I’ve been reading Heather Wardell’s novels for a long, long time. And even though I adore everything she writes, Fiery Girls still sat on my TBR for an embarrassingly long time. It was released in March 2021 and I only got around to reading it in June 2022 (and, you know, am reviewing it now because of schoolwork!). Oops! This was Wardell’s first historical fiction. It was a solid effort and was one I enjoyed reading.

Here's the book’s description:
Two young immigrant women. One historic strike. And the fire that changed America.
In 1909, shy sixteen-year-old Rosie Lehrer is sent to New York City to earn money for her family’s emigration from Russia. She will, but she also longs to make her mark on the world before her parents arrive and marry her to a suitable Jewish man. Could she somehow become one of the passionate and articulate “fiery girls” of her garment workers’ union?
Maria Cirrito, spoiled and confident at sixteen, lands at Ellis Island a few weeks later. She’s supposed to spend four years earning American wages then return home to Italy with her new-found wealth to make her family’s lives better. But the boy she loves has promised, with only a little coaxing, to follow her to America and marry her. So she plans to stay forever. With him.
Rosie and Maria meet and become friends during the “Uprising of the 20,000” garment workers’ strike, and they’re working together at the Triangle Waist Company on March 25, 1911 when a discarded cigarette sets the factory ablaze. 146 people die that day, and even those who survive will be changed forever.
While I did really enjoy this story, and had it read quickly because I was so invested, it had some flaws. I struggled with the dual narration and, to some extent, the characters themselves. Something about the two girls just never full clicked for me. Did I have issues with my own contemporary views being pushed onto historical characters? Maybe. Would it have been better if it was only told from one perspective? Perhaps. Having two different immigrant experiences was interesting from a historical point of view but for the storyline and plot? Not sure. (How many more questions can I ask and answer myself? Let's see!)

The historical event the novel explores is not a happy one. It was actually really tough to read the chapters on the fire, as well as the time immediately leading up to it and the aftermath. Wardell doesn’t pull any punches and it’s a gut wrenching, emotional experience reading as the factory caught fire. As hard as it was to read, I’m glad to have learned more about the fire and the circumstances leading up to it, like the unions and fight for rights.

From a historical fiction perspective (and you all know I love me some historical fiction), Fiery Girls is a major winner. It explores a main topic (the Triangle Waist Company fire) I didn’t know anything about as well as giving me more background on some side topics I was only somewhat familiar with (immigration, working conditions, women’s rights). Heather Wardell remains a favourite of mine and I’m looking forward to what she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good historical fiction novel. Recommend

Such an interesting portion of American History that seems all but forgotten. This author seemed to have done great research. I did think that the author seemed to portray the lives of these young women as some how easy and in a way glamorous. Their lives were anything but a day at Coney Island. I did appreciate being reminded that change only happens when we make it happen.

this was a really well done story, it was based on a event that I never heard of before. The story was really well done and the characters were great.

Working at the Triangle Waist Company factory in New York brings girls from different backgrounds and nationalities together. The tragic fire in 1911 brings to the forefront the conditions these workers had to bear and the loss of life is life-changing. Based on a true story, and excellent writing.

I read this book. It was good. I wasn't expecting it to end the way it did. Let you know how things were in the early 1900's.

I honestly don't know how I felt about this book. I was surprised with how good the actual writing was and it was clear that the author did a lot of research. However, I didn't actually care for any of the characters and the relationships were just blah to me. I also wasn't a fan of the cover art. If I saw this book in a store, I would not pick it up and I will not be recommending it to friends.

So here’s a book with a great story, interesting characters (some likeable, some boring), a superfluous romance, a heart-breaking tragedy, great research into a historical event, and decent writing. As is evident, there are many things I loved about this book, and many I found a drag. But first…
Story:
Fiery Girls comes to us from two perspectives and is written in first person:
1. Rosie Lehrer, a Russian Jew who is sent by her parents to America to earn some money so that they all can escape their troubled lives in Russia. Rosie is a shy sixteen year old who uses her sewing skills to get a job in a waist (a shirt-blouse) making factory. She is greatly influenced by Clara, a colleague-cum-staunch-unionist and soon helps out in union activities against the wishes of her parents.
2. Maria Cirrito, a sixteen year old Italian whose parents send her to America with her elder brother Vincente. The plan is for them both to work there for four years, earn enough money and then return to Italy where Vincente can set up his business and Maria can settle into matrimony. Maria however has other plans; she simply wants to earn enough to get her secret boyfriend to America. Life in the States works better than she expected and she enjoys the freedom. Her gutsy nature initially makes her look down on unionists but soon she realises that they have an important role to play.
Through the eyes of these two young girls, we get a glimpse into the America of the 1909-1911 period, the struggles of the immigrants, the working conditions in the garment factories, the tragic fire in the Triangle Waistcoat factory, and the rise of women power in the unions.
The title is dually nuanced. It indicates the fiery, rebellious nature of these young immigrants who strive to make the best of their circumstances. And it also hints at the fire that destroys the lives and/or livelihoods of these girls.

