Book Review: Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez

Thank you to NetGalley, Algonquin Young Readers, and Workman Publishing for the gifted audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4 Stars

Plot: Camila is seventeen and is coming of age in Argentina. She also leads two very different lives. In one life she is Camila, who fears her abusive father, lives in the shadow of her brother (a soccer star), and does her best to help her mother. In her other life she is La Furia, a star soccer player who is fighting for the chance for a scholarship at a US university. The catch? Her parents don’t know she plays. Will she reveal her secrets to be able to live the life she has dreamed of?

My Thoughts: This book is beautifully written and powerful. It is a coming of age, character driven, feminist story that follows main character Camila. Readers will delight in watching Camila’s voice and strength shine through as she finds the courage to play soccer openly in pursuit of her dreams. I appreciated the way the author illustrated the sexist and patriarchal influences of Camila’s life in Argentina. I also loved how the author beautifully combined sports, a deep sense of place with the setting of Argentina, and a stirring coming of age story.

For Fans of: Bend it Like Beckham, Beartown, coming of age stories, and feminist first person narratives.