciated not only that but also the author's intention of providing the message that women are not who many think they are. They are strong, talented, and optimistic. Coach Alicia, Camila's coach, in particular, proved this to me. She made sure to continue always uplifting her players, making sure each and every one of them knew they were in the field not for others but for themselves. At its core, this story provides themes of feminism, women's rights, and justice.
Daring to play in this tournament is a rebellion, chicas. Not too long ago, playing fútbol was forbidden to women by law. But we’ve always found a way around it. Those who came before us played in circuses, in summer fairs, dressed as men. How many of you had to quit when you were around twelve, the same age as Eda, just because you dared to grow up?
Along with that, there are themes of betrayal, friendship, love, anger, sadness, friendship, teamwork, rivalry, agony, and so much more. Camila's relationship with her parents, specifically, tugged at my heart. While I was not able to relate to her relationship with her family, I was able to relate to her in how sometimes, your parents don't entirely know you well when they think they are doing the best for you but in reality, are doing what they believe is best for them. It is common in Latin American culture for children to follow the paths their parents carved out for them, and Camila is trying to break that cycle. She has a vivid imagination of what she wants to do, but her mother, father, and even brother ignore it, not understanding that she really isn't like other girls. It was beautiful to see how her growth developed.
With her father, the theme of machismo is clear on every page that Cami's dad is in. Machismo tradition will sadly, most likely, not die from Latino culture for a while. The constant belief that the man is the man of the house, that men don't cry, that men were made for the harsh realities, that women are for the house, that women don't play sports, they cook, that women are sensitive and men are strong—it's effective. Camila's dad was toxic and abusive, and his manipulative tendencies are clear with his words. He insults Camila without knowing he does, sharps knives slowly being thrown through her heart, piercing her with every word he says.
Our family was stuck in a cosmic hamster wheel of toxic love, making the same mistakes, saying the same words, being hurt in the same ways generation after generation. I didn’t want to keep playing a role in this tragedy of errors. I was la Furia, after all. I’d be the one to break the wheel.
With that being said, Furia is beautiful. It is an art piece that shows justice and strength. It is a love story while it is not. It carries love not only for someone but for an object. It shows the truth of dedication and determination, of sacrifices. It shows the importance of love, but also of the love of women. It shows the realities women went through in order for other women to have a better future, a brighter generation.
July 13, 2021
Given the very high ratings, I guess I was expecting more. 🤷🏼♀️ This fell a bit flat for me. 😕 Overall, it’s a good story, with a girl soccer star power vibe. But if I’m being honest, I was a bit bored.
November 3, 2020
This was so, so good. I needed a book to pull me out of my reading slump, and Furia by, Yamile Saied Mendez did just that. 😘
The story follows Camila, a seventeen year old girl from Rosario, Argentina who dreams of playing Fútbol professionally. All Camila wants is to throw the expectations her parents have of her, and instead live a life that is hers. A life that she can earn for herself and be proud of. However, her family, society, and even her childhood crush place barriers to her futbolera dreams.
This story transported me. I was in Argentina!!! I craved the delicious food from street vendors. I felt the cheers of the crazed fans booming from the soccer stadium. 😄 Yamile, places us into Camilas world and its beyond wonderful. 💖
This story explores so much more than a girl choosing her dreams over what's expected of her. It tackles feminism in an oppressive society. It highlights the struggle of a country, grappling with economic deterioration, and the impact it has on its children and adults.
I loved it! The romance was so sweet and well done. I adored the ending 🧡. Everything in this book worked for me. It's so much more than just a story about soccer or Fútbol 😇. I Highly recommend it to anyone.
(5) ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
The story follows Camila, a seventeen year old girl from Rosario, Argentina who dreams of playing Fútbol professionally. All Camila wants is to throw the expectations her parents have of her, and instead live a life that is hers. A life that she can earn for herself and be proud of. However, her family, society, and even her childhood crush place barriers to her futbolera dreams.
This story transported me. I was in Argentina!!! I craved the delicious food from street vendors. I felt the cheers of the crazed fans booming from the soccer stadium. 😄 Yamile, places us into Camilas world and its beyond wonderful. 💖
This story explores so much more than a girl choosing her dreams over what's expected of her. It tackles feminism in an oppressive society. It highlights the struggle of a country, grappling with economic deterioration, and the impact it has on its children and adults.
I loved it! The romance was so sweet and well done. I adored the ending 🧡. Everything in this book worked for me. It's so much more than just a story about soccer or Fútbol 😇. I Highly recommend it to anyone.
(5) ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
September 15, 2020
Happy publication day to Furia, a lovely contemporary! ❤️
Furia was a story that swept me away from the start with its resilient protagonist and message of female empowerment. It was great to read a about a girl’s passion for sports set in South America, as the cultural aspect really impacted my reading experience for the better.
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Camilla is a seventeen year old living in Rosario, Argentina. Over the years she has grown used to concealing her love for soccer, as her strict mother and abusive father would never approve of something like this from their daughter. Her brother being a rising-soccer star only fuel’s Camilla’s dream, and so she has made a routine of lying to her parents every time she goes to soccer practice. As her talent reaches great heights, Camilla believes she may be on the edge of a breakthrough to something huge.
~★~
Camilla was a truly brilliant protagonist. She was strong willed from the very start of this novel, and I couldn’t help rooting for her. It was amazing to follow her through every hardship and success as her future became ultimately bright.
The writing flowed at a great pace all the way through; I ended up finishing this book in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down. The author’s Argentinian culture was integrated into the narrative so well, I really did feel like I was in another continent while reading.
Best of all, I felt empowered by Camilla. She never gave up hope when things seemed dark, and always continued to push towards her dreams. It was wonderful to see the love and friendship between girls in this book; I had such a great time reading!
This is a story I cannot wait for others to get their hands on. Furia is magical in it’s own way, with a protagonist’s voice that is sure to stick with you for a long while. This was a complete gem of a book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the E-arc!
Furia was a story that swept me away from the start with its resilient protagonist and message of female empowerment. It was great to read a about a girl’s passion for sports set in South America, as the cultural aspect really impacted my reading experience for the better.
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Camilla is a seventeen year old living in Rosario, Argentina. Over the years she has grown used to concealing her love for soccer, as her strict mother and abusive father would never approve of something like this from their daughter. Her brother being a rising-soccer star only fuel’s Camilla’s dream, and so she has made a routine of lying to her parents every time she goes to soccer practice. As her talent reaches great heights, Camilla believes she may be on the edge of a breakthrough to something huge.
~★~
Camilla was a truly brilliant protagonist. She was strong willed from the very start of this novel, and I couldn’t help rooting for her. It was amazing to follow her through every hardship and success as her future became ultimately bright.
The writing flowed at a great pace all the way through; I ended up finishing this book in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down. The author’s Argentinian culture was integrated into the narrative so well, I really did feel like I was in another continent while reading.
Best of all, I felt empowered by Camilla. She never gave up hope when things seemed dark, and always continued to push towards her dreams. It was wonderful to see the love and friendship between girls in this book; I had such a great time reading!
This is a story I cannot wait for others to get their hands on. Furia is magical in it’s own way, with a protagonist’s voice that is sure to stick with you for a long while. This was a complete gem of a book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the E-arc!
May 4, 2021
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It's always a little stressful picking up a book that all of your friends have loved because it's never fun being the first person to hate on it, but luckily I didn't have to worry about that with FURIA, because I loved every moment of it. I don't even like sports, so the fact that a book about soccer kept me engrossed from start to finish is really testament to the author's abilities to tell a moving story.
Camila is a Palestinian-Argentinian girl living in Argentina. She comes from a family of soccer players and she plays soccer too, but she does it in secret knowing her family might not approve. Her life gets even more complicated when her childhood crush comes back to visit his hometown, only now he's a famous soccer player in his own right, and Camila feels a sense of inadequacy when he's around, struggling to reconcile his newfound fame with the boy she remembers.
This is the type of YA I love. It's a book that tackles tough subjects without sounding like it has an agenda or coming across as heavy-handed. And wow, there is a veritable LAKE of tough subjects in here: abusive parents, managing to parental expectations, feminism, women's rights, setting limits and expectations in relationships, and standing up for your dreams. Also, romance.
Let's talk about the romance, too, actually. I normally hate YA romance because it comes across as too forced (done for the clicks). This is the perfect example of a relationship that zaps you with its perfect chemistry while also portraying consent, realistic goals, and the idea of setting boundaries. As frustrating as it is to have such a prolonged will they/won't they, I felt like all of Camila's concerns were 100% valid and I loved that she wasn't willing to shelve her dreams to become what society expected of her. Diego was a doll, though. One of the best YA love interests ever. I swoon.
Definitely read this if you love YA with strong female protagonists!
4 to 4.5 stars
November 21, 2020
💥
9/15/2020:
Today has been a bright spot amidst some tumultuous times—happy pub day to one of my fave reads of 2020, Furia!
Goddamn, I really, really loved this book.
It’s not even fair to make the comparison, but this was everything I wanted Kulti to be. This was everything Kulti—with its slut-shaming, double standards, and unrealistic romance—could NEVER deliver. Even the two books’ titles make this point crystal clear: Zapata’s is named after the love interest, while Saied Méndez’s centres its furious, incorrigible female protagonist—Camila “Furia” Hassan.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
I think the book blurb does a really good job of summing up the main storyline, so I’m going to delve straight into the things that left an imprint on me personally.
What stood out to me above all else was Camila’s tenacity and fire. We aren’t simply told this about her—these qualities manifest in her every action and every word. Camila is unwavering in her love of fútbol and her determination to carve her own path as a professional fútbolera, apart from her father’s cruelty and the expectations forced upon her by both family and society.
Time and again, Camila chooses herself over the men in her life, including the one she loves with her whole heart.
She wants more than any man could ever give her—more than even Diego, her childhood love and now an international superstar, could provide. Camila makes some really heart-shattering decisions throughout the course of the novel that demonstrate the lengths to which she will defend herself, her mother, and the other women—named and unnamed—who have shaped her life.
