This Argentine #ownvoices story is pretty special, and I definitely feel lucky to have read this ahead of release date. It ticked off five of the best Fs I usually look for in stories—feminism, family drama, feelings, familiarity, and fassion… I’m kidding, I mean passion for fútbol, of course. I thought it was almost perfect how everything came into place, contributing to the success of the plot rather than overshadowing or over-layering.

The story starts in Rosario, Argentina, and from what my search results has shown me, it looks like a beautiful and progressive city. But anybody coming from a developing place knows better, and so Camila’s dilemma of keeping her La Furia identity a secret wasn’t just some obsolete fantasy. So ‘seeing’ her excel in a traditionally male-dominated sport was a pleasure, something I think a lot of feminist readers would enjoy.

On the other hand, the family dynamics and drama were pretty brutal, which at times were emotionally challenging. But then again, because of context, it shouldn’t really be a foreign concept anymore. There’s poverty, obligation, and expectation, and I thought it was fantastic how the story was able to show the friction and disappointment caused by these things.

“What would it be like to have my mom come watch my games, comfort me if I lost, celebrate my victories? Now, that was wishing for the moon, and before I let sadness ruin the sweetness of this moment, I joined my teammates in jumping and singing around our coach.“

“For him, my whole childhood had been a business investment.“

Thankfully, there was a balance established and some early resolutions, in the form of Camila’s mom and through her fútbol team and coach (Alicia! What a strong figure), from which she got great support. It was a subtle yet skillful way to strengthen the example of modern concepts of family, and I wished there was more of it.

What there was more of was actually the teen romance, and while I want to say that I could have done with more La Furia on the filed rather than La Furia with the El Titan, I admit having a love interest in her childhood friend and international star athlete Diego was pivotal in terms of igniting that fútbolera dream in her. That just goes to show that we indeed should want someone in our lives who inspire and make us want to be the best we can be, right? Not to say they didn’t have their downs, but I found the approach to how their relationship grew smart because I could see each of their perspective on life and things and how they handled the problems that came their way.

“For you, it’s only black or white. But in my life, things aren’t so simple. I have to compromise. I can’t separate the parts that make me who I am: a daughter, a sister, a captain, your girlfriend. La Furia.”

Now did they end up together? I’d love to spoil you but I’d be taking away your chance to bask in a couple of glorious moments.

And speaking of those kinds of moments, it was equally a treat to have a peak of Argentine culture. Coming from and living in the Philippines, there were a lot of shared experiences, traditions, and even values that I picked up on. I for sure did a lot of location and translation searches as I read. Plus, the cast of characters is also multicultural, spreading the celebration of diversity even wider.

However, while I do think the elements complimented one another and built a remarkable story, I would have just loved to see more of Cami blazing on the field in the earlier parts, and less of her expounded rekindling with Diego. It would have been fun to learn more about the sport.

There is so much that is right with this book, and yet, it seems to let a lot of opportunities slip by. Camila is a teen in Argentina and that comes with a lot of expectations. She needs to be a good girl and behave in a certain way. That does not include playing soccer, which is her passion. It also doesn't involve dating, let alone dating a world class soccer player who used to be just another kid in the poor neighborhood where she lives.

Unfortunately, this is sort of where the story goes: to the soccer pitch and the successes that can be found there. And that's it. There is a secondary storyline involving the disappearances of girls in the neighborhood. I wish this had been explored more, in addition to the pro-female story of Camila and her team. I feel that the author sort of dropped the ball on what could have been an impactful story.

My thanks to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for the advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is set in Argentina following Camila also known as La Furia by her football teammates. We see the difficulties Camila faces being a girl in her society, having a dream and falling in love.

It was very interesting to read a book set in Argentina. The protagonist, Camila, felt very real. She was flawed and learning how to navigate life. I was drawn into the story with a writing style that made me want to keep reading. I am not a huge fan of sports stories but I loved the determination and passion show within this book.

Soccer is one of the biggest sports in the world. Children dream of becoming rich and famous like Ronald or Messi. Yet, only a few make it to the pros, while others sacrifice their life to try and reach their dreams. Furia is a heartwarming story against the brutal truth of what life for a Latinx girl really is. Furia is trying to make her way through life and not be in debt to her father nor leech off a man. She has a natural gift for soccer but is treated like an accessory. Saied Mendez brings the excitement, disappointment, and competition of soccer to the reader. Furia is an enduring protagonist who is strong, headstrong and the black sheep of her family. Readers will connect with her struggle to become her own person and fight against the gender restrictions placed upon her. Saied Mendez does not shy away from the real struggles teen Latinz girls experience day to day but rather gives the reader a glimpse of death, pain and happiness that occurs.