Where the book clicked for me:
• Yet another book that served to enlighten me about a historical milestone of the past. Some of you might have heard the 1911 Triangle Waist Company Fire, one of the largest industrial disasters in the United States. I hadn't. So this book offered a painful insight into that tragedy. I was sobbing hard while reading about the fire and its aftermath, and that is a rarity! I hardly ever cry while reading.
• The writing is mostly quick-paced, so the 300+ pages go by very fast. The main exception is around the 50-60% mark where nothing new seemed to be happening.
• There are so many things today's working women (and men) take for granted but the roots of all these safety protocols were instilled by the men and women of the past. It is said that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. This adage is proved time and again in this story. I loved the way it revealed the role of the unions in ensuring fairness for all employees. Most stories tend to focus only of the negatives of unionism. This was a pleasant change.
• The picture the book painted of the working women in 1909 was an eye-opener. While we all know the struggles women have undergone to be part of the workplace, the author deftly reveals what these women must have undergone, especially as they were always supposed to follow whatever their families wanted.
• I enjoyed the build-up of Marie’s character. She was spunky, stubborn, and strong-willed, everything a woman in 1909 wasn’t supposed to be. Her character growth was the most impressive and she proved to be a woman of substance underneath her seemingly selfish exterior.
• This line: “We girls and women will never be respected unless we stand up for ourselves. The men aren't going to do it for us, after all. Why should they give us rights when it means they'll have less power over us? We will have to take those rights.” Clap, clap, clap!


Where the book could have worked better for me:
• Sometimes, the plot become repetitive, especially in Rosie's thoughts. It might have been a way for the author to indicate how under-confident Rosie was about her abilities. But the same thing repeated over and over can just drive you nuts.
• The romance between Rosie and another character was needless. Whatever bond they had would have worked well even through friendship.
• Rosie was so whiny! She could have been so much more with her intelligence but her character seems to be stuck in the same emotional position from start to almost end.
(I guess all my problems with the book are focussed on Rosie!)

To sum it up, I think this can be a good one-time read as it offers a well-researched plot and brings to modern readers a forgotten tragedy of the past.

A 3.5 from me, rounding up to 4.

Thank you, NetGalley and Heather Wardell, for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Heather Wardell's Fiery Girls is an excellent introduction to a tragedy that led to MANY changes in the workplace. I would recommend this to young adults, possibly even older juvenile readers. I didn't realize the part female garment workers played in the unions at this time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a well-written historical fiction book. It had an interesting premise and plot line, but the characters--especially the romance--were not likeable. The romance even felt unnecessary and just there to be there. However I did like most of the side characters a lot more. The pace was slow and draggy in the middle chunk of the book that I almost DNFed. It was still an enjoyable read though and I can see many people loving it.

I love reading historical fiction so I was really excited to start this book. The content was great and I loved learning more about that time period in American history, but I felt that the actual writing was a little repetitive. I understand that the book was written from the perspective of the young girls, but it made it harder to get into. That being said, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened.

Fiery Girls is an extremely well-researched novel. I've always been fascinated by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, and I enjoyed how in depth Heather Wardell went into the history of the union, women's rights, and even the aftermath of the fire, the latter being something we really don't hear a lot about. The two protagonists, Rosie and Maria, are polar opposites but best friends and co-workers. Throughout the novel, I found myself connecting more to Rosie than to Maria. Maria starts out as so immature and stubborn that it felt more like a caricature than a real character. Teen girls are extremely stubborn and have immature moments, but Maria is written more like an adult who forgot what it was like to be a teenager trying to write a teenager. The love story is a bit underwhelming and doesn't serve much purpose, and I wound up feeling more invested in Clara than I was in Maria. I don't know--Maria's sudden switch in personality, interests, maturity, etc. happened pretty much overnight because she was jilted by a guy who clearly wasn't even that into her, and I didn't buy it. I also didn't vibe with how her character pretty much became a martyr, so that got frustrating, too.

Overall, Fiery Girls gets its message across effectively. There are some slow points, and I don't always like the characterizations of the protagonists (mainly Maria), but it's an interesting historical novel, and I hope it gets more people interested in this section of women's history.

