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A review by jowillread
Fury by Shirley Marr
3.0
3.5 stars.
"Is it because we’re girls. I want to say. You think a bunch of girls are not capable of something like this?"
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Iiiiinteresting.
High Points.
I was intrigued about this book before I even read the first page. I have this unofficial collection of my favourite book dedications. When I say unofficial it’s because normally I read a book dedication and say “WOW… that’s so funny/heart breaking/intriguing. I must write it down and remember it forever” but then I, well, don’t.
BUT I have written down Ms Marr’s because I love it and it’s intriguing and I want to know more but I kind of don’t because then the mystery will be gone.
….Anyway.
Back to the book and its high points. Eliza. Marianne. Lexi. Australia. Burgers. Parties. Money makes the world go around. “School of Hard Knocks, Jocks and Designer Frocks”. Sisters doing it for themselves. Boys with embroidered hankies. Dresses. Prison. Masks. Glasses of water. Friendships. Girls. Loyalty. Infamy. Fury.
Low Points.
So what do an ex-boy band member, an ex-boxer with a current love for starring in panto, a few literary heroines, an English rock legend, a glam-rock vocalist who has disappeared off the face of the earth and the most violent prisoner in Britain (or an actor) have in common?
I’ll give you a minute.
*twiddles thumbs*
Give up?
Answer: They all lend their names to a character in this book!
At first, I really loved it because it felt like Ms Marr was giving me knowing nods and cheeky winks but then, me being me and having a pop-culture pickled brain, I kept looking out for them. And it became quite distracting.
My main problem with this book was that I didn’t really connect with the characters. I wish we could have spent more time with the ladies at school rather than just Eliza and Dr BrianMcFadden.
But all I could think of is what would happen if Jane Eyre and Ronnie Wood ever found themselves at the same party. I mean… what would they even talk about?
Would Jane drink beer or would she choose to drink a more fruity lady-drink? Would Ronnie eat all the nice crisps and leave the prawn cocktail flavoured ones for everyone else? Would Jane be scandalised as Ronnie poured the contents of his hip flask in the punch? Would Ronnie shake his head and mutter under his breath as he watched Jane dance drunkenly to Bonnie Tyler “I Need a Hero” and declare that the song is “All about her?”
Or vice versa.
And, more importantly, what would The Roch think of this friendship?! Would he approve? Would he be jealous? Would he be a fan of The Rolling Stones? Or would he be more of a Jeff Beck Group fan?!
And if that isn’t a book that needs to be written…
*cough*
But that’s not really a true low point for this book because it’s more for me and the ridiculous way my mind works.
I did also have a few problems with what happened after what happened happened. I don’t know… I just kind of struggled with the plausibility of some things of what came next.
Heroine.
Oh Eliza. I could tell you were going to be trouble from the second page.
“I’m all about angst, attitude, designer labels and cupcakes."
Did I say trouble? I meant awesome.
And just a little bit scary. Well, actually, a lot scary.
I don’t think we’d be friends at all because, well, I’m a wuss. And a loser. And you’re too cool for me. And kind of mean. And you’d probably think I was weird as I watched you from afar and wondered how you could get your hair so shiny.
But when I next have trouble with a twatty guy… you’re gonna be recruited for my sister-in-arms.
Love Interest.
Hmmmm interesting.
I feel like I needed more information on Neil. It felt his story was left unfinished.
But….hmmmm.
Interesting.
*ponders*
Best Friends.
Gosh.
You ever seen Death Proof?
SPOILER FOR DEATH PROOF.
You know that last scene when they’re all beating the heck out of Stuntman Mike and Rosario Dawson does a high kick and IT LANDS ON HIS FACE and it’s brilliantand you get so giddy that you spill your drink?!
Well Ms Dawson has nothing on these ladies.
Theme Tune.
Damned if She Do by The Kills.
She damned if she will
She damned if she won't
Some of them left in one piece
And some she damn near broke.
Eliza is such a rock star.
Sadness Scale.
7/10. What I liked most about this book was the way that Ms Marr handled the grittier elements. I really don’t want to spoil what happens but I loved how the situations that arose were dealt with. There was a kind of removed quality in Ms Marr’s writing that I really adored and was really affective, especially with the subject matter which I feel in the wrong hands could have gone badly.
Sure there were some things that would probably never happen in the aftermath… but this book wasn’t about reason. And I may be speaking for myself here but if what happened in this book happened to one of my friends reason would be the first thing to go.
Recommended For.
People who want to get up to mischief in masks. People who like packed lunches. People who like receiving post cards. People who hate it when their purse doesn’t close because it’s so full of money. People who never wanted to go to no end of year ball anyway. People who lose all pretence of coolness when they are faced with a custom made dress. People who have ever been Furious.
I received a copy of this book from the lovely Ms Marr herself as part of an Old Continent blog tour set up by the equally wonderful Lisa from The Nocturnal Library. Unfortunately Fury is only available in Australia but you can buy a copy from Fishpondworld.