I honestly feel like it is so hard to start a book review for a book that touched you in many ways especially when you are not used to writing a review but filming one. In my case, my camera screen broke a couple of months ago therefore I need to write instead of speaking into a camera, which I feel way more comfortable doing.

Either way, I would love to start off this review by thanking the publicists and the whole team at Algonquin Young Readers for treating me with such care and genuine kindness. It reminds me of how much I want to work in this industry. When I was sent the offer to read this book in exchange of an honest review I was shocked at how much this blurb caught me by surprise. From that moment, I knew I was going to absolutely love this book.

Yamile Saied Méndez, followed me instantly on Twitter after I publicly thanked the publisher for having sent me the book and these past few weeks I have been discovering more about this author and how she is one the sweetest people in this industry. FURIA is essentially a love letter to the city Yamile grew up in and you can feel the love overflowing expressed through words written on the page.

As Yamile has mentioned in previous interviews, she writes from her heart and to me that is the most important aspect of your story telling because the reader always ends up realizing that what is happening on page is in fact real life and it makes you reflect on the challenges that our characters go through. It is important to mention too that this story is #ownvoices which I have been supporting since I became an active member of this community in 2013 and the main character of this story is Latinx just like the author is.

Camila, our protagonist, has been dreaming her whole life of becoment a fútbol player but as we know, society teaches us the wrong ideas about women playing this sport and how it is ridiculously portrayed as a masculine sport. In fact, female players are paid way less than male players and this novel fights against those wrong morals.

The book talks about such important topics that truly need to be discussed such as having an abusive father which was the hardest part for me to read during this whole experience because I could relate to Camila. Not only that but the patriarchy, misogyny and racism depicted will make your blood boil and I love a book that makes me think but most importantly, feel.

A story that will be fast paced featuring a love interest, fighting for basic human rights, and the exploration of how a teen girl is treated by the people that are supposed to take care of her but in the end they end up not believing in her power. Camila’s power and self-love took her to a brilliant spot in life and I genuinely feel like she would be my best friend.

I don’t even know where to begin with Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez. I’ve seen a little bit about it going around Instagram but until I got the e-mail asking if I wanted to read it in exchange for an honest review, I didn’t know too much about it. After reading the synopsis I knew I would love it. Plus, super awesome, this is my first physical ARC. I usually get eBook ARCs from NetGalley. This really was an extra special treat for me.

I seriously loved this book from the beginning. Camila is such a great character that grows so much throughout the progression of the book. She is strong-willed and independent and although she is that way from the start, she learns so much about herself and how strong she really is. Camila lives in a household where her father is pretty much abusive, at least emotionally, towards her mother, brother, and herself. All he thinks about is money and fame. Camila’s brother, Paolo, is a soccer player on his way to the big leagues, which his father has pushed him towards all his life. Camila’s mother is a seamstress out of their house and is very timid but loves her kids immensely.

Then we have Camila. Her parents are pushing her to become a doctor. They think she is doing a lot of studying for medical school when really she is playing soccer on a team called the Eva María’s. Not only does Camila love soccer, but she is dang good at it. Some even say she is better than her brother. Her dream is to play on a professional team in America. Her issue is having to tell her parents because eventually, she will have to.

I loved that this story focused more on Camila and her independence, friendships, and family more than it did her love life. That being said, there is a love interest in this story, and it was perfectly done. Diego is not only her and her brother’s longtime friend, but he is also the first boy she kissed, and the boy she can’t not think about. He is also a professional soccer player that lives insanely far away from her. Even though he is rich and famous, he is still the same ol’Diego that she has always known. But now, not only does she have to deal with the stress of her family, but she has to deal with the stress that comes with having feelings for someone that she feels is out of her league.

I had so many feels reading this book. I laughed and cried a lot. My connection with Camila was almost immediate and I felt every single emotion she did throughout this entire book. The ending was complete perfection as well. Furia is one of my favorite books of 2020 for sure. I really hope that you go out and read this book ASAP. Disappointment is not possible.

Again, thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and Yamile for my copy of Furia!!!!

And if you haven’t already seen the amazing news… Reese Witherspoon has selected Furia as her second ever Reese’s Book Club YA Pick. So exciting!!!! I know everyone will love it! Check out their insta to see Reese talking about the book!!!

