Here, we have two sisters, Nomi and Serina who couldn't be more different at first glance. Yes, it's still fantasy, but it had a strong historical component to it, while also bringing in themes that people still experience worldwide in other countries, like women not being allowed to really do anything except for reproduce. We've encountered SO many YA fantasies featured in made up worlds recently that it felt nice to come across something a little more realistic and grounded. Seriously, this is feminist, Italian-inspired fantasy full of court intrigue, the bonds of family (both blood and chosen), and fighting for what is right and good in this world.

It felt highly fitting to use the author's initial dedication to highlight the overall theme of Grace and Fury rather than a quote from the ARC, because GIRL POWER DUH. 'For every woman who has been told to sit down and be quiet. It is a readable book, but there is nothing in the book that will elevate it to the rank of actual literature. It is all action and not much introspection. There's no questioning their fate (kind of understandable because they're kind of meant to be that way). We're just expected to believe that this is how things are. Then Nomi fucks up and Serena is punished, then they're separated. When Serena is in competition to be chosen to be a Grace for no fucking reason, after one brief 15 second encounter with the heir to the Superior, Nomi gets chosen instead. So you have the beautiful and perfect Serena, who has been training in hopes of being a Grace for her life, and her two years younger sister, the unremarkable, spirited, hardheaded, and rash Nomi. A Grace is their king (the Superior)'s concubine, and three of them are chosen every year. They're limited to being wives, factory workers, servants, or Graces. They're not allowed to learn to read or write. There's this world about which we know nothing in which women are chattel. The characters are stereotypical and dull. This book wasn't awful, but it was rushed and weird.

Grace and fury tracy banghart