The plot of Furia, a young adult novel by Yamile Saied Mendez, centers around the identity of Camila Hassan in Rosario, Argentina. To her abusive father and her isolated mother, she is a girl. To her fútbol star brother, she is the little sister with the danger of losing the closeness they once enjoyed. To her best friend, she is a companion and teammate. To Diego, who has made it big in the international soccer scene, she is the childhood friend who has become his romantic interest.
Overriding all of these identities is the question, who is Camilla to herself? As she keeps secrets and lies to each of those who think they know her, how does she live up to the view as she adds yet another group? Her public who comes to see her play fútbol, the biggest secret of all, sees her as a powerhouse and calls her La Furia. This is the dream that just may take her to a North American university on an athletic scholarship. Then there is Karen, the shy stuttering girl in the group she tutors, who begins to come out of her shell with Camile’s encouragement.
Time, place, and culture form an important part of this story, but any teen girl can relate to being told what one can’t do “because she’s a girl.” Too many will relate to an abusive home situation with her ill-tempered father. Many will know the tug between romance and following one’s own dream. My first impression of a coming-of-age story became layered as I traveled through the book, and became more and more engaged as her story drew me in. I would recommend it to any female YA reader or anyone who remembers that age and loves their stories.