Reactionary Reading: Fury

Welcome to the second edition of Reactionary Reading, a feature where I share my reading notes with all of y'all! This week I'm publishing my notes on Fury by Elizabeth Miles, a book that I had LARGE reactions to while reading it.

For those of you new to this feature, there are a couple THINGS you probably need to know about it. So, here's how it works:

I have gone through and redacted major spoiler information. (Yep, just like the government does.) If you've read the books, or if you don't care about being spoiled, feel free to highlight the redacted portions so you can read the text. (It's like a game! Sort of.) But there might still be minor spoilers involved. So if you're the type that hates knowing things before you read, DO NOT PROCEED. And please keep in mind that this is all in good fun and are just my thoughts and opinions. Also, bad language abounds.

So without further ado, may I present my notes on Fury.

p. 12: Well, damn. That's ONE WAY to set the tone.

p. 19: They apparently live in a town called Ascension, which means that all I'll think about during this book is Buffy Season 3.

p. 21: "Some days she was able to appreciate her dancer's build, but tonight she just wished she owned a padded bra." I feel you, lady. Except I'm short as well as flat-chested. *grumble*

p. 32: I'm sort of digging that the football quarterback is a poor kid who lives in a trailer and is really self-conscious of that fact. Kind of like Mary Jane from Spider-Man. Except, male.

p. 48: Oh. The plot of this just got all Sometimes It Happens.

Okay, so it makes sense that the three gorgeous, weather-proof girls are the Furies. (Ty, Meg, Ali are short for the Furies' names I do believe.) And . . .  they need to claim a body since Sasha cheated death? I think that's my theory for now.

OMG. So I got curious and looked up the Furies as a refresher in Greek mythology, and it turns out that Ty is the Fury of "avenging murder." *ooooh*

p. 97: Twizzler-straws!! I do that too! :)

p. 101: Ugh. I think I hate Zach. The whole scene with the fireplace and the expensive wine makes me want to smack him. He thinks he's SOOOOO slick. Well. He is just not. If he were real, he'd be the kind of person who peaks in high school.

Ok, so the three girls are DEF the Furies. Does that make the underground club Hades?

p. 124: What the hell?

I really, really like J.D. He reminds me a little of Lucas in Pretty Little Liars.

Chase is an idiot. Really? You're gonna let the Fury chick get you all naked and take pics of you after you JUST had a mean-spirited pic circulated about you to your entire school? Guys are dumb.

Although. Em hasn't been the brightest crayon in the box either.

I love J.D.

But, as much as I'm annoyed with Em, this is such a good depiction of the emotions girls feel when they're attracted to someone, especially someone they have such a crush on that they're blind to the bigger picture.

p. 170: "Was this how love was? Complicated, sad, messy?"

I sort of like how dumb teenage girls seem in this book. Because if I'm being honest, I was a SUPER DUMB teenage girl when it came to boys. Hell, I'm still super dumb when it comes to guys.

p. 178: Oh GOOD. I hope Chase and Zach get into a fight. Zach needs to get the shit kicked out of him.

YES.

p. 185: Oh, I really really hope Emily takes this all to heart and gets the hell away from Zach.

Oh, good. You tell him Em.

I kind of feel bad for Chase. He's a bit of a douche, but I don't think he actually is. I think he's probs a really, really good guy.

p. 214: Oh shit. Which one is Ali? *Googles* Alecto = castigates moral crimes against others (anger is the example given.) [for reference, Megara causes envy/jealous and punishes infidelity.] HMMM.

p. 218: Oh shit.

p. 219: Oh. Well, at least the Furies are helpful sometimes.

Ok, so what the hell do the orchids have to do with the Furies? Is this a Beauty and the Beast kind of sitch? And where did the Hades/club place go? I thought that was going to be, like, a place.

p. 226: I sort of want Chase and Em to end up together. Even though I like J.D. so dang much.

ALSO. I think this book needs more Drea. I feel like maybe she KNOWS THINGS.

p. 229: Oh there's Drea!! I have good timing. :)

p. 233: Aaaaaand Meg strikes. Dayum.

But WHY are the Furies in Ascension? It surely has to do with Sasha, right?

p. 237: UGH. Boys are dumb.

p. 247: Oh God. Meg is in the car with Em.

Well that wasn't so bad.

p. 250: Oh. No.

OMG. What the hell Chase?

Ok, so NOW I get why Ty was targeting him . . .  but Sasha isn't dead, right?

p. 258: OMG! Well. Shit.

...Chase's poor mom...

p. 263: Go Detective Em, go!

p. 270: Finally!! Now let's go see Sasha!

Also: Want more J.D.

p. 276: THE SNAKE PIN! Now that I think about it, there are lots of pins worn in this book. Sasha & Drea have the snake pins and Gabby has the rhinestone heart pin . . . I smell a motif.

p. 281: Hey there Drea. I don't know if I trust you.

WHAT WHAT WHAT. Is it Drea who is the key to all this and not Sasha?!

Drea knows what's up!!! Huzzah!

p. 290: "J.D. looked blinsided "Where are you going?" "I"m going home," she spat out. "I'm going home. At least my pillows aren't condescending." Burn.

p. 307: Oh God. Is Drea's house the same one  Ty and Chase were in?

So, Drea seems awesome. I just want to know WHY she has randomly collected stories about the Furies from all over the world.

p. 317: Oh, right the pep rally! I bet shit goes DOWN.

I. LOVE. J.D. And I'm glad Em does too.

p. 320: Oh, bloody hell.

p. 331: Oh FUCK.

p. 337: God. Is she gonna try to bargain with the Furies?! Has she NEVER read Greek literature? You don't bargain with mythological beings. It only ends BADLY. Perhaps this is an allegorical treatise on the decline of education in America due to illiteracy. (Probably not. But still.) Because I def read Greek literature in high school. And I dug it.

Oh good Lord.

Unless. Unless Em becomes a Fury. That would be kind of cool actually.

SUCH. A GOOD. ENDING. I needed that.