I used this for the "a character on the run" part of my 2021 reading challenge. I thought it was really well done, the characters were lively and realistic and the location was really easy to visualize. I was really proud of her for standing up for what she wanted and standing up to Diego, it's great to see a woman focused on her goals and not caving or settling. I'm not a sports fan but I didn't find the soccer focus to take away from the story at all, it was easy for me to fall into even without common interests. ( )

A beautifully written book about a young girl named Camilla Hassan, who has different plans for herself than what has been drilled into her by her controlling father and societal expectations. Nothing gets between Camilla la furia and her love of soccer dreams, not family or romance. Camilla uses Argentinian poets through out the story to fuel her ambitions as she secretly grows into an athlete to be rivaled. ( )

4.5 Stars

CW: domestic abuse/family violence

Well that was a powerful story about female strength and self determination.

As a YA librarian I work hard to ensure our collection is diverse and that all Readers can find themselves represented on our shelves. When I find quality books about young women in sport I am like "mine" (I am not a competent GIF user but in my mind I can see the seagulls from Finding Nemo). I say quality because some of the 'girls in sports' lists contain books about young women who like boys who play sports, or are cheerleaders at sports games (cheerleading itself is a demanding sport), or where a girl goes on a date to a sports game...you know what I am saying right? Furia was not only an important book about women being recognised as being able to be professional sports people but it was also actually about Camila's exceptional ability on the football field. I simply loved her on field persona of La Furia. She was unashamedly hungry to win, she played with aggression, and she played with incredible skill. Note I am not saying she played with heart or was an amazing team player *said in Ra-Ra Go Team voice*. She wanted to be the best and was putting in the hard to work to get there. Like all the professional sportswomen out there have had to do.

This story also looked at her home life and the future that her family had decided was best for her (and them). Camila is forced to hide her ambitions as sport is not seen as an appropriate or useful hobby for young women. I had a few blinking back tears moments during some of the wonderful scenes with her mother. I can't say too much about the romance without spoiling things but I was thrilled with the decisions Camila made in regard to this.

All in all this was a fabulous book and I loved reading about a country and a culture I know very little about. ( )

Amazing! I’m already a fan of futbal but this story made me a bigger fan! It wasn’t just a book about playing the game it was about playing the game of life and fighting for what you believe is the right thing to do and believing in yourself. Definitely a MUST read! ( )

Furia was an absolutely brilliant book! I was not entirely sure what I'd think, but it far and away exceeded my expectations.

Argentinian 17 year old Camila Hassan wants nothing more than to play football professionally, and will stop at nothing to achieve her dream, despite personal obstacles, such as a childhood-crush-turned famous football player, and an abusive and manipulative father. Camila's passion and tenacity are incredible, and in a society where football is viewed as a largely male sport, she forges her own path.

This was much more than an empowering women's soccer story though. I must confess that although I played soccer as a kid and loved it, I'm not a huge follower of the professional game. Through the lens of soccer, Mendéz does an amazing job of exploring the politics and personal sacrifices that come with sport at the highest level, especially for Latin American athletes who often have to leave behind their families and the familiar world in which they grew up to achieve their ambitions. (I could not help but make connections to cycling, a sport that I am a big fan of which also enjoys massive popularity in parts of Latin America) I found Diego, Camila's love interest, an altogether sympathetic character- it was obvious that he deeply missed his home, and Camila. The impact his fame has on their relationship also highlights the personal invasiveness accomplished athletes often face from the press. The book also captures the pressure for athletes to perform, and the toll it takes on them- I saw a lot of this in Camila's brother, Pablo, who plays professionally for an Argentinian club.

Finally, beyond feminism in sport, Furia calls attention to prescient issues of domestic violence and femicide in Argentina, and highlights the "Ni Una Menos" movement.

An absolute must read for any young adult or adult interested in sport, the politics that surround it, and gender equality in athletics and beyond. ( )