"Is it because we’re girls. I want to say. You think a bunch of girls are not capable of something like this?"
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Iiiiinteresting.
High Points.
I was intrigued about this book before I even read the first page. I have this unofficial collection of my favourite book dedications. When I say unofficial it’s because normally I read a book dedication and say “WOW… that’s so funny/heart breaking/intriguing. I must write it down and remember it forever” but then I, well, don’t.
BUT I have written down Ms Marr’s because I love it and it’s intriguing and I want to know more but I kind of don’t because then the mystery will be gone.
….Anyway.
Back to the book and its high points. Eliza. Marianne. Lexi. Australia. Burgers. Parties. Money makes the world go around. “School of Hard Knocks, Jocks and Designer Frocks”. Sisters doing it for themselves. Boys with embroidered hankies. Dresses. Prison. Masks. Glasses of water. Friendships. Girls. Loyalty. Infamy. Fury.
Low Points.
So what do an ex-boy band member, an ex-boxer with a current love for starring in panto, a few literary heroines, an English rock legend, a glam-rock vocalist who has disappeared off the face of the earth and the most violent prisoner in Britain (or an actor) have in common?
I’ll give you a minute.
*twiddles thumbs*
Give up?
Answer: They all lend their names to a character in this book!
At first, I really loved it because it felt like Ms Marr was giving me knowing nods and cheeky winks but then, me being me and having a pop-culture pickled brain, I kept looking out for them. And it became quite distracting.
My main problem with this book was that I didn’t really connect with the characters. I wish we could have spent more time with the ladies at school rather than just Eliza and Dr Brian
But all I could think of is what would happen if Jane Eyre and Ronnie Wood ever found themselves at the same party. I mean… what would they even talk about?
Would Jane drink beer or would she choose to drink a more fruity lady-drink? Would Ronnie eat all the nice crisps and leave the prawn cocktail flavoured ones for everyone else? Would Jane be scandalised as Ronnie poured the contents of his hip flask in the punch? Would Ronnie shake his head and mutter under his breath as he watched Jane dance drunkenly to Bonnie Tyler “I Need a Hero” and declare that the song is “All about her?”
Or vice versa.
And, more importantly, what would The Roch think of this friendship?! Would he approve? Would he be jealous? Would he be a fan of The Rolling Stones? Or would he be more of a Jeff Beck Group fan?!
And if that isn’t a book that needs to be written…
*cough*
But that’s not really a true low point for this book because it’s more for me
I did also have a few problems with what happened after what happened happened. I don’t know… I just kind of struggled with the plausibility of some things of what came next.
Heroine.
Oh Eliza. I could tell you were going to be trouble from the second page.
“I’m all about angst, attitude, designer labels and cupcakes."
Did I say trouble? I meant awesome.
And just a little bit scary. Well, actually, a lot scary.
I don’t think we’d be friends at all because, well, I’m a wuss. And a loser. And you’re too cool for me. And kind of mean. And you’d probably think I was weird as I watched you from afar and wondered how you could get your hair so shiny.
But when I next have trouble with a twatty guy… you’re gonna be recruited for my sister-in-arms.
Love Interest.
Hmmmm interesting.
I feel like I needed more information on Neil. It felt his story was left unfinished.
But….hmmmm.
Interesting.
*ponders*
Best Friends.
Gosh.
You ever seen Death Proof?
SPOILER FOR DEATH PROOF.
You know that last scene when they’re all beating the heck out of Stuntman Mike and Rosario Dawson does a high kick and IT LANDS ON HIS FACE and it’s brilliant
Well Ms Dawson has nothing on these ladies.
Theme Tune.
Damned if She Do by The Kills.
She damned if she will
She damned if she won't
Some of them left in one piece
And some she damn near broke.
Eliza is such a rock star.
Sadness Scale.
7/10. What I liked most about this book was the way that Ms Marr handled the grittier elements. I really don’t want to spoil what happens but I loved how the situations that arose were dealt with. There was a kind of removed quality in Ms Marr’s writing that I really adored and was really affective, especially with the subject matter which I feel in the wrong hands could have gone badly.
Sure there were some things that would probably never happen in the aftermath… but this book wasn’t about reason. And I may be speaking for myself here but if what happened in this book happened to one of my friends reason would be the first thing to go.
Recommended For.
People who want to get up to mischief in masks. People who like packed lunches. People who like receiving post cards. People who hate it when their purse doesn’t close because it’s so full of money. People who never wanted to go to no end of year ball anyway. People who lose all pretence of coolness when they are faced with a custom made dress. People who have ever been Furious.
I received a copy of this book from the lovely Ms Marr herself as part of an Old Continent blog tour set up by the equally wonderful Lisa from The Nocturnal Library. Unfortunately Fury is only available in Australia but you can buy a copy from Fishpondworld.