At every level, Furia is an unapologetically feminist story that does not shy away from the at-times harsh realities of Argentinian women, and particularly those in Rosario’s poorer neighbourhoods. Camila’s story unfolds in a space where women are denied abortions, face emotional and physical abuse at the hands of partners and family, and continually find themselves gaslit by men for simply existing.
With poignant ferocity, this book asserts the memory and legacy of missing and murdered Argentinian women, and champions the ways in which women survive, resist, and thrive in the face of misogynistic violence.
And the women in this novel aren’t perfect. I thought this was such an important point to make: that we all find ourselves—intentionally or not—complicit in the undermining of ourselves and other women. But we all have the capacity to learn and grow, too, whether it’s Camila’s mother finally seeing Camila as someone worthy of ambition (beyond just cuffing a fútbol player) or Camila herself reflecting on the problematic way that she stereotypes botineras—baller wives—as superficial gold-diggers.
There’s this AWESOME subplot that develops as Camila begins tutoring kids at a church shelter. She mentors a little girl named Karen, who has a stutter and is so fierce and devours stories and poems written by women authors. The quote I pulled above is one of my favourite scenes in the whole damn book: it captures the ambivalence that I found so real and raw about Camila’s voice.
In fact, this sort of nuance made the romance arc really compelling for me. I loved Camila and Diego together (yes, I am absolutely the biggest sucker for that trope where the childhood love becomes someone famous/successful and they have to navigate falling for each other as adults). Diego is loving and generous—and even so, Camila still holds him accountable in the moments he falls short. Sal and Kulti seriously could’ve learned a thing or sixteen from these two.
Not to mention, with lines like these, how could you NOT root for them??? I mean:
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
The only part of this book I have complaints about is its length. For the most part, the pacing was perfect—but at certain crucial moments, I wished there’d been greater elaboration. I fell so hard for these characters and became incredibly invested in their storylines; I could’ve read at least another 200 pages of Camila and Roxana, Camila and Karen, Camila and her mother and brother, and of course, Camila and Diego. I REALLY hope that there’s a sequel, because I seriously miss reading about them already.
And if that hasn't convinced you: This is the first book I’ve ever pre-ordered for myself AND my best friend when I was only halfway done. That’s how much I adored it.
Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All quotes were taken from an uncorrected reader’s proof.
We’d made the space. We’d filled in the cracks of the system and made room for ourselves where there was none. No one had given us anything. We had taken it.
Goddamn, I really, really loved this book.
It’s not even fair to make the comparison, but this was everything I wanted Kulti to be. This was everything Kulti—with its slut-shaming, double standards, and unrealistic romance—could NEVER deliver. Even the two books’ titles make this point crystal clear: Zapata’s is named after the love interest, while Saied Méndez’s centres its furious, incorrigible female protagonist—Camila “Furia” Hassan.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
I think the book blurb does a really good job of summing up the main storyline, so I’m going to delve straight into the things that left an imprint on me personally.
What stood out to me above all else was Camila’s tenacity and fire. We aren’t simply told this about her—these qualities manifest in her every action and every word. Camila is unwavering in her love of fútbol and her determination to carve her own path as a professional fútbolera, apart from her father’s cruelty and the expectations forced upon her by both family and society.
I’d leave this house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy, including my brother. I’d do it on my own terms, following my own dreams, not someone else’s.
Time and again, Camila chooses herself over the men in her life, including the one she loves with her whole heart.
She wants more than any man could ever give her—more than even Diego, her childhood love and now an international superstar, could provide. Camila makes some really heart-shattering decisions throughout the course of the novel that demonstrate the lengths to which she will defend herself, her mother, and the other women—named and unnamed—who have shaped her life.
At every level, Furia is an unapologetically feminist story that does not shy away from the at-times harsh realities of Argentinian women, and particularly those in Rosario’s poorer neighbourhoods. Camila’s story unfolds in a space where women are denied abortions, face emotional and physical abuse at the hands of partners and family, and continually find themselves gaslit by men for simply existing.
With poignant ferocity, this book asserts the memory and legacy of missing and murdered Argentinian women, and champions the ways in which women survive, resist, and thrive in the face of misogynistic violence.
And the women in this novel aren’t perfect. I thought this was such an important point to make: that we all find ourselves—intentionally or not—complicit in the undermining of ourselves and other women. But we all have the capacity to learn and grow, too, whether it’s Camila’s mother finally seeing Camila as someone worthy of ambition (beyond just cuffing a fútbol player) or Camila herself reflecting on the problematic way that she stereotypes botineras—baller wives—as superficial gold-diggers.
“I’m following my own path, chiquita.”
“But he’s your true love.” Karen sounded like any little girl hoping for a happily ever after. When she saw me, she saw her teacher, a role model to follow. I didn’t want her to think that to be free and happy, a woman had to turn her back on love, but I didn’t know how to do both.
There’s this AWESOME subplot that develops as Camila begins tutoring kids at a church shelter. She mentors a little girl named Karen, who has a stutter and is so fierce and devours stories and poems written by women authors. The quote I pulled above is one of my favourite scenes in the whole damn book: it captures the ambivalence that I found so real and raw about Camila’s voice.
In fact, this sort of nuance made the romance arc really compelling for me. I loved Camila and Diego together (yes, I am absolutely the biggest sucker for that trope where the childhood love becomes someone famous/successful and they have to navigate falling for each other as adults). Diego is loving and generous—and even so, Camila still holds him accountable in the moments he falls short. Sal and Kulti seriously could’ve learned a thing or sixteen from these two.
Not to mention, with lines like these, how could you NOT root for them??? I mean:
La Furia met her equal in el Titán. The latent goddess inside me pulled at her bindings until she snapped them. Together, we held on to this boy who’d come to wreck my world.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
The only part of this book I have complaints about is its length. For the most part, the pacing was perfect—but at certain crucial moments, I wished there’d been greater elaboration. I fell so hard for these characters and became incredibly invested in their storylines; I could’ve read at least another 200 pages of Camila and Roxana, Camila and Karen, Camila and her mother and brother, and of course, Camila and Diego. I REALLY hope that there’s a sequel, because I seriously miss reading about them already.
And if that hasn't convinced you: This is the first book I’ve ever pre-ordered for myself AND my best friend when I was only halfway done. That’s how much I adored it.
Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All quotes were taken from an uncorrected reader’s proof.
February 16, 2022
5 stars
One girl's quest to find herself, do what she loves, find love, and break the cycle of female oppression in contemporary Argentina—this was such a glorious read.
Writing: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★★
Themes: ★★★★★
Enjoyment: all the stars, it was beautiful
Camila wants to be a female futbol (soccer) player. Raised in a family where her father, her brother, and her close family friend Diego all played and rose to fame on the field, it's in her blood to pound her feet across the field after the ball.
But Camila is a girl. And in Argentina, women are treated very differently than men. Instead of being able to play, Camila is forced to be a pile of contradictions—i.e., the female Argentinian experience. Be this, but not that. Get yourself a good man, but don't be a slut. Cook fantastic homecooked meals, but don't you dare get fat.
Camila decides she's had enough of that. Keeping it a secret from her authoritative father and her family, she joins a female futbol team. And she kicks BUTT. They call her La Furia, and when she plays the ball flies.
Soon scouts start paying attention, and as her Furia futbol persona rises, Camila's secret life gets harder and harder to maintain. When her childhood friend and long-time crush Diego comes home from his international futbol team, things get even more complicated.
Can Camila keep her dreams, her family, and her love life separate and thriving? Or will it all come crashing down and force her to choose?
The only words I have for this debut are WOW. And spectacular. And stunning. This was a riveting, nearly one-sit read for me as I devoured Camila's story. Her need for personal fulfillment of her dreams, her struggles for identify, individuality, and love in a culture with restricted ideas of the female experience... all of these ideas come to a head in Furia. Camila's struggles to choose her own path are universal for many young girls and young people, and yet her unique story and responses make this tale something special and uplifting.
A powerful, spectacular debut from an Argentinian author to watch.
Thank you the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
One girl's quest to find herself, do what she loves, find love, and break the cycle of female oppression in contemporary Argentina—this was such a glorious read.
Writing: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★★
Themes: ★★★★★
Enjoyment: all the stars, it was beautiful
Camila wants to be a female futbol (soccer) player. Raised in a family where her father, her brother, and her close family friend Diego all played and rose to fame on the field, it's in her blood to pound her feet across the field after the ball.
But Camila is a girl. And in Argentina, women are treated very differently than men. Instead of being able to play, Camila is forced to be a pile of contradictions—i.e., the female Argentinian experience. Be this, but not that. Get yourself a good man, but don't be a slut. Cook fantastic homecooked meals, but don't you dare get fat.
Camila decides she's had enough of that. Keeping it a secret from her authoritative father and her family, she joins a female futbol team. And she kicks BUTT. They call her La Furia, and when she plays the ball flies.
Soon scouts start paying attention, and as her Furia futbol persona rises, Camila's secret life gets harder and harder to maintain. When her childhood friend and long-time crush Diego comes home from his international futbol team, things get even more complicated.
Can Camila keep her dreams, her family, and her love life separate and thriving? Or will it all come crashing down and force her to choose?
The only words I have for this debut are WOW. And spectacular. And stunning. This was a riveting, nearly one-sit read for me as I devoured Camila's story. Her need for personal fulfillment of her dreams, her struggles for identify, individuality, and love in a culture with restricted ideas of the female experience... all of these ideas come to a head in Furia. Camila's struggles to choose her own path are universal for many young girls and young people, and yet her unique story and responses make this tale something special and uplifting.
A powerful, spectacular debut from an Argentinian author to watch.
Thank you the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
May 27, 2019
It's real. The book of my heart is real!
October 5, 2020
4.5 Stars
CW:
Well that was a powerful story about female strength and self determination.
As a YA librarian I work hard to ensure our collection is diverse and that all Readers can find themselves represented on our shelves. When I find quality books about young women in sport I am like "mine" (I am not a competent GIF user but in my mind I can see the seagulls from Finding Nemo). I say quality because some of the 'girls in sports' lists contain books about young women who like boys who play sports, or are cheerleaders at sports games (cheerleading itself is a demanding sport), or where a girl goes on a date to a sports game...you know what I am saying right? Furia was not only an important book about women being recognised as being able to be professional sports people but it was also actually about Camila's exceptional ability on the football field. I simply loved her on field persona of La Furia. She was unashamedly hungry to win, she played with aggression, and she played with incredible skill. Note I am not saying she played with heart or was an amazing team player *said in Ra-Ra Go Team voice*. She wanted to be the best and was putting in the hard to work to get there. Like all the professional sportswomen out there have had to do.
