Author: Elizabeth Miles
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Date Read: July 15 - 17, 2011
Rating: 3/5 stars
Source: Publisher
Source: Publisher
Summary
Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Review
I received a copy of Fury for review from Simon & Schuster Canada. There's a lot of hype surrounding Fury and I was worried that it would've live up to it's expectations and accolades. While it was an enjoyable read I didn't love it as much as most readers.
I don't live by it but I love reading about the concept of karma so a YA book dedicated to it was fascinating to me. Chase's plotline worked perfectly with this because there aren't many books about Facebook and intellectual property yet, so having him suffer the repercussions of his actions in a similar way seemed appropriate. I'm also glad that Em couldn't just steal her best friend's boyfriend and had to atone for her sin. I don't really like boyfriend stealers in YA books, especially when they try to justify "Oh but I'm so much better for him", etc.
By leaving the reveal of the Furies to the end of the book Elizabeth Miles may have been wanting to set up suspense or mystery. Unfortunately I was just confused and kept thinking I'd missed the part where their presence was explained. I thought it would all make sense in the end but there were a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will be acknowledged in a sequel. I'm really happy that more YA authors are delving into mythology to find inspiration and Fury has definitely got to be one of the more original mythological books I've read.
One thing stood out to me as unrealistic. With so many characters dying I assumed death would be a bigger theme in Fury. Something for other characters to reflect on, thinking about their own morality or the loss of a friend. Instead Em and Chase both ignored anything that didn't directly affect their romantic lives. Beyond them I assumed that the school and town would be in constant mourning but there wasn't really much of that either. It seemed like things were continuing on as if nothing had happened. Even Em's parents didn't really show much concern over the events. Maybe in the sequel there'll be more emphasis put on paying tribute to those who died.
I don't live by it but I love reading about the concept of karma so a YA book dedicated to it was fascinating to me. Chase's plotline worked perfectly with this because there aren't many books about Facebook and intellectual property yet, so having him suffer the repercussions of his actions in a similar way seemed appropriate. I'm also glad that Em couldn't just steal her best friend's boyfriend and had to atone for her sin. I don't really like boyfriend stealers in YA books, especially when they try to justify "Oh but I'm so much better for him", etc.
By leaving the reveal of the Furies to the end of the book Elizabeth Miles may have been wanting to set up suspense or mystery. Unfortunately I was just confused and kept thinking I'd missed the part where their presence was explained. I thought it would all make sense in the end but there were a lot of unanswered questions that I hope will be acknowledged in a sequel. I'm really happy that more YA authors are delving into mythology to find inspiration and Fury has definitely got to be one of the more original mythological books I've read.
One thing stood out to me as unrealistic. With so many characters dying I assumed death would be a bigger theme in Fury. Something for other characters to reflect on, thinking about their own morality or the loss of a friend. Instead Em and Chase both ignored anything that didn't directly affect their romantic lives. Beyond them I assumed that the school and town would be in constant mourning but there wasn't really much of that either. It seemed like things were continuing on as if nothing had happened. Even Em's parents didn't really show much concern over the events. Maybe in the sequel there'll be more emphasis put on paying tribute to those who died.
Recommended: Bliss (Lauren Myracle), Choker (Elizabeth Woods), Falling Under (Gwen Hayes)
Yah, I definitely found the fury part confusing. A little mystery is good, but I like to know why things are happening on a bigger scale. The furies actions just didn't make sense to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I felt like the fury thing was a bit of an afterthought in this one, which made me struggle with this title, unfortunately. I appreciate your honest review though! :)
ReplyDelete