Fury

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Fury by Shirley MarrFury by Shirley Marr
Black Dog Books, 277 pages

Let me tell you my story.
Not just the facts I know you want to hear.
If I’m going to tell you my story,
I’m telling it my way.

Strap yourself in…

Eliza Boans has everything.
A big house.
A great education.
A bright future.

So why is she sitting in a police station confessing to murder?

If I can judge books by their cover (I know I can, I just don’t do that. Not too often, anyway), Fury by Shirley Marr is one book that I will judge positively. See that really gorgeous cover? I would’ve bought this book just for display on my shelf even if I don’t know if I will like it. I would even keep this book just for display even if I didn’t like it because the cover is just so morbidly beautiful. Don’t you think?

Actually, I don’t think I’d let this book go even so because it’s so hard to acquire — I had to ask my friend who flew to Australia to get my a copy because this is practically unavailable anywhere else. It is available from Fishpondworld, but it costs twice the normal paperback, too. It’s kind of a good thing I liked the book, so I won’t feel too guilty saving shelf space for its gorgeousness, and I feel like the price was pretty worth it.

Eliza Boans has everything: a huge house, great education and grades, and basically a bright future. Never mind that her hotshot lawyer mom (who deals with things besides insurance general) barely pays attention to her, or that she’s just really sick of everything in her life. Whatever Eliza wants, she can get — the perks of being born under privilege. So if she’s got everything and there is possibly nothing else she could ask for, why then would she commit murder?

At first glance, I thought this book is about some psychopath who just got bored about her life and decided to go on a killing spree. Other reviewers praised Eliza’s voice in the story, about how she seems to lack remorse and her wit and all that, so I was expecting to read about a girl who kills just because she had nothing else to do. But my expectations were far from the truth. Eliza is a witty narrator whose voice shines with authenticity, but even with that, I wasn’t sure if I would be friends with her. Come to think of it, I don’t think she’d even pick me as her friend, anyway, if I were one of the privileged students of Priory. She is without remorse for a reason, and despite knowing that what she did was wrong, as a reader I can’t help but sympathize.

The mystery behind Eliza’s confession and the things leading up to it unfurls gradually and naturally, and I was kept guessing to what exactly happened. For a moment there, I almost felt like I was Gossip Girl, being privy with the rich boys and girls’ lives, and seeing just how many things could go wrong with these things. I liked how each of Eliza’s friends were given enough spotlight but not too much that we know too much about them. I especially liked how the author built Eliza’s friendship with Neil — it was my favorite part of the book, and probably also the saddest, but it feels like there’s nothing else that can be done with it. I couldn’t connect with Eliza at first, when I wasn’t really sure what to make of her, but her honesty and loyalty won me over, making me want the best for ever even if I’m not sure what it is exactly.

Fury doesn’t really end in a happy note, if you’re looking for a happy ending. It leaves unanswered questions that readers are left to ponder. Books with an open ending are some of my favorite books because it leaves readers to imagine what could happen and to contemplate on what should happen based on their own beliefs and convictions.

This is my first Shirley Marr, but it will definitely not be my last. In fact, I’ve already asked my friend who’s going to Australia this month to get me a copy of her second book, Preloved. Ah the lengths readers go to get some books. :) I think Shirley Marr’s Fury will be a hit for readers who liked the friendships in Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall and the social hierarchies and complications of Courtney Summers’ Some Girls Are. It doesn’t have the drama or romance of the former nor the grit and intensity of the latter, but if those books are your thing, then Fury should be in your TBR pile. :)

Rating: [rating=4]

My copy: paperback, bought by a friend from Australia

Other reviews:
Back in the Midnight Garden
Book Harbinger

Posted in: Reviews \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four…and Five

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I still have about four books left on my backlog of reviews (more to add soon, I think), but because I do not want to bore you all with just those posts, let’s do a combo breaker and answer this meme I got from Chachic, Janice, Angie and Nomes. :)

I should be writing my novel but you know how I love procrastinating sometimes? Maybe next year I should be a NaNoRebel and write a year’s worth of blog posts (or something like that) for NaNoWriMo. Hm.

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey     Hallowed by Cynthia Hand     The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

1. Book I am currently reading:
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey. I was semi-bullied into reading this (haha, hi, Aaron and Tricia!), but if they did not do that, I probably would not have started reading this anytime soon. I really liked The Monstrumologist so jumping in to this one soon enough after reading that was actually a good idea because the characters were still fresh to me. So far this has been creepier than the first book, but also quite funny and sometimes heartwarming.

Also, Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (!!!). :) Got this from Netgalley and I’m reading it slow so I would get all the Tucker goodness. Seriously, if you ever read a paranormal romance novel ever again, pick Unearthly. It’s very, very good.

2. Last book I finished:
The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Thanks to Pinoy Book Tours for having this on hand and squeezing me in the tour. :D

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos     Fury by Shirley Marr    Protection for Hire by Camy Tang

3. Next book I want to read:
Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos. I just got this my TBR, and it’s been calling out to me for a while. Hmm. Although I think I may have to read a classic novel to finish some challenges, but I really want something comforting amidst the novel writing stress. So let’s see. :)

4. Last book I bought:
Fury by Shirley Marr. My friend Katia went to Sydney last October and because we know Australian books are just awesome, I asked if she could get me a copy of this. And she found me one. :) Yay. As expected, it was expensive, but it’s not everyday I get to buy a book from Australia. :)

5. Last book I was given:
Protection for Hire by Camy Tang. Okay this one I got from Netgalley too, but since I am on the author’s street team (you should join it, too), I knew about this way back and was expecting to receive an ebook review for this. :) Plus, I got an email that Zondervan has auto-approved me as a reviewer in Netgalley. I’m not sure if everyone gets that, but it’s nice to get that email. :) I cannot wait to read Camy’s newest book.

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Want Books: Fury by Shirley Marr

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Want Books? is a weekly meme hosted at Chachic’s Book Nook and features released books that you want but you can’t have for some reason. It can be because it’s not available in your country, in your library or you don’t have the money for it right now.

I cannot remember where I first heard about this book I’m featuring this week, but I know I confused it one too many times with that other book with the same title and almost the same cover. Only, I knew it was the book’s blurb that got to me. I lost this book from my radar for a while until one of my Goodreads friends reviewed it. That’s when I understood why it was a bit hard to remember: not only is there another book with the same title, but there’s also another author with the same surname. Eeps. Anyway, my Goodreads friend sang praises to this novel, and that just really made me want this more.

Fury by Shirley MarrFury by Shirley Marr
Black Dog Books, Released May 1st 2010

Let me tell you my story.
Not just the facts I know you want to hear.
If I’m going to tell you my story,
I’m telling it my way.

Strap yourself in…

Eliza Boans has everything.
A big house.
A great education.
A bright future.

So why is she sitting in a police station confessing to murder?

How intriguing, right? This is Aussie YA fiction, and you know what they say about Aussie YA books.

Anyway, I checked Book Depository for this, but it’s currently unavailable, and I haven’t spotted a copy of this anywhere yet…so it may take some time before I get this. Unless someone would be nice enough to send me a copy. *bats eyelashes*

Oh well. I don’t know if that begging works, but I can still wait. I’m pretty sure I’ll stumble over this book sometime when I’m not expecting it. :D In the meantime, I’ll content myself with reading this short Fury reader sample.

Posted in: Wishlist \ Tagged: , , , ,