This story also looked at her home life and the future that her family had decided was best for her (and them). Camila is forced to hide her ambitions as sport is not seen as an appropriate or useful hobby for young women. I had a few blinking back tears moments during some of the wonderful scenes with her mother. I can't say too much about the romance without spoiling things but I was thrilled with the decisions Camila made in regard to this.
All in all this was a fabulous book and I loved reading about a country and a culture I know very little about.
CW:
Well that was a powerful story about female strength and self determination.
As a YA librarian I work hard to ensure our collection is diverse and that all Readers can find themselves represented on our shelves. When I find quality books about young women in sport I am like "mine" (I am not a competent GIF user but in my mind I can see the seagulls from Finding Nemo). I say quality because some of the 'girls in sports' lists contain books about young women who like boys who play sports, or are cheerleaders at sports games (cheerleading itself is a demanding sport), or where a girl goes on a date to a sports game...you know what I am saying right? Furia was not only an important book about women being recognised as being able to be professional sports people but it was also actually about Camila's exceptional ability on the football field. I simply loved her on field persona of La Furia. She was unashamedly hungry to win, she played with aggression, and she played with incredible skill. Note I am not saying she played with heart or was an amazing team player *said in Ra-Ra Go Team voice*. She wanted to be the best and was putting in the hard to work to get there. Like all the professional sportswomen out there have had to do.
This story also looked at her home life and the future that her family had decided was best for her (and them). Camila is forced to hide her ambitions as sport is not seen as an appropriate or useful hobby for young women. I had a few blinking back tears moments during some of the wonderful scenes with her mother. I can't say too much about the romance without spoiling things but I was thrilled with the decisions Camila made in regard to this.
All in all this was a fabulous book and I loved reading about a country and a culture I know very little about.
March 10, 2022
Furia has my whole heart. Literally.
This was absolutely remarkable. Everything about this book was written flawlessly that truly made this book stand out, A strong feminist story that captures a glimpse of the realities that women are facing today.
The best thing about this book is the female protagonist, Camila Hassan, or as we know, "Furia". Everything about her, such as her love for futbol and determination towards achieving her dreams and aspirations is truly inspiring. Throughout the book, we follow her journey in reaching her goals in life. It was not perfect, there were so many obstacles on her way including the troubles she experienced at home and even the society's expectation that women are not good at sports. Her resilience and perseverance towards breaking through the odds were awe-inspiring. Even if there were times she felt like giving up, she kept ongoing.
She did not let anything come in her way, even if its the man that she truly loves since their childhood. However, throughout the story, Camila makes several heartbreaking decisions that prove that she will go such lengths to defend herself and all women out there.
This book was hard to put down for a single minute because as I journey through the pages, the story keeps on getting intriguing. The message bestowed upon the readers is truly uplifting and is surely something that will stay with me for a long time. Like what Furia showed, we must keep striving to reach for our dreams and aspirations in life, even if it is so high up because nothing is impossible if we keep ongoing. A must-read for all! <3
Huge thanks to Alonquin Young Readers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was absolutely remarkable. Everything about this book was written flawlessly that truly made this book stand out, A strong feminist story that captures a glimpse of the realities that women are facing today.
The best thing about this book is the female protagonist, Camila Hassan, or as we know, "Furia". Everything about her, such as her love for futbol and determination towards achieving her dreams and aspirations is truly inspiring. Throughout the book, we follow her journey in reaching her goals in life. It was not perfect, there were so many obstacles on her way including the troubles she experienced at home and even the society's expectation that women are not good at sports. Her resilience and perseverance towards breaking through the odds were awe-inspiring. Even if there were times she felt like giving up, she kept ongoing.
She did not let anything come in her way, even if its the man that she truly loves since their childhood. However, throughout the story, Camila makes several heartbreaking decisions that prove that she will go such lengths to defend herself and all women out there.
This book was hard to put down for a single minute because as I journey through the pages, the story keeps on getting intriguing. The message bestowed upon the readers is truly uplifting and is surely something that will stay with me for a long time. Like what Furia showed, we must keep striving to reach for our dreams and aspirations in life, even if it is so high up because nothing is impossible if we keep ongoing. A must-read for all! <3
Huge thanks to Alonquin Young Readers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 30, 2020
Going into Furia I had high expectations because of all of the good reviews it was getting. I was actually let down immensely. I actually really enjoyed the setting of Argentina, I don’t think I have read a book set there so that was refreshing for me.
Now for Camila as a person, she got on my nerves a lot. She has the “not like other girls” syndrome. Her feelings for Diego were very wishy washy to me, one day she would be in love with him and then the next she would tell him to leave her alone and then she would go back and forth and her that got so old. Because of that I felt like the romance didn’t add much and Camila liked the concept of Diego rather than actually have feelings for him. She also felt like she had to hide this romance from her best friend and claiming that she wouldn't understand her so that was really odd to me and bugged me a LOT.
For all of the hyped up talk claiming that this book was extremely feminist-yes, it did have it’s points but for the most part I didn’t actually see much of that. Camila doesn’t stand up for herself, lies A LOT to her family and friends, and she doesn’t tell people what is on her mind or how she’s feeling. It drove me insane that she just lied to everyone, including her best friend. I felt that she was a little petty too. I expected a much stronger character with Camila. I did like some of the topics that were covered but I felt they were breezed through.. I’m happy with the ending, I actually liked the last maybe 20% of the book but as for the rest of it, nothing really happens and was quite a drag to read.
Thank you very much to both Netgalley and Edelweiss for a copy of this book as well as to the publisher. Also, if you were interested in reading this book I think you still should and take my review with a grain of salt only because I seem to be the outlier and the ratings are extremely hide.
Thank you to Massiel and Emma for suffering through this book for me and Jenny, I am so sorry I didn't like this please don't hate me.
Now for Camila as a person, she got on my nerves a lot. She has the “not like other girls” syndrome. Her feelings for Diego were very wishy washy to me, one day she would be in love with him and then the next she would tell him to leave her alone and then she would go back and forth and her that got so old. Because of that I felt like the romance didn’t add much and Camila liked the concept of Diego rather than actually have feelings for him. She also felt like she had to hide this romance from her best friend and claiming that she wouldn't understand her so that was really odd to me and bugged me a LOT.
For all of the hyped up talk claiming that this book was extremely feminist-yes, it did have it’s points but for the most part I didn’t actually see much of that. Camila doesn’t stand up for herself, lies A LOT to her family and friends, and she doesn’t tell people what is on her mind or how she’s feeling. It drove me insane that she just lied to everyone, including her best friend. I felt that she was a little petty too. I expected a much stronger character with Camila. I did like some of the topics that were covered but I felt they were breezed through.. I’m happy with the ending, I actually liked the last maybe 20% of the book but as for the rest of it, nothing really happens and was quite a drag to read.
Thank you very much to both Netgalley and Edelweiss for a copy of this book as well as to the publisher. Also, if you were interested in reading this book I think you still should and take my review with a grain of salt only because I seem to be the outlier and the ratings are extremely hide.
Thank you to Massiel and Emma for suffering through this book for me and Jenny, I am so sorry I didn't like this please don't hate me.
September 3, 2021
4.5 really
I don't think I can write a coherent review, when some parts were unexpectedly triggering. (For the record, I do NOT blame the author.)
I'll just say that it's a powerful and ultimately hopeful book, and I am glad to have read it.
Content warning: murder, misogyny, domestic abuse, fatphobia, racism, animal abuse
I don't think I can write a coherent review, when some parts were unexpectedly triggering. (For the record, I do NOT blame the author.)
I'll just say that it's a powerful and ultimately hopeful book, and I am glad to have read it.
Content warning: murder, misogyny, domestic abuse, fatphobia, racism, animal abuse
December 8, 2021
All the stars!!! Extreme girl-power, male-chauvinist-pig crushing, follow your dreams bad-assery and a fair bit of soccer.
Furia is an amazing soccer player but her chauvinistic and abusive father (hijo de puta) thinks only boys can play and puts all the pressure on her brother. Her mother is trapped in her abusive relationship and sadly tows the party line (ay bendito), to the detriment of her relationship with her daughter.
But Furia wants out and that means not compromising her dreams to make the men in her life happy, even her childhood sweetheart (más bueno que el pan *swoon*).
This is a book every teen girl AND boy should read. The messages are perfect and these issues need airing out and discussing. Absolutely brilliant. A must read.
Furia is an amazing soccer player but her chauvinistic and abusive father (hijo de puta) thinks only boys can play and puts all the pressure on her brother. Her mother is trapped in her abusive relationship and sadly tows the party line (ay bendito), to the detriment of her relationship with her daughter.
But Furia wants out and that means not compromising her dreams to make the men in her life happy, even her childhood sweetheart (más bueno que el pan *swoon*).
This is a book every teen girl AND boy should read. The messages are perfect and these issues need airing out and discussing. Absolutely brilliant. A must read.
April 10, 2021
I was | | close to rounding up on this one because there are aspects of this story that are so strong, so wonderful, but I can't quite boost it.
In my barrio, most of the people didn't know my name or even that I existed. To them, I was only Pablo's sister, or Andrés and the seamstress' daughter — my mom, too, was nameless. But I was determined to leave my mark.
If what you've always wanted in life is a YA version of KULTI by Mariana Zapata but with a heavy dose of feminism and very relevant, and present, topics of life in Argentina, you absolutely have to pick this up. This story is both empowering and heartbreaking and sometimes those conflicting feelings are rooted in the same moment.
Fútbol could do that — make people forget about the price of the dollar, the upcoming elections, even their love lives. For a few hours, life was beautiful.
There were many triumphant moments both for our protagonist, Camila, and for her team. But not every triumph was due to winning. I loved how the author made a point to balance this group of women's ambitions, including that of the coach, but constantly remind the team — and through them, us — to play for themselves, for joy, no matter the score. I feel like if you take away nothing else from this story, particularly the younger readers, that would be enough. But there are even more powerful messages within the pages, too.
I'd leave the house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy, including my brother. I'd do it on my own terms, following my own dreams, not someone else's.
I think what really took away some of the enjoyment for me were the family dynamics. I have no doubt it is more common than not but some of it just felt a little OTT or extra and while much of it shaped Camila, drove her, to be something else.. I don't know, I just wanted those moments over with. So that's definitely a personal thing. As for the romance, I initially thought it might have been the weaker element of the story but I was pleasantly surprised to have been wrong and, also, surprised by how that turned out. No spoiling!
Overall, I think this is definitely a book worth picking up, even moreso as it's #ownvoices. And, I mean, did you read Micky's review? Even I wanted to award this five stars after reading her thoughts — and even though I'm not, I would definitely read this author again.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
In my barrio, most of the people didn't know my name or even that I existed. To them, I was only Pablo's sister, or Andrés and the seamstress' daughter — my mom, too, was nameless. But I was determined to leave my mark.
If what you've always wanted in life is a YA version of KULTI by Mariana Zapata but with a heavy dose of feminism and very relevant, and present, topics of life in Argentina, you absolutely have to pick this up. This story is both empowering and heartbreaking and sometimes those conflicting feelings are rooted in the same moment.
Fútbol could do that — make people forget about the price of the dollar, the upcoming elections, even their love lives. For a few hours, life was beautiful.
There were many triumphant moments both for our protagonist, Camila, and for her team. But not every triumph was due to winning. I loved how the author made a point to balance this group of women's ambitions, including that of the coach, but constantly remind the team — and through them, us — to play for themselves, for joy, no matter the score. I feel like if you take away nothing else from this story, particularly the younger readers, that would be enough. But there are even more powerful messages within the pages, too.
I'd leave the house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy, including my brother. I'd do it on my own terms, following my own dreams, not someone else's.
I think what really took away some of the enjoyment for me were the family dynamics. I have no doubt it is more common than not but some of it just felt a little OTT or extra and while much of it shaped Camila, drove her, to be something else.. I don't know, I just wanted those moments over with. So that's definitely a personal thing. As for the romance, I initially thought it might have been the weaker element of the story but I was pleasantly surprised to have been wrong and, also, surprised by how that turned out. No spoiling!
Overall, I think this is definitely a book worth picking up, even moreso as it's #ownvoices. And, I mean, did you read Micky's review? Even I wanted to award this five stars after reading her thoughts — and even though I'm not, I would definitely read this author again.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
June 14, 2021
2020 Fall Bingo (#fallintorombingo🍁): New-To-You Author
4.5 stars
Content Notes:
I’m crying so hard right now. This book isn’t perfect and the end needed more time to breathe (too much happened in a rush), but I have ALL THE FEELS. Gah. I am incoherent.
I read this via the library despite receiving an arc; the PDF format hurt my eyes and I couldn’t get through the arc.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
Content Notes:
I’m crying so hard right now. This book isn’t perfect and the end needed more time to breathe (too much happened in a rush), but I have ALL THE FEELS. Gah. I am incoherent.
I read this via the library despite receiving an arc; the PDF format hurt my eyes and I couldn’t get through the arc.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2020
“It took so little for a spark of faith to ignite a fire. It took so little for that faith to turn into ambition.”
Furia is about Camila Hassan, an girl from Argentina who dreams of a career as a soccer player. She has so many rocks on her path, such as troubled family relationships, the lack of female professional teams on her country and poverty.
I really enjoyed this, especially being from South America myself. A lot of what Camila went through was very relatable to me as a Brazilian, and you can tell that the author wrote this book straight from her heart. I adored the romance and all the soccer references, and I loved how the protagonist was strong but was constantly trying to overcome her flaws.
Now, let’s talk about the audiobook: I didn't like the narrator at first, but I grew used to her and it was an enjoyable way to experience this story. However, if you don't speak Spanish, I'd recommend having the actual book to follow along, because there are quite a few terms in Camila's original language and it can be confusing.
I recommend this one, especially for those who want a well-written multicultural Young Adult!
(NetGalley Audiobook)
Furia is about Camila Hassan, an girl from Argentina who dreams of a career as a soccer player. She has so many rocks on her path, such as troubled family relationships, the lack of female professional teams on her country and poverty.
I really enjoyed this, especially being from South America myself. A lot of what Camila went through was very relatable to me as a Brazilian, and you can tell that the author wrote this book straight from her heart. I adored the romance and all the soccer references, and I loved how the protagonist was strong but was constantly trying to overcome her flaws.
Now, let’s talk about the audiobook: I didn't like the narrator at first, but I grew used to her and it was an enjoyable way to experience this story. However, if you don't speak Spanish, I'd recommend having the actual book to follow along, because there are quite a few terms in Camila's original language and it can be confusing.
I recommend this one, especially for those who want a well-written multicultural Young Adult!
(NetGalley Audiobook)
September 17, 2020
There is nothing more I enjoy reading than a powerful #OWNVOICES novel about a young woman who is able to rise above societal expectations to navigate her own path to adulthood. This book was written in a first person narrative that was completely relatable for many young adults, and that many readers will find themselves immersed. Within this amazing story, Mendez highlights strength, resilience, coming-of-age, in a society that is deeply patriarchal and sexist.
Camilla is an obedient daughter at home under her abusive father and overshadowed by a brother who is a rising soccer star. In the field and in futbol, Camilla is known as LA FURIA - she is an amazing talent and a powerhouse! With this amazing talent, she finds doors open to many opportunities - one of which is a chance for an athletic scholarship in North America.
Mendez wrote this fantastic novel with the delightful details of everyday life in Argentina. I myself was immersed into Camila's life, her struggles, her secrets, dreams and passion - the unfairness, and what she had to do to rise above it all. This book brought tears to my eyes as I see how certain societies still think women as second class citizens and not given all the opportunities and chances.
This was truly a powerful novel that resonated and stayed with me long after I finished reading.
I highly recommend this fantastic book.
Camilla is an obedient daughter at home under her abusive father and overshadowed by a brother who is a rising soccer star. In the field and in futbol, Camilla is known as LA FURIA - she is an amazing talent and a powerhouse! With this amazing talent, she finds doors open to many opportunities - one of which is a chance for an athletic scholarship in North America.
Mendez wrote this fantastic novel with the delightful details of everyday life in Argentina. I myself was immersed into Camila's life, her struggles, her secrets, dreams and passion - the unfairness, and what she had to do to rise above it all. This book brought tears to my eyes as I see how certain societies still think women as second class citizens and not given all the opportunities and chances.
This was truly a powerful novel that resonated and stayed with me long after I finished reading.
I highly recommend this fantastic book.
September 14, 2020
Super grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, I think in the beginning it may have been difficult to read, but I'll explain more about that later, in general, it was incredible, and I managed to love this story more and more as it progressed to ended up in love with that ending. It has a wonderful progression, the author has done an incredible job with a fluid and easy-to-read style even when dealing with tough topics such as patriarchy, domestic violence, and femicides. This is a piece of work with many feelings that goes beyond football and manages to reach you in a raw and honest way, and I'm happy to have the chance to read it before its release date.
4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought.
This is the story of Camila, a girl from Rosario, Argentina whose passion for soccer makes that once she's on the field playing she forgets all her problems at home to become "La Furia" as her team has baptized her. When her team has a chance to qualify for the South American tournament, Camila is hopeful that her talents can earn her an athletic scholarship for the United States university. But no one in her family knows Camila's true passion for soccer and they'll not admit that a girl plays, now her childhood love Diego, a renowned world-class soccer player, has returned to Rosario but Camila doesn't have time to be distracted with her feelings for him because now she has big ambitions and dreams for which she must fight if she wants to live off her passion.
Well, I want to start by saying that I'm Argentina myself, so some things resonate more with me than with other readers and that can be super positive, in fact, it was with this book in millions of aspects, but on the other hand, I have at least one thing super important that I want to talk about and express my feelings about it before starting so I can get that out of the way. There were a couple of moments, I would say several ones, where the author decided to add the words "Mami" or "Mama" as a symbol of affection, compliment, or love within the plot, and many of the characters reacted to this in a surprising way as if this meant something huge. I live 5 hours from Rosario, in Entre Rios, I've been there a couple of times, I just wanted to make that clear. Well, my problem with this situation and the use of this word is that it felt very uncomfortable for me, here in my country there is a lot of street harassment when men yell at you or say disgusting things to women on the street, you know? and the word "Mamita" is used a lot, which is a derivative of the same word, and is used to degrade and make the female gender feel less, it's even used as a term to sexualize women, so maybe I'm not so in accordance with its use. I do want to clarify that this is a personal opinion, I know that other girls who have read it and are from Argentina had no problem with this, I don't mean that the word "Mama" is not used with affection, it can be done but perhaps it's something older and now over time can be used in a negative way. So I wanted to mention it because it made me feel uncomfortable a couple of times and it gave me a little cringe, and I didn't want to pass it up.
Now, let's put that aside. The plot itself I LOVE with my heart, you know that I'm not the biggest sports fan, in fact, it's super funny because I just made a post about that on my blog, but this book showed me that I can enjoy a very sports-centric storyline, which is great. Obviously I think that it helped me a lot that the characters and the plot outside the sports were so interesting and compelling to follow, it's an excellent plot indeed, which has important and impactful components, so I really appreciate the work of the author. In this book, we can see conflicts that are very much alive in Argentina at this moment, and I think that even so it surely happens all over the world, here's all people talked about and the focus is sexist violence and how we have had to live in a society highly patriarchal where the man decides on the woman in all aspects, and as it's told in the book even in our own lives. Here, so far in 2020, there have been almost 500 cases of femicide, so it's super worrying, I honestly am tired, and I don't stop horrifying with the number of female victims in my country who have died at the hands of their own partners or unknowns men, every day is a new face seeking justice and it's heartbreaking. How Camila's father acts on the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl, saying "it's her fault for being with the wrong people" already speaks for itself, right? I know that we have advanced a lot as a society, I have to give ourselves that, but we still have a lot to solve. So, the book touches on this topic, even though it's secondary it is there, like domestic violence and how the characters act around it, is super interesting to see, also sad, no doubt, but very real and important of portray in a book.
