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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury, #1) in Books

Dec 19, 2018  
Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury, #1)
Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury, #1)
Tracy Banghart | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I didn't actually have high hopes for this book - the description hits a lot of standard YA tropes. Sisterhood, switched roles, Royal/pauper juxtaposition...but WOW. No, this book blew me away.

In Serina and Nomi's world, women are second-class citizens, forbidden to read, have romantic relationships with each other, or have careers of their own. Serina plans to be a Grace, effectively a concubine to the Prince, with her sister as her handmaiden. But it is Nomi who catches the Prince's eye when she stumbles into him in a hallway, and Nomi that he picks. In a moment of weakness, Nomi's secret is discovered and thought to be Serina's, and rather than jeopardize Nomi's new position, Serina capitulates and takes the fall. She's sent to a volcanic island prison while Nomi struggles to tame her own rebellious nature long enough to gain enough influence to free her sister.

The book is about oppression and sisterhood, whether it be with those that share your blood or not. Along the way, we discover a different history of the nation than what is normally taught, and find a few men who sympathize with the women's plight. (And eventually step up to take action alongside the women.)

It's a quick read - the action starts on page one and never stops. Chapters alternate between Nomi in the palace and Serina on her island prison fighting for food, and both girls learn that what they saw as weakness in each other can be strengths in different circumstances.

The only downside to this book is that it ends with things unfinished. Not a cliffhanger, exactly, but the story is most definitely not done, and the sequel doesn't come out until July of 2019! I will be snapping that up as soon as it releases because I NEED to know how these two sisters overcome their trials.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
    The War | PBS

    The War | PBS

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    Podcast

    Download behind the scenes features, previews, and more. THE WAR, a seven-part series directed and...

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ClareR (6106 KP) rated The Glassmaker in Books

Sep 2, 2025  
The Glassmaker
The Glassmaker
Tracy Chevalier | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This imaginative story begins in Murano, 1486 at the height of the Italian Renaissance, and ends in the modern day - and all with the same characters. And the thing is, never at any point did I feel that it was far fetched.

Murano comes across as a magical place, both in its ability to make beautiful pieces of art from glass, and also its ability to keep those who live there in a kind of time warp or stasis. If you live on Murano, you don’t age.

Such is the case with the main character, Orsola Rosso.

We join her family when she is 9 years old and her father dies suddenly. Her brother struggles with the responsibility and skills needed to run the business - that is until a rival matriarch teaches the Rosso women (via Orsola) how to make glass beads.

I loved how real people from history were brought into the story (Casanova and Josephine Bonaparte, amongst others), and how when time jumped hundreds of years, Orsola only aged a few in that time. We see how Italy changes over time, how it modernises and how climate change endangers both lives and livelihoods.

The story and characters felt as vibrant as the glass beads. This was such a refreshing, different read. Just outstanding 🤷🏼‍♀️