This book was received as an ARC from Heather Wardell in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was really inspiring and jaw dropping. Just to think by a single drop of a cigarette bud cause complete chaos that will change lives of many forever. The story behind Fiery Girls was an interesting one, coming to America just from being bound by marriage. Then, getting a job as a garment worker and the demand for more money and worker's rights started the whole situation that changed so many lives and 146 lives lost. While reading, you can feel the passion from Heather Wardell and how researching for this project meant so much to her and that was refreshing to read.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I was a freshman in college when I first learned about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and I have been fascinated by it ever since. I have read entire fiction and nonfiction books about it and even visited the Tenement Museum in New York City to better understand how these women lived and worked.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of doing a read aloud of Margaret Peterson Haddix's Uprising with my students. Had I not read and enjoyed that book so much, I might have appreciated Fiery Girls more. This is a good book, but I was not as engaged in this narrative.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this excellent historical fiction novel set around the Triangle Waist Factory fire in New York, in 1911.

Maria Cerrito and her brother, Vincente, arrive Ellis Island from Italy to earn money to help their family have a better life, as does Rosie Lehrer, and another arrival from Russia. They all meet later on and become friends. Both girls get jobs in factories, but one perishes in the Triangle fire . The other friend is so distraught that she makes it her mission to help the union set safety standards for future factory workers and promote change.

This book was 5 stars! Loved the characters!

WOW. This book was incredible. I've gone back and looked at this author's body of work, and from what I can tell this is her first historical fiction work. Wardell absolutely knocked it out of the park. I knew about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, but only some details. The story alternates in viewpoints from Rosie, an immigrant teen from Russia, and Maria, an immigrant teen from Italy. Rosie is sent to America to get a job and send all of her money except for the bare necessities back to Russia to bring over her family. The plan for her is that once her parents arrive, she will stop working and marry a nice Jewish man. Rosie is resigned to her fate until she arrives, and realizes what a whole entire world has opened up for her. Maria, swept up in the emotions of first love, is sent to America with her brother. They will work and raise money so that her father can eventually open a better restaurant. She is also destined to marry a man of her parent's choosing. Both girls take jobs as seamstresses and eventually their paths cross. Wardell does a spectacular job of immersing the reader into the tenement life that each girl experiences. Additionally, it's evident that Wardell researched the cultures and customs of both girls, along with the working conditions. The book captivates you, and you find yourself alternating between falling deeper and deeper into the stories of Rosie and Maria, and also dreading it because you know at some point...there's going to be a fire. I won't spoil any of the crux of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, but Wardell paints a searing, vivid and lasting picture of the tragedy. I even went back at a later point to re-read everything the characters experienced up to it, to see if got a sense of if they knew what was happening. Wardell then does a stellar job of continuing to draw the reader in to the fallout and aftermath. This was an incredible work, and I can't wait to tell everyone else around me to read it. If you're going to read a historical fiction book about immigration and working conditions for women, THIS IS THE ONE.

I enjoyed this one quite a lot. I wasn't familiar with the women's union movement in NY, or the Triangle factory tragedy, so that made this one super interesting. As did Maria's journey. My grandparents came through Ellis Island from Italy, so that part really resonated with me as well.

<b>PROS</b>
-- Well written
-- A relatively quick read
-- Intriguing plot based on historically accurate facts
-- Loved the setting and time period
-- Loved Maria
-- Well rounded cast of side characters
-- Satisfying ending

<b>CONS</b>
-- Weak romance (I felt it wasn't necessary to the story)
-- A little slow through the middle
-- Rosie...I honestly found her annoying and whiny most of the time 🤷🏻‍♀️

Fiery Girls
by Heather Wardell

Fiery Girls was a worthy read of fictional characters set in and around the historical Asch Building, New York City prior to the 1911 Triangle Factory fire in which 146 people lost their lives. Union activity, landowner and business owner abusive practices, in addition to negligence of safety and fire codes all combine to create tragic consequences for so many. This event alone led to monumental changes in the industry. The author weaves the fictional lives of her characters through the actual events in a believable thread that closely follows many of the real-life workers and the multiple cultures from which they came. By following the characters, it becomes clear to a reader that much of what happened could have been prevented.

I appreciated the careful research done to keep the story of Rosie and Maria as close to truth as possible. I count this read as time well spent. Reminding readers of what has happened in the past due to inadequate laws, codes and practices help keep people aware and on guard for current and future preventable tragedies.

A Sincere Thanks to Heather Wardell and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

#FieryGirls #NetGalley

Fiery Girls


The story of two young girls, immigrants from different countries, Rosie Lehrer, from Russia and Maria Cirrito from Italy. Both girls emigrate to the United States in the early 1900’s. They are here help their families. They become friends during the garment workers strike. Maria, a confident and articulate “fiery girl” for the garment workers union, and Rosie, who wants to be a fiery girl but just can’t speak in front of people try to change the treatment of garment workers. When the Triangle Waist Company goes up in flames Maria and Rosie encounter two different endings. Rich historical detail helps readers walk in the shoes of these girls who are just looking for a better life, but will they both find one?

I was really interested in this book as I’m a big fan of history and has read up unions, women’s history and factory work in the early 20th century. Found some parts slower than over but overall enjoyed the book.