I'm very sorry if this review is a bit heavy or dark, but I needed to talk about those hardpoints before throwing myself into the story as such. The plot is super solid as I said before, I really enjoyed following Camila, I think her personality is wonderful, she's a great fighter at home and outside of it, she doesn't give herself all the merit she deserves for her actions, though, and I see her blaming on herself a lot, but that's another reflection of our society, right? Even so, I loved accompanying her on her journey, seeing her growth and how she discovered herself, and how she established her priorities makes me feel proud for her, it's refreshing to see a main female character who doesn't need a man to be happy and who decides to continue with her dreams and support her family above a romantic relationship.
Even so, I liked the romance, I don't think it was my jam from the beginning, but then it grew on me and I liked it more and more, Diego is a good person you can see that through his actions, and in the end even when he's wrong, I think it helps Camila grew a lot and the ending seemed very appropriate and beautiful. I enjoyed their moments together and had a lot of fun following them on their dates around the city.
Camila's family structure is complicated, her mother struggles to keep the family together as she can or as she knows, but she has to deal with an absolutely horrible husband, with a violent and aggressive attitude all the time on her family, and on the other hand, Camilia's brother, Pablo, who must live to meet his father's expectations and play soccer to be the best of the best. There are many emotions with which you find yourself when reading this book, especially the family scenes are very powerful and very strong to read, I felt so bad for all of them and the toxic and macho environment in which Camila must live and deal with . I don't want to do any kind of a spoiler, so I couldn't tell you my feelings in a 100%, but you have to read it, I highly recommend this book.
On the other hand, and I think this is a super important pillar in Camila's life, we have the soccer team and all the girls who are part of this, and I liked seeing this dynamic a lot, I don't like soccer, so I have nothing to say about it, but I do love the dialogues and interactions of the girls of the team, they're a family, and they're very close and I love that spirit of unconditional support that the Couch has instilled in them. I love Roxana above all, she's great, I think she could be my favorite character, she's funny and always says what she thinks, but she also has a great heart and is always doing things super selflessly for Camila , it's beautiful to see, this friendship is my favorite thing & also I can't fail to mention Karen, a little girl whom Camila teaches English to, and she's EVERYTHING, I love her forever.
Rosario is a beautiful place, I'm very happy that the author has created the story in this historic and beautiful place. I was afraid that it would be located in Buenos Aires, which wouldn't have to be a bad thing, it's just that Buenos Aires is what people always talked about when talking about Argentina, so it's refreshing and great to see a little more of my country this time & I also appreciate how the author has portrayed our culture and customs, it made me laugh a lot, but I think everything is very successful, I loved it!
I think this is a book that's much more than about a girl who likes to play soccer, you know? It's a daring story of a girl with enormous dreams for the society in which she lives and yet we see her continually challenging everyone in her life, creating bridges and knocking down adversities to meet her goals and break with a toxic family cycle. It's absolutely rich in content and will leave you thinking a lot, in addition, due to its social portrait and its discussion about it.
I'm kind of speechless, I could continue talking about the book because it has a lot of wonderful details, but I think it's worth reading to discover it. I highly recommend it if you want to read a book that pushes the limits of a macho society, and if you want to read about a highly empowered woman like Camila is, you'll love this book. It's also super fun, easy to read, and dynamic. The characters are very realistic and incredibly constructed, the author gives us a new face of romance and a beautiful friendship and family union above all things. I loved it, and I feel a bit emotional, so just go and support this amazing author by purchasing her book. I feel very proud to be able to read it and share my feelings with you, it means a lot to me.
First Thoughts 09/11/20
I could have shed a couple of tears finishing reading this book, I'm proud to be Argentina and to have the chance to read this powerful book.
I LOVE IT & will soon come with my complete thoughts, I just have a lot of feeling right now ❤️
October 21, 2020
Randomly saw that this was available on hoopla and I give zero regrets.
Furia brought me back to my soccer days. Oh man, my ninja self scoring left and right on the field. Was I a rising star? Psh - no. Was I good enough? Probably in my mind. Did I enjoy it? For a while but then I definitely started to hate the sport. I don't even watch soccer on TV anymore.
Back to the book, now Camila is good - like really good - at soccer. She was unapologetically herself in every way, shape, and form. Even if she had two personalities, she was amazing in my eyes and definitely someone to look out for. Unfortunately for her, she has to hide this secret bad ass side of herself because her family doesn't seem it to be valuable to or for her.
It's a shame when someone makes a decision for you and that's that. Which is why I loved that she never gave it up and stuck with it. Camila worked hard every day and put over one hundred percent into it as well. She was very dedicated and it showed. It was mesmerizing to read/listen to because one should never want to squash a kids dreams.
In the end, I adored this book. I loved getting to see what her family life was like and just for her to grow throughout the book as well. Definitely recommend this one!
Furia brought me back to my soccer days. Oh man, my ninja self scoring left and right on the field. Was I a rising star? Psh - no. Was I good enough? Probably in my mind. Did I enjoy it? For a while but then I definitely started to hate the sport. I don't even watch soccer on TV anymore.
Back to the book, now Camila is good - like really good - at soccer. She was unapologetically herself in every way, shape, and form. Even if she had two personalities, she was amazing in my eyes and definitely someone to look out for. Unfortunately for her, she has to hide this secret bad ass side of herself because her family doesn't seem it to be valuable to or for her.
It's a shame when someone makes a decision for you and that's that. Which is why I loved that she never gave it up and stuck with it. Camila worked hard every day and put over one hundred percent into it as well. She was very dedicated and it showed. It was mesmerizing to read/listen to because one should never want to squash a kids dreams.
In the end, I adored this book. I loved getting to see what her family life was like and just for her to grow throughout the book as well. Definitely recommend this one!
Shelved as 'definitive-tbr'
June 12, 2020June 12, 2020: When a book is said to be perfect for fans of The Poet X, you will find me jumping at the chance to read an early copy of it, and thanks to the publishers, I can read FURIA: an ownvoices story about an Argentinian girl—who is a rising soccer star—and a friends-to-lovers romance!
June 11, 2020: The cover has just been revealed and it's an illustrated beauty!
May 27, 2020: We have an ownvoices rep with Argentinian MC and a friends-to-lovers romance.
June 11, 2020: The cover has just been revealed and it's an illustrated beauty!
May 27, 2020: We have an ownvoices rep with Argentinian MC and a friends-to-lovers romance.
October 21, 2020
Yamile Saied Méndez’s new YA novel,
Furia
, is a powerful, poignant story about standing up for yourself and going for your dreams, no matter what others say.
Camila dreams of being a fútbol star but she lives in the shadow of her less-talented brother, who plays for a local team. When she plays, her teammates call her La Furia (The Fury), as she weaves her way back and forth across the field, scoring goals and bewildering their opponents.
When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, she hopes that this may be the chance to realize her dreams. But she knows her abusive father and her overprotective mother will never let a girl play fútbol.
Meanwhile, the boy she has always been in love with, Diego, has returned to town. He’s now an international fútbol star, which causes Camila’s father a great deal of jealousy and anger, since he wants those dreams for his son rather than Diego. Diego wants another chance with Camila, and wants to take her out of this abusive life so she can accompany him around the world.
But as much as she may love Diego, is that the life she wants? Or does she want the chance to see La Furia go as far as she can, maybe realize her dreams? Whatever path she chooses will require revealing her secrets, and she’ll need the courage and strength to fight for herself and prove that girls deserve every right that boys do.
This is a moving story, and I loved Camila’s character so much. You get to watch her come into her own and deal with the obstacles thrown in her way by her family and friends. She's a tremendously positive role model for young women.
There is some physical and verbal abuse in here, and the story also takes place against a backdrop of young girls getting abducted and murdered in Argentina, but ultimately the book isn’t a downer.
If you like strong female characters, check out Furia !
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Camila dreams of being a fútbol star but she lives in the shadow of her less-talented brother, who plays for a local team. When she plays, her teammates call her La Furia (The Fury), as she weaves her way back and forth across the field, scoring goals and bewildering their opponents.
When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, she hopes that this may be the chance to realize her dreams. But she knows her abusive father and her overprotective mother will never let a girl play fútbol.
Meanwhile, the boy she has always been in love with, Diego, has returned to town. He’s now an international fútbol star, which causes Camila’s father a great deal of jealousy and anger, since he wants those dreams for his son rather than Diego. Diego wants another chance with Camila, and wants to take her out of this abusive life so she can accompany him around the world.
But as much as she may love Diego, is that the life she wants? Or does she want the chance to see La Furia go as far as she can, maybe realize her dreams? Whatever path she chooses will require revealing her secrets, and she’ll need the courage and strength to fight for herself and prove that girls deserve every right that boys do.
This is a moving story, and I loved Camila’s character so much. You get to watch her come into her own and deal with the obstacles thrown in her way by her family and friends. She's a tremendously positive role model for young women.
There is some physical and verbal abuse in here, and the story also takes place against a backdrop of young girls getting abducted and murdered in Argentina, but ultimately the book isn’t a downer.
If you like strong female characters, check out Furia !
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
September 11, 2020
Wow!
This was a fantastic feminist YA, with coming of age themes all set in the context of futbol in Argentina. I love a sporting context book, especially those empowering women and if you want a YA that strongly empowers young women, then look no further. There is a romance in this story but it is pitched well and doesn’t overpower the story or the amazing heroine Camila ‘Furia’ Hassan.
Set in the barrios of a city in Argentina, the background for FURIA was rich, vibrant, dangerous and varied. The environment was one where women were oppressed but fighting for equality, rights, a life and dreams. There were background story lines that painted a picture of life for all females especially children and young women, that were chilling.
Our family was stuck in a cosmic hamster wheel of toxic love, making the same mistakes, saying the same words, being hurt in the same ways generation after generation…I was la Furia, after all. I’d be the one to break the wheel.
