Full review: wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/07/05/review-grace-and-fury-by-tracy-banghart/

I suspect that my opinion on this book will be an unpopular one, but I’m just gonna put it out there now: I reeaally, really want to roast this book. *stone faced* *cuts eyes to the side*

*refocuses eyes straight ahead* But I’ll relent and play nice since this was an ARC. …plus roasting it would mean picking it apart and I can’t do that if I want this review to be spoiler free. *shrugs*

Needless to say; I did not like this one. It tries waaaay to hard to be more than it is. I’m taking a stab here and assuming it’s supposed to hit some feminist lit category? …It missed the mark in my opinion, but I might not be the best at assessing this as I have never identified as feminist. (Don’t shoot me, I only mean that I’ve never made achieving total equality apart of my personal agenda….that’s really a discussion for another time sooo SAVE IT lest this BOOK REVIEW be hijacked by social issues!) To me it seems more like rough draft Banghart needs to add to and clean up. She’s got an interesting premise going – I mean that’s why I requested it on NetGalley – but that’s all she’s got going here. There’s nothing solid but an outline of a story.

“So Rochelle, what is it that makes you want to start a fire and roast this book over open flame?”

I’m glad you asked.

Let’s start with world building. Small spoiler; it was shallow and it sucked. Some how the world our characters live in finds itself with an established way of life where the rulers select common women as “graces”. Which to me basically translated to consort, concubine, or sex slave. *gag* You take your pick on what term you want to apply here but it’s all basically the same – a woman of lesser status in the service of a ruler that’s more property than person. As I’m reading about this “tradition” (Banghart’s term not mine) I find myself wondering how the heck this world came to be like this. How the heck does a ruler decide he needs 40 partners to schmooze and bed??? I mean is there a fertility scare? Is he eventually going to pick one and dismiss the others? (That answer is no by the way…apparently he just keeps them and chooses who and when based on a whim???….before you even say it;that’s not really a spoiler as the synopsis basically said as much.) I get that these women don’t have a choice if they are selected and that they live in society that severely limits what they are able to do, but whhyyyyy does this world work this way? There’s nothing to explain it and I found that annoying.

The story is structured with alternating points of view for Nomi and Serina. This I liked, but there were so many other issues that that barely improved my opinion. The plot left a LOOOOT to be desired. It’s probably one of the worst plots I’ve read this year. There are some good moments (for example, Serina ending up in prison for something Nomi was responsible for) but much of the book felt forced and unlikely. Ultimately resulting in an improbable plot with characters that equally disappointed me. Also, I totally saw the "twist" coming from miles away...it was so cliche.

Ahh characters. Can you say “one-dimensional”? I was expecting a fierce, defiant, relatable character in Nomi, (timeout: what kinda name is Nomi?? No-me. Are we aiming for irony in that her name actually tells others “not her”? Ick. A terrible name choice. Proceed.) and was given a character that was actually compliant with only flickers of “fury” and backbone. *deep eye roll* Frankly, if I lived in this world I’d either be dead or imprisoned; there ain’t no way I’d allow myself to be a “grace” let alone forego my I-do-what-I-want mentality. But Nomi, “rebellious” Nomi, actually seems cowed by the simple threat of death or imprisonment. Serina…I don’t even know how to articulate what disappointed me about her. She just wasn’t a well developed character. She started out as a compliant and malleable character and never improved from there despite repeatedly telling herself she needed to be more like Nomi. Serina’s chapters annoyed me because they never seemed to go anywhere. At least with Nomi’s there were a few fleeting moments of fight and defiance to be found in her.

I think the most painful part of this whole book was the writing. It. Was. Bad. Truly cringe worthy lines and poorly introduced ideas. And although I’m not wholly sure of how to even address this, I was not a fan of the “Your Eminence” title that was used to address “The Superior” and his “Heir”. I realize that Banghart screwed herself by using the term “grace” for the concubines, but Your Eminence? That’s what you’re going to have other characters call the ruler(s)? Nope. I'm out.

So basically, I still found a way to roast this book and be mostly spoiler free. *shrugs* At least I feel better now.

Bottom line? I didn’t hate everything about this book, but I’m not recommending Grace and Fury to anyone and I will not be picking up the next book in the series. ( )

* I got this book for review for my honest thoughts*

I really enjoyed this book and found it def be a darker fantasy novel but I would call it more a historical fiction novel. I would be intrigued if some type of magic system becomes more obvious in future books. I was equally invested in both lead characters storyline and liked the duel POV of the story. I really flew through this book and I thought the world building and the various mysteries were engaging. I wish the ending was less predictable but I will def be checking out book 2!
( )

* I got this book for review for my honest thoughts*

I really enjoyed this book and found it def be a darker fantasy novel but I would call it more a historical fiction novel. I would be intrigued if some type of magic system becomes more obvious in future books. I was equally invested in both lead characters storyline and liked the duel POV of the story. I really flew through this book and I thought the world building and the various mysteries were engaging. I wish the ending was less predictable but I will def be checking out book 2!
( )

This was a short, fast-paced read that almost felt like a novella in the way it flew by. In a fantasy world where women have no rights, cannot be taught to read, and have no options in life other than factory work, bearing children, or if you’re one of the “fortunate” being chosen as a “Grace” one of the King’s basically concubines, being a girl basically sucks. One sister has been trained for this position her entire life in the hopes she will be chosen. Her rebellious younger sister has been raised as her maid. But when they are sent to the palace, things go horribly wrong.

I quite enjoyed this and even wished in places we might have gotten a bit more—to know certain characters better and have more scenes with them. It was well paced and a great book… I wanted more!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. ( )

My biggest complaint about this novel is also my own fault - I didn't do my research to find out that it's the first in a series. *cry* So, dear reader, this is the first in a series and ends with both sisters in a very precarious position.

The story follows two sisters, Nomi and Serena, as they travel from their poor factory-town home to the capitol for a one-night event. Serena has been training her entire life to possibly become a Grace, one of the Superior's chosen women. Three graces are chosen every three years, and the women are held on a pedestal. They must be beautiful and graceful and obedient, but are revered by the people. The allegory is strong here, y'all.

And yes, as the book continues, we see how much of the story reflects the ways women are treated in patriarchal cultures around the world. These special women are protected from the poverty and violence that wracks the world... but they're also subject to the Superior's whims and desires, including sexually. They can be beaten or jailed or worse at any time. Their position only protects them as long as the Superior wills it.

The Superior is aging, however, and this is the first time that his older son, the Heir, will choose Graces. The Heir doesn't choose Serena, though. He chooses Nomi. Defiant Nomi, who learned to read even though it's against the law. Nomi who is only in the palace to act as Handmaiden to her sister. Nomi who has been chafing at the restrictions of society her entire life.

In the blink of an eye, Serena is caught "reading" and sent to Mount Ruin, a pleasure island destroyed when a volcano erupted and the home of a prison for women. The sister who was willing to do her duty for her family, to be a Grace so that her ailing mother wouldn't have to work, is sent to a desolate and dangerous island where the women are forced to fight to the death for food and water.

Rather than lean into their strengths, Serena and Nomi are each forced to adopt those of their sister. Nomi in the palace, attempting intrigue with the Heir's younger brother, and Serena starting a revolution on the island. As feminist as this book is, I don't think it took the easy way out in creating two-dimensional characters.

I don't want to go further into the plot because there's a lot I could spoil, but I will point out that there's a lesbian Grace and not everyone is white.

TL;DR - This was a solid start to a new feminist series and I'll keep reading. ( )