FURIA @yamilesmendez ⁣
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𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 5/5 STARS⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Camila, Diego and Ma ⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦: This book nestled its way into my heart with ease. Filled with culture, twisted with heartbreak, desperate with ambition and yearning, this book tells a story about wanting freedom, about women’s rights. ⁣
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Camila, the strong female lead of this story is a complex, messy character. She’s not perfect all the time, she’s got highs and lows. It made more believable to read, more easy to love and root for. The oppression, the hierarchy she’s forced to fight again, hurts in a real way. This story isn’t fantastical, it could be happening to any girl in this society. That’s what hits your core. ⁣
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FURIA is painful with dark in elements but most of all it’s hopeful. It’s a reminder to shatter the glass ceiling, to constantly be fighting for your dreams. It is a love story, not just about loving another but understanding that you are as important as anyone else. ⁣
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𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦: I was beyond happy when I realised that the author would be showing how Camila loved herself, chose herself, before anything else. It made me want her and Diego to end up together more because he was not her main goal. ⁣
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𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥: readers looking for an intense sports contemporary. ⁣

Camila wants to play professional soccer in the United States, one big problem is that no one in her family even knows she plays soccer. Where she is from soccer is not for girls. Her father, a one-time professional player, haunts his family with his quick temper. Her brother, a soccer player on his way up the professional ranks, is too busy with his own life, and her mother is too busy trying to please her abusive father. Then there is Diego, the boy from town she loves, who is now is a very famous soccer player. They all come crashing down around her as her soccer team makes the play offs. A truly stand out book that I feel will resonate with many girls.

First, a big thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to join this tour and read this wonderful #ownvoices book. And congratulations to Furia for being selected as the September YA @reesesbookclub pick!

I absolutely fell in love with this book. Camila is a powerful protagonist. She grows up in a patriarchal environment, but doesn’t let that limit her, even though her journey is not easy.

The use of first person narrative to deliver the story immerses the reader in Camilia’s world. I loved how the book shows female strength and friendships and celebrates the different choices women make with their lives.

The book doesn’t sugar-coat reality, but it is able to combine the real societal and institutional challenges, abuses and discrimination women face with a story that inspires you.

I loved how the book celebrated Argentinian culture, which is where my fiancé’s is from and I loved sharing what I was reading with him (he has LOTS of thoughts about soccer!) This is a perfect book to read during #LatinxHeritageMonth , but it’s important not to forget about it when the month is over. I know this one will be staying with me for a while and be a regular recommendation.

When people ask why I read YA, a book like Furia explains it all. It’s because it’s just plain good.

Social Justice Topics:
▪️Women’s Rights
▪️Social Class Disparities

Grade Level: 6th and up

Furia shows the bravery and the strength that it takes to follow your dreams and to trust your ambition. Camila knows she wants to play professional soccer. There is no doubt in her mind. But there are obstacles. No one besides her team know she plays—but she needs permission from her parents to go play in a life-changing tournament. The love of her life (who is now an international soccer star) comes back to town—and the passion between them is anything but over.

Girls and boys need to read this book—Camila is an idol for young girls to be strong advocates for themselves and what they believe in.

Furia follows the story of Camila, a rising football star who beats the odds and makes a life despite the hardships and obstacles thrown at her.
I have thought very long about what I will write here. Not because the quality of the book was questionable - in no way it was: Méndez writes poetically yet realistically and it was a delight to read. The plot and the characters were strong, too. So... what was the problem, you may ask.
Here's the thing: there was too much politics thrown in here. It's different to write a story about a strong, poor girl rising from the slums than to write a story about a strong, poor and "woke" girl rising for the slums. The constant details thrown in - mainly about abortions - disturbed me very much. And though this review isn't really going to make a difference, I just wanted to say this, because it's important to me and I feel it's my duty to do so with books like these. Murder is not the solution. The baby it's not the woman's body, it's in the woman's body. And most important of all, it wasn't necessary to emphasise this in the book. I get it that the standards in Argentina aren't as liberal as they are in the US, but maybe that isn't always a bad thing. Most of the time, but not always. And the author made it sound like everything there was bad, at least to me.
So, that's what I wanted to put out there. I'm sorry it got too moralistic and political and ideological, but that's what the book was, under the layers, although most of them were good.

“I wanted to feel what Diego had. I needed to play on a team like that, to feel the love of the fans. I needed the chance to do something impossible and amazing. To be great.”

It’s no secret I love sports fiction and sports romance! Especially with diverse characters, but Furia is truly something special! This is also the @reesebookclub YA pick for September!

I LOVED this #ownvoices contemporary YA novel set in Rosario, Argentina. The story follows rising soccer star, Camila Hassan, as she follows her passion of playing soccer and dreams of earning an athletic scholarship to a North American university. She juggles all of this while dealing with the complications her disapproving family and life in Rosario presents. There’s also a little of romance thrown in the story!!! But more than anything, this story is about Camila “La Furia” Hassan growing into the powerful women and incredible soccer star she is! ⚽️

I loved how this story shows us about life and culture in Rosario! I appreciate the representation and the diversity shown within the Latin American community! Furia herself discussed her Russian, Palestinian, and African roots. The author also discusses heavier topics like feminicidos “feminine homicide”, domestic violence, sexism, and social inequalities. She also mentions Ni Una Menos, a feminist movement which started in Argentina and aims to end violence against women.