Camilla ignited my interest like a flame with her hopes of becoming a professional futbol player and going to the USA where there were more possibilites. In fact, Camilla had familial credentials in professional football but no-one was championing a young women like Camilla, no matter how talented she was.
Camila however, had drive for her dreams and played secretly in a team. I loved the scrimmage and match play narratives, the description was excellent and I truly felt like a spectator watching ‘Furia’ come alive. Camila’s dream and life was complicated by Diego, her childhood friend returning for a visit from Juventus. Sparks ignited between these two and it was something real and beautiful.
This story took a direction that made my feminist heart sing for Camila. The decisions and sacrifices she made; the fights physical, verbal and emotional were all worth it to have hope. This was a read of excitement, with beauty in the barrios and characters to feel truly wrapped up in, but most of all it conveyed an empowering message for young women.
“There are too many people whose opinions control how you perform. Let them go. Be yourself. You’re la Furia, but remember, the game is beautiful.”
I highly rec this book, it’s going to be a favourite of the year. FURIA, FURIA, FURIA…(in football chanting song).
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
July 9, 2021
Gorgeous. There's so much packed into this book about girl who wants . . . more. More than what her parents want for her, more than what anyone expects of her. To be a football star. To be loved. To be safe. Mendez's writing is so visceral and so evocative, too. The sounds and sights and yes, smells, came through so clearly. Just a fabulous book, I'm so glad it's earning awards and attention.
PS- Loved the audiobook for the accent and pronunciations!
PS- Loved the audiobook for the accent and pronunciations!
September 12, 2020
Full review: https://www.inabookshell.com/2020/09/...
Cover
First of all, we are going to talk about the cover, that’s a striking cover, now that I’ve read the book, the cover is more than that. It shows a brave woman who’s not afraid to face the harsh realities and make the best out of things.
Characters/Plot
There was significance to every single character. Camila is one of the best protagonists I’ve read in all YA novels. She was sincere, hard-working, ambitious, and also very tough on herself. She was beautiful and her beauty is conveyed in her personality, not her looks.
All the other characters, her encouraging coach Alicia, ever-supportive best friend Roxana, Diego the charming, sweet, loving boyfriend were well-developed. Coach Alicia was Camila’s rock. She was the perfect mentor. The conversations with Camila and her mother were the most melancholic and the ones with her coach were the most cheerful.
“You go find that joy in playing again, okay?”-Coach Alicia“Are you telling me to smile?” I asked, faking outrage. Coach laughed, throwing her head back. “No Hassan. I’m demanding that you make everyone who watches you smile.”
Camila and Diego were cute together. I loved their relationship and how they understood each other. From the very beginning, Diego gives me the ‘oblivious boyfriend’ vibes and you’ll have to find out if my opinion holds out till the end. I admired Diego, not unlike most of the characters in the novel. On a side note, WhatsApp is mentioned. I was so happy when they mentioned WhatsApp because it is the most used social media in India and is also hardly spoken about in most of the books I generally read.
“I prepaid for service. There’s an international plan with enough data that we can chat on WhatsApp all day.” He misunderstood my stunned expression. “We can make this work, Cami. If you want.”
With all the burdens she’s facing her focus remains unwavering. Her love and dedication towards futbol triumphed over everything else in her world and how she fought for that through and through.
“My eyes prickled. I had forgotten how beautiful futbol was. Without referees, lines on the ground, trophies, tournaments, or life-changing contracts, the ball was a portal to happiness.”
Camila’s parents don't see her worth. Her mom, a Seamstress, has specific expectations for Camila. Her dad Andre(the name deserves a person with a better attitude) has his agenda. In the beginning, he reminded me a lot of Dan Scott from the earlier seasons of One Tree Hill.
Themes
“Lies have short legs.”
This novel portrays the many, many expectations society place on women. Themes of violence against women, victim-blaming, slut-shaming..., the author doesn't hesitate in showing the agonizing truths. If it makes the reader uncomfortable, that’s good, because it's supposed to. Camila lives in a community where there is extreme prejudice and women are being violated. She questions people. Ones that get cast off by her parents and family friends and the rest of her community. The primary tone of the novel, hope hides behind all the heart-breaking moments in Furia. Time and time we see that Camila chooses the hard way out, she’s ready to face the obstacles to achieve her dreams.
“Our country has legalized same-sex marriage way, before the U.S., but prejudice didn’t read or obey laws. It was a hard weed to pull from people’s hearts.”
I was surprised by a lot of things in this book. But Camila’s mom’s character development tops that list. There couldn’t have been a better climax. It doesn’t lose its grip on realism.
Writing style
I love the way the book just simply jumps in without any introductory elaborate descriptions. It made me feel like I was imagining a real story. The Spanish didn’t throw me off, probably because I spent 3 of my high school years in the U.S. The food items, the slang of the people, weather descriptions made it extremely clear to imagine the setting. While I couldn’t comprehend all of it, I certainly connected to the atmosphere. I was trying to read this book slowly (the last 20%) because I didn’t want it to end. I finished it in one sitting.
Conclusion
This book hit close to home for an Indian student like me and with the entire #StudentLivesMatter movement going on right now. For those of you who are not aware, organizations like NTA(National Testing Agency) have decided to conduct JEE and other exams such as NEET, KCET, and EAMCET, compromising a lot of social distancing measures that are significant during this time.
This novel discusses the difficulties people face in life, especially regarding career choices. A lot of students are pushed into corners by the burden of expectations, their hopes, and dreams, sacrifices they need to make for themselves. It just spoke to me. It's gonna connect with a lot of other kids. That being said, this is a story that deserves to be read by everybody, not just students.
Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez is the most realistic coming-of-age novel I have read in my entire life. I loved Camila and her story. How free, untamed and unapologetically herself she is? It truly inspired me, made me want to be more like myself, regardless of what people think. I can’t wait to read another novel from Yamile that will surpass ‘Furia’ for me. If the above paragraphs haven’t made it obvious, READ THE BOOK. Claro?;)
ARC provided by Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley. Thank you.
Cover
First of all, we are going to talk about the cover, that’s a striking cover, now that I’ve read the book, the cover is more than that. It shows a brave woman who’s not afraid to face the harsh realities and make the best out of things.
Characters/Plot
There was significance to every single character. Camila is one of the best protagonists I’ve read in all YA novels. She was sincere, hard-working, ambitious, and also very tough on herself. She was beautiful and her beauty is conveyed in her personality, not her looks.
All the other characters, her encouraging coach Alicia, ever-supportive best friend Roxana, Diego the charming, sweet, loving boyfriend were well-developed. Coach Alicia was Camila’s rock. She was the perfect mentor. The conversations with Camila and her mother were the most melancholic and the ones with her coach were the most cheerful.
“You go find that joy in playing again, okay?”-Coach Alicia“Are you telling me to smile?” I asked, faking outrage. Coach laughed, throwing her head back. “No Hassan. I’m demanding that you make everyone who watches you smile.”
Camila and Diego were cute together. I loved their relationship and how they understood each other. From the very beginning, Diego gives me the ‘oblivious boyfriend’ vibes and you’ll have to find out if my opinion holds out till the end. I admired Diego, not unlike most of the characters in the novel. On a side note, WhatsApp is mentioned. I was so happy when they mentioned WhatsApp because it is the most used social media in India and is also hardly spoken about in most of the books I generally read.
“I prepaid for service. There’s an international plan with enough data that we can chat on WhatsApp all day.” He misunderstood my stunned expression. “We can make this work, Cami. If you want.”
With all the burdens she’s facing her focus remains unwavering. Her love and dedication towards futbol triumphed over everything else in her world and how she fought for that through and through.
“My eyes prickled. I had forgotten how beautiful futbol was. Without referees, lines on the ground, trophies, tournaments, or life-changing contracts, the ball was a portal to happiness.”
Camila’s parents don't see her worth. Her mom, a Seamstress, has specific expectations for Camila. Her dad Andre(the name deserves a person with a better attitude) has his agenda. In the beginning, he reminded me a lot of Dan Scott from the earlier seasons of One Tree Hill.
Themes
“Lies have short legs.”
This novel portrays the many, many expectations society place on women. Themes of violence against women, victim-blaming, slut-shaming..., the author doesn't hesitate in showing the agonizing truths. If it makes the reader uncomfortable, that’s good, because it's supposed to. Camila lives in a community where there is extreme prejudice and women are being violated. She questions people. Ones that get cast off by her parents and family friends and the rest of her community. The primary tone of the novel, hope hides behind all the heart-breaking moments in Furia. Time and time we see that Camila chooses the hard way out, she’s ready to face the obstacles to achieve her dreams.
“Our country has legalized same-sex marriage way, before the U.S., but prejudice didn’t read or obey laws. It was a hard weed to pull from people’s hearts.”
I was surprised by a lot of things in this book. But Camila’s mom’s character development tops that list. There couldn’t have been a better climax. It doesn’t lose its grip on realism.
Writing style
I love the way the book just simply jumps in without any introductory elaborate descriptions. It made me feel like I was imagining a real story. The Spanish didn’t throw me off, probably because I spent 3 of my high school years in the U.S. The food items, the slang of the people, weather descriptions made it extremely clear to imagine the setting. While I couldn’t comprehend all of it, I certainly connected to the atmosphere. I was trying to read this book slowly (the last 20%) because I didn’t want it to end. I finished it in one sitting.
Conclusion
This book hit close to home for an Indian student like me and with the entire #StudentLivesMatter movement going on right now. For those of you who are not aware, organizations like NTA(National Testing Agency) have decided to conduct JEE and other exams such as NEET, KCET, and EAMCET, compromising a lot of social distancing measures that are significant during this time.
This novel discusses the difficulties people face in life, especially regarding career choices. A lot of students are pushed into corners by the burden of expectations, their hopes, and dreams, sacrifices they need to make for themselves. It just spoke to me. It's gonna connect with a lot of other kids. That being said, this is a story that deserves to be read by everybody, not just students.
Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez is the most realistic coming-of-age novel I have read in my entire life. I loved Camila and her story. How free, untamed and unapologetically herself she is? It truly inspired me, made me want to be more like myself, regardless of what people think. I can’t wait to read another novel from Yamile that will surpass ‘Furia’ for me. If the above paragraphs haven’t made it obvious, READ THE BOOK. Claro?;)
ARC provided by Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley. Thank you.
