Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen)'s Reviews > Furyborn

3 Stars

Con ● flict ● ed

Verb: Past tense
Kaylin’s feelings about this book

I could write a review recapping this evil-angel infused fantasy world, or promoting the ‘two-strong-willed-female-protagonists-hundreds-of-years-apart-with-somehow-linked-stories’ but I don’t think there’s anything new I can add to that conversation? Those elements are fun There’s some issues with execution, but nothing that ruins them?

So I’m going to focus on the three things I’m conflicted about. Aka: the things bringing this book down.

1. That Prologue

Objectively, it’s a phenomenal first chapter. If you pull it from the rest of the story and focus only on how it serves as an introduction to the characters and magic system… it’s fantastic. The writing immediately creates this high-tension environment that sucks you in. But it also, spoils almost every single plot twist the book works so hard to create.

I don’t think this kills the tension…. and I think there’s intrigue in watching something unfold. Even when you know the ending, that doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy the ride, right? But… It also really kills all the impact of those ‘twists?’ While the narrative and characters are screaming and all:



I’m sitting there like:



And I can’t help but wonder how I would have reacted if the story had time to build and slowly twist and turn?

2. That Bi Rep

This is a really tricky conversation. Because I don’t ever want to police someone’s sexuality. I don’t want to come across like I’m gatekeeping or like I get to decide what’s ‘bi-enough.’ But advertising this book as “bisexual rep” seems like a stretch?

First, a woman who identifies as bi and is dating a man is still bi. Period. Send Tweet.

But neither woman seems to identify that way? They never discuss their sexuality nor is it ever really mentioned on the page. Instead what we are left with is a sort of vague “well they hinted about being with a woman before… so I guess we are supposed to interpret that as them being somewhere on the bi-spectrum?”

I mean that literally. For both characters there is only one line of text each that hints towards the MC’s not being strictly hetero.

I don’t believe labels are necessary for representation. But I also don’t believe every woman who references finding another woman attractive would consider themselves bisexual?

The whole thing just feels messy. Because while it could have opened so many important, relevant discussions… it just stays muddled and unclear instead? And sometimes sexuality is messy and unclear, that’s okay. But maybe… acknowledge it?

But also… yay for diversity in YA? And it could be said that showing two characters who don’t label themselves but lie somewhere on the spectrum… could be really progressive? (Not in my opinion, because again… it’s never acknowledged and just makes the narrative look really unaware??)

So. Make up your own mind. But, as a bisexual woman, when looking for stories that make me feel seen and understood… this isn’t one I’d reach for.

3. The SexyTimes

Brace yourself ya’ll. There’s explicit sex in this. Frankly, I’m kind of surprised we’re still having this conversation? Not having sex is normal BUT so is having sex. This normalized sex and discussed it as a real, tangible thing. It’s also the first book I’ve seen where female friends actually have a conversation about birth control?? Which is just SO important.

So with as hard as this worked to normalize sex and show that empowered women can STILL be sexual if they choose… why was the sex literally ground-shaking. Why was the actual sex painted like some huge-grand-life-changing event??

In Conclusion:

See earlier definition. I still don’t know, dude. This was stuffed with a lot of ideas and conversations. Some work… some just… don’t.