This has been my favorite YA sports fiction book of the year and I couldn’t recommend it more! Thank you to @yamilesmendez for writing such a powerful story and to @algonquinyr for the gifted copy!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for my copy of Furia
by Yamile Saied Méndez in exchange for an honest review. It published September 15, 2020.
What a GREAT YA novel! This is exactly what I hope for in a YA! Empowering, real, not based on love or being saved by the guy. I loved the sports theme, and the fact that it was the tool to help Camila grow and find her place in the world.
I felt like I learned a lot about Argentine culture and I’m fascinated to learn more. I looked up recipes for a lot of these foods mentioned and hope to try them out!
I highly recommend this book!

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.

Generally speaking, sports books are not my go-to genre, but FURIA is incredible. I really enjoyed reading a story about a strong woman in a male-dominated sport and culture that does not center whiteness or take place in America. The plot was fast-paced (in a great way) and I was very engaged with all of the characters. This is a great story for readers of THE CROSSOVER.

First of all, I want to thank Algonquin for this opportunity. Furia is an amazing read that tackles familial abuse and depicts what ambition sometimes expects from you. I loved how family-focused the story was and how unapologetically ambitious and determined Camila was.

Camila Hassan lives in Rosario, Argentina. She is an ambitious character who wants to live from her passion in the United States. The opening pages are about her leaving her home to go to her futbol’s women’s competition. The stakes are set up and you can already see how much Camila is willing to give up on in order to get the opportunity to play football at a professional level, like her brother, her father, and Diego the boy she fell in love with and who is as the book begins, a professional player for Juventus.

She wants to be a futbolera and nothing, nothing, will prevent her from accomplishing her dream. No boys. No controlling or abusive father. Not the people saying that futbol is a boy’s sport. Camila is dedicated to sport and it is a blessing to watch her grow, and to watch her manage to grasp her dreams and to achieve what she wants.

Camila is from the barrios in Argentina. Her family depends on her brother's success at futbol (soccer) and it is Camila's plan to follow in her brother's footsteps and play futbol as well. On the field she is La Furia but at home she is another girl who is seen as having few options and doing her best not to get pregnant and forced to marry like so many others. She finds the perfect opportunity to shine in her first big South American tournament but pressures from home, girls going missing, her father's abuse and the love of her life who happens to be a huge futbol star all weigh down on her dreams. It is a story of courage, hope and chasing your dreams. The Spanish is well interspersed with the English and add to the authentic voice. This book for young adults will be a great addition to understanding the latino culture and issues facing young people all over the world. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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5*
Pros: This is such a beautiful book, I have no words to properly describe it. Short but full of life, of joy, of power. Argentinian and biracial lead. Flawed, raw and real characters. Completely immersive and honestly outstanding narrative, description and writing style. Heartwarming but not sugar-coated romance. As someone from a country that views football as a religion, this book was home to me. Loved to learn more about Argentine culture, cuisine and traditions. Beautiful focus on football/soccer, being a female player in a country that does not support it, and all the challenges and hardships it entails. Talks about domestic violence and toxic family relationships, along with the violence perpetrated by men on young girls. Incredibly feminist and powerful to young girls all over the world.
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Cons: Just too short, I'd love to read all the sequels.
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Trigger warning: Domestic violence

This was such a relatable book. It surprised me how much I loved it without loving soccer! The characters were amazingly written and teh plot was very interesting. A marvelous read and a definite reccommendation!

I just wanna cry happy tears. I loved this! It’s an #ownvoices Argentine book about Camila Hassan, christened La Furia because a) this is a soccer/football book and b) she is intense and amazing on the pitch. It’s also Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club YA pick.

It felt like it definitely added something new to the YA genre: it feels unexpected, but not trite, and the plot feels natural, almost like a memoir. I love that the author is clearly not catering to a white Western audience (e.g the Spanish isn’t explained, and neither are aspects of Argentine culture). I also really appreciate how real-world issues – toxic masculinity, abortion, poverty – are interweaved seamlessly as part of the backdrop.

At the heart of it, Camila is a goddamn force of nature. She’s laser-focused on her dreams, never ashamed of her ambition and is mature and forthright and just, an amazing teenage character. The romance works really well, too.

I’ll be recommending this book to a whole lot of people, but especially anyone who wants a sports book, a realistic yet ambitious teenage protagonist or who feels like the YA age-range has gotten stale. And, of course, anyone who wants to read outside of North America and the UK.

Content warnings for Furia: Physical & emotional abuse, murder, toxic masculinity.