August 20, 2021
Furia is stunning and powerful; it shines a light on the strength of young girls and women, set in the backdrop of Argentina amid protests against missing girls, and one girl’s passion for fútbol.
- Follows Camila, an Argentian teen who has a secret: she plays and loves fútbol - and is bloody good at it too. When her team qualifies to play in a tournament and an old flame visits their home, Camila will have to make brave yet tough decisions about her career, future, and her love.
- Set in Argentina, the story deftly balances so many different parts of Camila’s life – the ups and downs of first love, machismo, parental abuse, following your dreams, and Camile’s love and passion for fútbol.
- The story explores feminism within Argentina, where several young girls have been missing or found dead. It speaks to the anger of young girls, who don’t want to be the next victim or statistic, and it’s about how doing what you love without permission is a form of resistance.
- The romance in this was at times soft, at times heartbreaking; the story is less about love, more about how love for someone and doing what you love can be at odds, and how putting yourself first and loving yourself can be challenging but also worth it.
Content warning: mention of sexual assault, misogyny, death of young girls (not explicitly described), parental and domestic abuse
- Follows Camila, an Argentian teen who has a secret: she plays and loves fútbol - and is bloody good at it too. When her team qualifies to play in a tournament and an old flame visits their home, Camila will have to make brave yet tough decisions about her career, future, and her love.
- Set in Argentina, the story deftly balances so many different parts of Camila’s life – the ups and downs of first love, machismo, parental abuse, following your dreams, and Camile’s love and passion for fútbol.
- The story explores feminism within Argentina, where several young girls have been missing or found dead. It speaks to the anger of young girls, who don’t want to be the next victim or statistic, and it’s about how doing what you love without permission is a form of resistance.
- The romance in this was at times soft, at times heartbreaking; the story is less about love, more about how love for someone and doing what you love can be at odds, and how putting yourself first and loving yourself can be challenging but also worth it.
Content warning: mention of sexual assault, misogyny, death of young girls (not explicitly described), parental and domestic abuse
December 16, 2020
Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez is an empowering story about a young woman who seeks to break the cycle of oppression, sexism, and violence against women in Argentina. With a dream to play futbol professionally, become her own person and find her own voice, Camila will stop at nothing to make her dreams come true.
This story addresses some very difficult subjects but does so delicately and honestly. One of the main issues is female oppression and stereotyping in Argentina; another issue is domestic violence and violence against women, and lastly, women standing on their own with no need for a man to help them succeed. The core of these issues is patriarchy and sexism. Furia is a fierce story about a strong young woman making her way through a man's world and standing up for what she believes in and for what she believes to be true.
I listened to this audiobook and the tempo of the writing with narration was measured and mature. The main character is only 17 so there is, of course, some adolescent vibes and language. Overall, I found this YA audiobook to be moving and empowering with strong messaging for young readers.
Thank you, Workman Audio, for a copy of this audiobook through Authors Direct for review!
Thank you for reading my review on Goodreads! Follow me on Instagram (@journeyofthepages) for further bookish engagement! www.instragram.com/journeyofthepages I hope to meet you there!
This story addresses some very difficult subjects but does so delicately and honestly. One of the main issues is female oppression and stereotyping in Argentina; another issue is domestic violence and violence against women, and lastly, women standing on their own with no need for a man to help them succeed. The core of these issues is patriarchy and sexism. Furia is a fierce story about a strong young woman making her way through a man's world and standing up for what she believes in and for what she believes to be true.
I listened to this audiobook and the tempo of the writing with narration was measured and mature. The main character is only 17 so there is, of course, some adolescent vibes and language. Overall, I found this YA audiobook to be moving and empowering with strong messaging for young readers.
Thank you, Workman Audio, for a copy of this audiobook through Authors Direct for review!
Thank you for reading my review on Goodreads! Follow me on Instagram (@journeyofthepages) for further bookish engagement! www.instragram.com/journeyofthepages I hope to meet you there!
September 15, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Oh wow, how do I do this book justice? I fear that I can't, but I will do my very best! First, I expected I'd like this book, it's been on my TBR since I first heard about it, but wow did it deliver! So we're just going to talk about everything I loved about Furia!
►First, I have to start by saying that I am a huge sucker for women-in-sports books. I think because I spent my young adult years very heavily involved in swimming, I can just relate so much to the characters and their love of sport. In this case, Camila's family poses an extra obstacle, as they're not supportive of her involvement in soccer (though of course they think her brother playing is the best thing ever, but we'll get to that). So suffice it to say, Camila must sacrifice a lot for her sport, more than most certainly.
►Not only is she an awesome soccer player, but she is just very driven in general. You cannot help but root for Camila, and hope that she succeeds in whichever path she chooses. Her hard work and perseverance are incredibly inspiring!
►Camila's family is a huge focal point of the story. Camilia's dad is kind of the worst, so let's get him over with. He treats his family like absolute trash, and is abusive. And Camila and her family have to work through dealing with him and his garbageness, which is really hard, especially since it is fairly commonplace in her neighborhood for this sort of abuse to happen. Camila's brother is trying to navigate his own soccer career, as well as a fairly serious romantic relationship. Camila's mother very clearly feels trapped and helpless, and my heart just broke for her. She is a good woman who ended up in a really bad situation and is just trying to keep her kids safe. The thing here is, she is by far not the only woman who feels trapped in unhealthy and/or abusive relationships because she has no other option. I really enjoyed watching Camila's relationship with her mom grow and change, as Camila realizes some of the awful choices her mother has had to make.
►There is a romance, and I loved it! Diego is just a straight up good dude, and I loved that he loved everything about Camila, because same. He cheered her on in her soccer career, and he just cared for her. He had a lot of his own stuff to deal with too, so their relationship was complicated, but I loved him regardless.
►Camila is also trying to navigate friendships and teammate relationships in the midst of everything. There is a bit of a rift between Camila and her teammate best friend, which you can tell really eats away at both women, which, yes! Thank you to the author for showing how much our platonic friendships can really impact our lives, and how wrong it feels when those friendships are under duress! I loved their dynamics, and the dynamics among the teammates in general, because they felt really authentic to me.
►I loved getting to spend a few days in Argentina! I mean, obviously I'd love to actually go there one day, but I was so glad that Yamile Saied Méndez took me on an adventure there in the pages, for now!
►As I mentioned a bit above, there is a ton of commentary about the treatment of women. When a teammate becomes pregnant, Camila is so worried for her, because she knows how dream-ending it can be. She has to watch her back everywhere, and her parents and her father's friends critique every word she says. While they champion her brother for playing soccer and being popular, Camila is told to tamp down both her dreams and her personality. And that's just the non-violent stuff. Women are hurt, harassed, and just plain treated terribly, but there is also a message of hope, and people in Camila's life who are actively trying to change the status quo (including, of course, Camila).
►The book is incredibly emotive. I cried for sure, but I also smiled, and felt chills at Camila's strength, and laughed, and cheered. The author did an incredible job of making me feel all the things both for and with Camila.
►This is so random, but Camila putting Gigi D'Agostino on her playlist brought me back! I was a huge fan in high school/college, and I mean, he's obviously back on my playlist once I was reminded of how much I loved his stuff! (This, incidentally, was my jam!)
Bottom Line: Furia is completely captivating, hopeful, and empowering. I recommend this book to every single person, and this is what everyone I know is getting for Christmas this year.
Oh wow, how do I do this book justice? I fear that I can't, but I will do my very best! First, I expected I'd like this book, it's been on my TBR since I first heard about it, but wow did it deliver! So we're just going to talk about everything I loved about Furia!
►First, I have to start by saying that I am a huge sucker for women-in-sports books. I think because I spent my young adult years very heavily involved in swimming, I can just relate so much to the characters and their love of sport. In this case, Camila's family poses an extra obstacle, as they're not supportive of her involvement in soccer (though of course they think her brother playing is the best thing ever, but we'll get to that). So suffice it to say, Camila must sacrifice a lot for her sport, more than most certainly.
►Not only is she an awesome soccer player, but she is just very driven in general. You cannot help but root for Camila, and hope that she succeeds in whichever path she chooses. Her hard work and perseverance are incredibly inspiring!
►Camila's family is a huge focal point of the story. Camilia's dad is kind of the worst, so let's get him over with. He treats his family like absolute trash, and is abusive. And Camila and her family have to work through dealing with him and his garbageness, which is really hard, especially since it is fairly commonplace in her neighborhood for this sort of abuse to happen. Camila's brother is trying to navigate his own soccer career, as well as a fairly serious romantic relationship. Camila's mother very clearly feels trapped and helpless, and my heart just broke for her. She is a good woman who ended up in a really bad situation and is just trying to keep her kids safe. The thing here is, she is by far not the only woman who feels trapped in unhealthy and/or abusive relationships because she has no other option. I really enjoyed watching Camila's relationship with her mom grow and change, as Camila realizes some of the awful choices her mother has had to make.
►There is a romance, and I loved it! Diego is just a straight up good dude, and I loved that he loved everything about Camila, because same. He cheered her on in her soccer career, and he just cared for her. He had a lot of his own stuff to deal with too, so their relationship was complicated, but I loved him regardless.
►Camila is also trying to navigate friendships and teammate relationships in the midst of everything. There is a bit of a rift between Camila and her teammate best friend, which you can tell really eats away at both women, which, yes! Thank you to the author for showing how much our platonic friendships can really impact our lives, and how wrong it feels when those friendships are under duress! I loved their dynamics, and the dynamics among the teammates in general, because they felt really authentic to me.
►I loved getting to spend a few days in Argentina! I mean, obviously I'd love to actually go there one day, but I was so glad that Yamile Saied Méndez took me on an adventure there in the pages, for now!
►As I mentioned a bit above, there is a ton of commentary about the treatment of women. When a teammate becomes pregnant, Camila is so worried for her, because she knows how dream-ending it can be. She has to watch her back everywhere, and her parents and her father's friends critique every word she says. While they champion her brother for playing soccer and being popular, Camila is told to tamp down both her dreams and her personality. And that's just the non-violent stuff. Women are hurt, harassed, and just plain treated terribly, but there is also a message of hope, and people in Camila's life who are actively trying to change the status quo (including, of course, Camila).
