Grace and Fury ~ Tracy Banghart (Grace and Fury #1)

★★★★★

I received this eARC from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.

I'm so unbelievably shook.

"It isn't a choice when you don't have the freedom to say no. A yes doesn't mean the same thing when it's the only answer you're allowed!"

Obligatory Summary

So, this is a hard book to really nail down. It's not fantasy, but it's not science fiction either, and it's not contemporary or historical fiction. It's somewhere in between. You won't find post-apocalyptic America in these pages, or teenagers wielding infernal powers. This isn't the world you know, but it's frighteningly similar. It's a merge between The Selection, Maze Runner, Throne of Glass, and The Hunger Games, but is uniquely distinct from all of them. This is a feminist story about the power of rebellion, love, and agency.

This book revolves around Serina and Nomi, two sisters divided by their belief in the role of women in society. Nomi believes that women should have the right to read, to cut their own hair without permission, to do pretty much anything, tbh. Serina, on the other hand, is content to become a Grace; in other words, a concubine for the Superior and his Heir, the rulers of Viridia, and a symbol of feminine beauty and, well, grace. Things go horribly wrong, though, when the Heir chooses Nomi, not Serina, as his Grace, and Serina is imprisoned for a crime Nomi committed. Now Nomi must brave the Heir and his world, where one wrong word would seal her doom, and Serina is trapped on an island where guards force the inmates to fight to death for food and water.

The Writing and Worldbuilding

I was not a huge fan of the non-dialogue prose. It tended to run exposition-y, especially in the early chapters, and was particularly redundant sometimes. For example, in the same exact chapter, it said the Nomi always did Serina's makeup before like three times. Besides that, though, I loved it! The plot was masterfully crafted, and I was on the edge of my seat literally the entire time. That ending KILLED ME.

Pet peeve time though: I HATE IT WHEN AUTHORS SAY "GOOSEFLESH" INSTEAD OF "GOOSEBUMPS" LIKE A NORMAL PERSON. I'VE LITERALLY NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE HEARD SOMEONE SAY "GOOSEFLESH" UNIRONICALLY. PLEASE, WRITERS, S T O P I T. NO ONE IS WORRIED YOU'LL SOUND LIKE R.L. STINE. N O O N E.

Like I said in the Obligatory Summary, the world itself was really unique. I've never read anything quite like it. It was a made-up world, but there wasn't any magic or fancy science fiction devices. It seemed, if anything, like a parallel world of early 1900's Europe, Italy in particular.

The themes were really well done, and I particularly liked that it was a feminist story, but like actually (not a SJM kind of feminist, in which it actually isn't but it really wants you to think it is). No, this is real, quality feminism. The kind that advocates women helping each other, supporting each other. The kind that doesn't shun men for existing, or try to elevate its female characters above them. It shies away from stereotypes, and even pokes some fun at other books in the genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found myself actually feeling empowered by its messages, which is amazing, because honestly, I rarely do--tbh most "feminist" stories fill me with unbridled rage, because a lot of them completely miss the point. This one, though. This one totally gets it.

The Characters

Serina: Proud, poised, and a remarkably quick study without coming across as a Mary Sue, Serina is pretty hardcore. Her resolve to survive, both body and soul, was amazing. She grows so much as a character, becoming so strong by the end, but still recognizably herself, without sacrificing her feminine attributes.

Nomi: At first, I found Nomi annoying (back when I thought this might just be a SJM kind of feminist book), because of how brash and reckless she was, how immature she could be, not seeing or understanding her place in the world, as if she was just a book character who was just plopped there instead of a living, breathing person, born and bred in this fictional land. Once the plot really started, though, her true character explained itself, and I found that she was definitely my favorite character. I found her relatable, and I was most eager for her chapters of the book. She's headstrong, and thinks after she speaks sometimes, but she grows a lot too, and I really admire her.

Malachi: He was such a surprise, honestly. I really appreciated where his character went, and the depth that is explored in him.

Asa: He's a little like Nikolai Lantsov and I'm SO hyped to see where he goes in the sequel (GIVE IT TO ME NOW, TRACY!!!)

Val: He's a bit of a cinnamon roll, and I like him <3

Conclusion

I NEED THE SEQUEL!