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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
An exceptionally written and action-packed, gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers that thoroughly ensnared me with it’s whirlwind plot and utterly endearing protagonist readers are going absolutely love!
Set against the backdrop of 17th C France, One For All follows Tania (a girl with a chronic illness) who gets the chance to train as a musketeer in a training facility posing as an elite ladies’ finishing school. There, Tania hones her skills for sword fighting and seduction, in order to help uncover a treasonous plot that threatens both king and country. And with those new skills, Tania may even be able to find the people responsible for her father’s death.
This was an exceptionally well written and enjoyable read with an endearing sisterhood of swashbuckling, espionage-seeking Musketeers that I was equal parts envious and in awe of!
Now, I should probably mention that I’m not that familiar with Alexandre Dumas’ original. In fact, most of what I know stems solely from childhood recollections of the 1993 movie, so I can’t really tell if there’s any tidbits or nods to the original story and characters.
What I do know however, is that Dumas’ Musketeers weren’t women using society’s gender based stereotypes to benefit their own covert operations —which I thought was actually GENIUS! Lets face it, the best spies—be it in real life, in books or on screen, are always the most unsuspecting of people. And you can’t get more unsuspecting than a debutante.
Tania, our protagonist (who we first meet confronting thuggish burglars) was a really well developed and complex character who doesn’t let her disability define her, nor stop her from achieving her dreams (of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a Musketeer.)
This an own voices novel, so Tania’s experiences with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) are based on the author’s own POTS diagnosis and experiences. Which I felt did add an extra layer of poignancy to some of the book’s earlier scenes (where Tania’s chronic illness leads to ridicule, aversion or outright dismissal.)
I did, however, love that she finds such a supportive, found family-style sisterhood at the L’Acaémie des Mariées, who respect Tania and push her to be the best she can be.
Likewise, I really enjoyed the romance aspects which were phenomenal (the tension and slow-burn chemistry was absolutely delicious) with not one but TWO handsome love interests (Henri and Étienne) to swoon over. Though personally, my heart belonged solely to Henri, whose (super relatable) lack of coordination and constant tendency to blush instantly won me over—I just wish we got to see more of him.
So, if you’re looking an empowering, female led (and feminist) historical fantasy full of sword fights, espionage and tons of adventure or love gender-bent retelling then you definitely have to check this out, it’s MARVELLOUS!
Also, a massive thank you to Titan books for this incredible proof and including me on the UK blog tour.
Set against the backdrop of 17th C France, One For All follows Tania (a girl with a chronic illness) who gets the chance to train as a musketeer in a training facility posing as an elite ladies’ finishing school. There, Tania hones her skills for sword fighting and seduction, in order to help uncover a treasonous plot that threatens both king and country. And with those new skills, Tania may even be able to find the people responsible for her father’s death.
This was an exceptionally well written and enjoyable read with an endearing sisterhood of swashbuckling, espionage-seeking Musketeers that I was equal parts envious and in awe of!
Now, I should probably mention that I’m not that familiar with Alexandre Dumas’ original. In fact, most of what I know stems solely from childhood recollections of the 1993 movie, so I can’t really tell if there’s any tidbits or nods to the original story and characters.
What I do know however, is that Dumas’ Musketeers weren’t women using society’s gender based stereotypes to benefit their own covert operations —which I thought was actually GENIUS! Lets face it, the best spies—be it in real life, in books or on screen, are always the most unsuspecting of people. And you can’t get more unsuspecting than a debutante.
Tania, our protagonist (who we first meet confronting thuggish burglars) was a really well developed and complex character who doesn’t let her disability define her, nor stop her from achieving her dreams (of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a Musketeer.)
This an own voices novel, so Tania’s experiences with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) are based on the author’s own POTS diagnosis and experiences. Which I felt did add an extra layer of poignancy to some of the book’s earlier scenes (where Tania’s chronic illness leads to ridicule, aversion or outright dismissal.)
I did, however, love that she finds such a supportive, found family-style sisterhood at the L’Acaémie des Mariées, who respect Tania and push her to be the best she can be.
Likewise, I really enjoyed the romance aspects which were phenomenal (the tension and slow-burn chemistry was absolutely delicious) with not one but TWO handsome love interests (Henri and Étienne) to swoon over. Though personally, my heart belonged solely to Henri, whose (super relatable) lack of coordination and constant tendency to blush instantly won me over—I just wish we got to see more of him.
So, if you’re looking an empowering, female led (and feminist) historical fantasy full of sword fights, espionage and tons of adventure or love gender-bent retelling then you definitely have to check this out, it’s MARVELLOUS!
Also, a massive thank you to Titan books for this incredible proof and including me on the UK blog tour.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Murder
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one side, I liked the retelling aspect of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers” and the idea of a female musketeer a lot! The first 6 chapters give the story a mission and it’s really easy to empathize with Tania’s mission, but after this point, the story takes a turn which did not go well with me at all, but then again, this is just my viewpoint, others fall even more in love with the story!
The second aspect which I liked a lot was the story developed around the villain. There is a lot of back and forth on their entity and the revelation at the end of the book was brilliant! Again, it’s a very subjective viewpoint, other readers might see this aspect in another side, but I’ll let you be the judge of it starting from the 8th of March 2022, when the book in paper and audio format become available.
Special thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #OneForAll #NetGalley
The second aspect which I liked a lot was the story developed around the villain. There is a lot of back and forth on their entity and the revelation at the end of the book was brilliant! Again, it’s a very subjective viewpoint, other readers might see this aspect in another side, but I’ll let you be the judge of it starting from the 8th of March 2022, when the book in paper and audio format become available.
Special thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #OneForAll #NetGalley
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! One For All is brilliant. Once you dive into the Parisian world with Tania, the protagonist, you'll be immersed into a story of tension, drama and intrigue. The premise of the book was incredible: I loved watching a female group thrive together in such feisty, yet still feminine ways. I loved that the girls weren't restricted by their gender to fight and stand up for themselves, while still indulging each other in conversations about feminine things. Especially, I loved that each character acted their own age: this makes for a believable YA novel that is authentic and gripping.
While the story was a bit slow to start off with, it perfectly led us to understand Tania's character, and particularly how her POTS affects her lifestyle. I was very endeared to her right from the start and this only grew as the narrative went on. Lainoff's depiction of chronic illness as not debilitating or embarrassing makes Tania a beautiful character; her personal growth was so strong and captivating. You can really tell as a reader that Lainoff has considered all aspects of how POTS would be considered in the time period, even considering how the other characters can provide aids such as a pulley system to help Tania thrive with her condition.
Ultimately, this book is a great debut. If you're after found family, a realistic depiction of the time period and some powerful, intelligent women solving mysteries, this is truly the book for you!
Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for access to this ARC!
While the story was a bit slow to start off with, it perfectly led us to understand Tania's character, and particularly how her POTS affects her lifestyle. I was very endeared to her right from the start and this only grew as the narrative went on. Lainoff's depiction of chronic illness as not debilitating or embarrassing makes Tania a beautiful character; her personal growth was so strong and captivating. You can really tell as a reader that Lainoff has considered all aspects of how POTS would be considered in the time period, even considering how the other characters can provide aids such as a pulley system to help Tania thrive with her condition.
Ultimately, this book is a great debut. If you're after found family, a realistic depiction of the time period and some powerful, intelligent women solving mysteries, this is truly the book for you!
Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for access to this ARC!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
absolutely INCREDIBLE! I wish there was one more chapter to tie up some of the revealed relationships at the end, but also I liked that the romantic relationships weren't at the center of the character's story. Overall a huge recommended read!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes