Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1) by Tracy Banghart
ARC received from Netgalley for a fair review.
With little choices to choose from for women, Serina has been raised and groomed to be the heir’s grace, with her sister Nomi as her handmaiden. But in a twist of fates, it is Nomi that is chosen. Serina is also mistakenly accused for a secret of Nomi’s. Both girls feel trapped in their situation and must fight to be reunited as well as fight to make changes so that girls no longer have to endure what they are going through.
The Story
Told from both girl’s POV we are given the story of two very fierce girls who are driven to fight in ways that didn’t imagine they could. Forced into situations with their back against the wall, they must not only survive but also save each other. Because we are hopping between the two different stories, there really isn’t a lot going on. Relationships seemed a little rushed, and sometimes trust was given a little too easily, among all the characters.
Now, while the story was entertaining, I found the twists wildly predicting. However, despite that, there were still a few parts that I was pleasantly surprised. There were enough scenes that had the girls in precarious situations that I never really got bored.
Some trigger warnings could include: violence, attempted rape, and implied pleasure houses.
The World Building
I was intrigued by the culture of the oppression against women. Unfortunately, I sort of think that the reasoning for the oppression was a little bland, and relied too heavily on the basis of fear and insecurity. I expected a dynamic world, but felt it was fairly standard.
I really liked the Italian inspiration of the capital, and it certainly created a little bit of color to where the palace was. I was really hoping to see more of it on Serina’s end.
The Characters
This book was definitely character driven. While both girls were a bit naive, I just adored their sisterly bond. Even though both sister felt like they had received some part of the shorted end of the stick, both were frightened and cornered, they still were so concerned with protecting the other. I think what I loved most was how each girl reacted when their world was crumbled. Again, and again they both got back up and did not cower down.
The Soundtrack
Muse – Guiding Light
