At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father.
On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university.
But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her."
My Opinion: First, I have to say that I thought the narrator did an excellent job with this book. She was very easy to understand, she did a great job with the voices of the different characters, and she let the story lead. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and I can't tell you how frustrating it is when I'm listening to a good story but the narrator's voice just doesn't flow between the character changes, and this tends to yank me out of the story.
As to the story itself, Camila is a typical teenage girl in most ways, but she is driven by her love of soccer, and through soccer, her need to succeed at winning an athletic scholarship, hopefully to a university in North America. That is her ultimate dream, but there are a few things standing in her way; specifically, the fact that her parents don't know that she is even interested in soccer, let alone playing on a team that has qualified for the South American tournament. Her brother is supposed to be the star in her family, as he is the male, and that's just how it is. And then there's Diego, her old boyfriend who is now an international soccer star himself, and who has unexpectedly come back into her life.
This isn't just a story about a girl's love of soccer, though. It's a story about domestic violence, gender inequality, racism, and the need to escape from an untenable situation, no matter the cost. Camila's father is overbearing and runs his house with an iron fist. Her mother, brother, and she herself live an existence where they are constantly walking on eggshells so as not to upset him. Having lived in a situation just like this, I can relate to her feelings of anger, shame, and determination to escape.
I thought all of the characters were well written and very well fleshed out. There was definitely character growth and development throughout, and I was pleased with the direction all of the characters took. The storyline flowed very well, also, and I was always looking forward to seeing what would happen next.
In summary, I thought this was a very well written book, and I enjoyed it very much. Kudos to the narrator, as well. I enthusiastically recommend it to lovers of YA fiction with a very moving and weighty subject matter.
I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my impartial review.
5/5 stars.