►The book is incredibly emotive. I cried for sure, but I also smiled, and felt chills at Camila's strength, and laughed, and cheered. The author did an incredible job of making me feel all the things both for and with Camila.
►This is so random, but Camila putting Gigi D'Agostino on her playlist brought me back! I was a huge fan in high school/college, and I mean, he's obviously back on my playlist once I was reminded of how much I loved his stuff! (This, incidentally, was my jam!)
Bottom Line: Furia is completely captivating, hopeful, and empowering. I recommend this book to every single person, and this is what everyone I know is getting for Christmas this year.
Shelved as 'pausados'
August 28, 2019Give me all the books with Argentinian MCs, pretty please. And as a plus, we get to mock Argentina machismo. OMG SIGN ME UP.
September 14, 2020
Camila's parents wanted her to study hard and become a doctor, but she had her own dreams. She aspired to become a professional soccer player. However, this was not something "good girls" did where she came from, so she had to secretly pursue this dream. With her team earning a spot in an upcoming tournament, Camila could not afford to hide her passion any longer. With so many obstacles, she wondered if her dream was even possible, if her family would not support her.
This book was so good! First was have Camila, who was simply incredible. Her accomplishments, bravery, and ambition was something to admire given all the barriers put in her path. Aside from the expectations of what was appropriate for a young women, she also battled with an abusive father and constant violence against women in her hometown. I found her so impressive.
Complicating things further was the return of her first love, Diego. He wanted to "save" her from her home life and Rosario, but Camila wasn't having it. She was determined to "save" herself. She was going to play soccer, get noticed, and earn a spot on an international team all on her own, and I, for one, believed she could make it happen from the very start of the book. She wanted it all - love and success, and I wanted that for her too.
Her soccer team called her "La Furia", which means the Fury, and it was quite a suitable name for Camila. This was a young woman trying to blaze her own path, but was robbed of her right to do so. This is not an usual story, but it was interesting to see it through a the lens of an Argentinian woman. I appreciated the different point of view and liked learning about the issues women in Argentina struggle with.
Méndez created a phenomenal and memorable character with Camila. I dare you not to cheer for this young woman as she fights to break the cycle, earn her freedom, and live her dream.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
This book was so good! First was have Camila, who was simply incredible. Her accomplishments, bravery, and ambition was something to admire given all the barriers put in her path. Aside from the expectations of what was appropriate for a young women, she also battled with an abusive father and constant violence against women in her hometown. I found her so impressive.
Complicating things further was the return of her first love, Diego. He wanted to "save" her from her home life and Rosario, but Camila wasn't having it. She was determined to "save" herself. She was going to play soccer, get noticed, and earn a spot on an international team all on her own, and I, for one, believed she could make it happen from the very start of the book. She wanted it all - love and success, and I wanted that for her too.
Her soccer team called her "La Furia", which means the Fury, and it was quite a suitable name for Camila. This was a young woman trying to blaze her own path, but was robbed of her right to do so. This is not an usual story, but it was interesting to see it through a the lens of an Argentinian woman. I appreciated the different point of view and liked learning about the issues women in Argentina struggle with.
Méndez created a phenomenal and memorable character with Camila. I dare you not to cheer for this young woman as she fights to break the cycle, earn her freedom, and live her dream.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 28, 2021
(HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO FURIA!!!!)
4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher and to Edelweiss+ for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
For my full review with more details about each point I made, quotes & more about the author, check out this review on my blog!
----
My head is bursting with thoughts at this book. Since this will inevitably alllll over the place unless I give it a structure, here are...
THE THINGS I LOVED:
Camila Hassan "Furia" is a wonderful protagonist. From her determination and stubbornness to her love for football, she is a character I enjoyed reading about immensely!!!
THE CULTURE IN THIS BOOK OH MY HOLY HELL. I haven't read that many #ownvoice Latinx books as I am writing this, and I have to admit it is Something Else. It really hits different when you see your culture represented so well in a book.
The setting/backdrop – Argentina – of this book is terrifying and horrible and really sexist, but so, so important. It also added a whole other dimension and sub-plots to the book, which was nice.
It definitely rubbed me the wrong way how some of the characters "blamed" the girls for getting taken/murdered, because hell even if she had been wearing only underwear last time I checked it's the fault of the man who murdered her, but it also made me understand that sometimes you just have to do what you can to stay safe.
And... it's definitely not the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way. This book was a brutal reminder that as much as we want sexism and misogyny and violence to be things of the past or things of some horrible future dystopia, it's happening every day, every hour, in the entire world. And not only murders, I mean the over-sexualisation of women (young women, underage women, minors), the danger they (we) are in all day every day, the – unwanted – comments on their appearance, the anti-feminism, the parental abuse, I could keep going. Sadly, I could keep going.
The romance. The romance in this book is a great friends-to-lovers and oooohhhh it was good.
And while the romance wasn't exactly something I could call a slow-burn (in fact, it was pretty much the opposite), for once I actually liked it better like that. There is undeniable chemistry between the characters and I shipped them immediately, slow burn or not.
Camila's passion was an amazing thing to see. Football is not something that particularly interests me, and yet, I enjoyed reading this book and all the football (I keep wanting to type Fútbol sdjfhbsi) aspects of it!!!
----
However, no book is perfect, and there are...
LITTLE THINGS I DIDN'T LOVE SO MUCH:
I was a little underwhelmed with the plot. I went in expecting lots more things to happen and exciting ups and downs and plots twists.
In the more or less same idea, the pacing was pretty slow. Definitely not slow enough to make me stop reading, but if you hate slow paced books with a passion, this might not be for you.
the ending felt a bit rushed to me.
---
I'm sure I skipped on a million things I loved in this book because I loved sooo many things. The three little points I made there about the things I didn't like so much are what's stopping me from giving this book a full five stars, and yet 4 stars is clearly not enough. 4.5 stars it is.
I want to say again how much this means to me in terms of culture. It may be Argentinian instead of Colombian, but I saw so much of my home in this book I know it'll hold a special place in my heart forever. This is why #ownvoice books are the best thank you very much.
In the end, would I recommend this book? HELL YES, TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!! This is an amazing novel about a girl that has a sport generally played by men as a passion, about determination and never giving up no matter what others say, about female empowerment, with a healthy dose of great romance on the side. You do NOT want to miss this!!!!
Rep: biracial (Argentinian-Palestinian) main character, biracial (Argentinian-Chinese) side character, full Latinx cast
Content warnings: homophobia, misogyny/sexism, femicide, mentions of the murder of a young girl, mentions of missing girls, (domestic) abuse
instagram | blog | twitter | *more* links!
4.5 stars
Thank you to the publisher and to Edelweiss+ for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
For my full review with more details about each point I made, quotes & more about the author, check out this review on my blog!
----
My head is bursting with thoughts at this book. Since this will inevitably alllll over the place unless I give it a structure, here are...
THE THINGS I LOVED:
Camila Hassan "Furia" is a wonderful protagonist. From her determination and stubbornness to her love for football, she is a character I enjoyed reading about immensely!!!
THE CULTURE IN THIS BOOK OH MY HOLY HELL. I haven't read that many #ownvoice Latinx books as I am writing this, and I have to admit it is Something Else. It really hits different when you see your culture represented so well in a book.
The setting/backdrop – Argentina – of this book is terrifying and horrible and really sexist, but so, so important. It also added a whole other dimension and sub-plots to the book, which was nice.
It definitely rubbed me the wrong way how some of the characters "blamed" the girls for getting taken/murdered, because hell even if she had been wearing only underwear last time I checked it's the fault of the man who murdered her, but it also made me understand that sometimes you just have to do what you can to stay safe.
And... it's definitely not the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way. This book was a brutal reminder that as much as we want sexism and misogyny and violence to be things of the past or things of some horrible future dystopia, it's happening every day, every hour, in the entire world. And not only murders, I mean the over-sexualisation of women (young women, underage women, minors), the danger they (we) are in all day every day, the – unwanted – comments on their appearance, the anti-feminism, the parental abuse, I could keep going. Sadly, I could keep going.
The romance. The romance in this book is a great friends-to-lovers and oooohhhh it was good.
And while the romance wasn't exactly something I could call a slow-burn (in fact, it was pretty much the opposite), for once I actually liked it better like that. There is undeniable chemistry between the characters and I shipped them immediately, slow burn or not.
Camila's passion was an amazing thing to see. Football is not something that particularly interests me, and yet, I enjoyed reading this book and all the football (I keep wanting to type Fútbol sdjfhbsi) aspects of it!!!
----
However, no book is perfect, and there are...
LITTLE THINGS I DIDN'T LOVE SO MUCH:
I was a little underwhelmed with the plot. I went in expecting lots more things to happen and exciting ups and downs and plots twists.
In the more or less same idea, the pacing was pretty slow. Definitely not slow enough to make me stop reading, but if you hate slow paced books with a passion, this might not be for you.
the ending felt a bit rushed to me.
---
I'm sure I skipped on a million things I loved in this book because I loved sooo many things. The three little points I made there about the things I didn't like so much are what's stopping me from giving this book a full five stars, and yet 4 stars is clearly not enough. 4.5 stars it is.
I want to say again how much this means to me in terms of culture. It may be Argentinian instead of Colombian, but I saw so much of my home in this book I know it'll hold a special place in my heart forever. This is why #ownvoice books are the best thank you very much.
In the end, would I recommend this book? HELL YES, TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!! This is an amazing novel about a girl that has a sport generally played by men as a passion, about determination and never giving up no matter what others say, about female empowerment, with a healthy dose of great romance on the side. You do NOT want to miss this!!!!
Rep: biracial (Argentinian-Palestinian) main character, biracial (Argentinian-Chinese) side character, full Latinx cast
Content warnings: homophobia, misogyny/sexism, femicide, mentions of the murder of a young girl, mentions of missing girls, (domestic) abuse
instagram | blog | twitter | *more* links!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,288 reviews