Girls of Fate and Fury

It's hard to review the third book in a trilogy without spoilers, so without saying much about the plot let me just say oh my god, this was amazing. It was the perfect end to a fantastic series. I cried, I read frantically through the night, I punched the air in triumph and I cried some more.

Girls of Fate and Fury by @girlinthelens - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thanks so much to @hodderscape & @netgalley for an advanced copy, though I have already ordered a beautiful @fairyloot special edition to complete my set of hardbacks; I just could not wait for it when I had an early digital edition at my fingertips! Also, in the interests of full disclosure Natasha and I have known each other before we ever became authors, but seriously, I genuinely adored the conclusion to this stunning trilogy and I’m not just giving my friend five stars because I love her and she’s such a beautiful person!

This finale. What can I say about the grand conclusion to these three wonderful books? I was entranced by Girls of Paper and Fire when it first came out - even more so than her first two books - the story of two Paper Girls, chosen concubines taken to live in the Hidden Palace to serve a Demon King who, along with his line have ruled a kingdom where magic is slowly dying with an iron fist for 200 years.

The first 3/4 of this book show us more of Natasha’s strong, complex characters from the cast she’s built where I think there is someone we can all relate to, with beautifully, vividly written scenes and enough shocks to keep you racing forwards, but the final 1/4, while nothing unexpected happens I think was beautifully appropriate: it left me feeling a sense of peace, important I think in an a trilogy that is not just about fighting for a better world, but that is primarily about healing.

If you start one new fantasy series this autumn, let it be this one. They’re brilliant stories about strength and resilience, and they’re also impossibly important books with the themes about identity they explore.

I can’t wait to read whatever Natasha writes next!

4.5 stars
Natasha Ngan’s tremendously empowering and breathtakingly explosive finale to The Girls of Paper and Fire Trilogy was simply spectacular! It’s heart wrenchingly action-packed but, ultimately it’s the themes of love, sacrifice and strength in the face of injustice that truly make this an unforgettable masterpiece.

Following on from those jaw dropping events at the end Girls of Storm and Shadow, Lei and Wren’s future now hangs in the balance.

The only thing Lei knows is that she can never return to the hidden palace, not after the trauma she faced behind those opulently decorated walls. She cannot be trapped there with the sadistic king—not without Wren. The last time also saw the girl she loved, Wren was fighting an army of the king’s soldiers to the death.

With both girls torn apart and facing unimaginable peril can they finally reunite to take down the monster that seeks to destroy everything they hold dear or will they be forever torn asunder?

I just have to say how much I loved this and how absolutely incredible this series has been. Ngan expertly tackles real world issues and even champions self-empowerment through well written and endearing characters. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever been so emotionally invested in a character as I was in Lei, cheering her on through all those heart-stoppingly nail biting action scenes.

I love the writing style with is very detailed and emotionally evocative, the characters (particularly the female characters) are portrayed with soo much depth (having endured soo much pain.) but the strength shown,inspite of such tragedy is utterly spectacular— and really highlights negative experiences in life don’t define us and neither should the opinions of others, which I think is a pretty powerful message.

I loved exploring more of this world and getting to see more of the supporting characters such as Mistress Azami and Nitta as well as finally meeting the Demon Queen. Getting to explore the lore surrounding the shamans and Wren’s birth clan was also really interesting—especially given Wren’s POV is one of several we get to explore.

I can’t mention Lei or Wren without talking about how beautifully written and tender their relationship is, it’s virtually impossible to not ship them together or want them to get their HEA (which they so obviously deserve.)

The ending was absolutely satisfying, if a little bittersweet but overall this tale of love, sacrifice and endurance is definitely one that I thoroughly recommend you check out. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Girls of Fate and Fury is a balm to my soul. Featuring a Lei and Wren POV, it's a story about agency and change. My favorite characters have gone through so much. Girls of Fate and Fury merely cements the lengths, mistakes, and sacrifices these characters have gone through. At the beginning, Ngan asks us what we are willing to do. Sacrifice and choice has always been a central theme in this series. But Girls of Fate and Fury takes moments to deconstruct our duty, loyalties, and choices.

The lines of mercy, forgiveness, and blame in war. All the nightmares that haunt us when we close our eyes. In the heat of the moment, we can be caught up in the hum of battle, but only when the dust begins to clear, can we see the blood on our hand. It's not only those choices where lives are in our hands, but all the times we stand by, those indirect pauses. Girls of Fate and Fury is emotional and action packed all at once.

Okay, where do you even begin with a review for a book that concludes one of your all-time favourite trilogies? Girls of Fate and Fury picks up pretty much straight after the events of the second book, with Lei on her way back to the Hidden Palace that she despises so much and Wren still fighting to make the world a better place… whilst being internally torn apart as all she wants is to rescue the girl she loves.

I am to die, but I am not theirs to kill.
If you loved the palace dramas of the first book, then you’ll really love this as it’s half that and half like the second book, focused on the build up and inevitable fight against the Demon King. We have the return of some great characters in this too. I loved Blue by the end of the first story and she’s back in this and just gets better and better as a character the more we see her.

There is a character who returns having been injured to the point where they can’t walk, and Natasha adds in this representation in SUCH a beautiful way that it’s very clear they aren’t defined by this disability as their glowing personality shines through.

“I am still a warrior. I am still myself.”
Another returning set of characters… Lei’s adorable family! The Hanno Clan is keeping them safe and it’s just lovely seeing them back again.

We have three key new characters, including two warriors on the Lei and Wren’s side and… a certain Queen. It’s slightly maddening that we’ve had two books without the Queen but it makes sense given the Demon King’s treatment of women in general. I won’t say much about her but she was definitely my favourite addition in terms of new characters!

In terms of the structure, we have both Lei and Wren’s perspectives throughout and that works so well for the story. The other two books were focused around Lei and although that worked incredibly well to get to know Lei I absolutely adored the more intimate look at things through Wren’s point of view. I don’t know if it was intentional but following the events of the second book it makes even more sense to see things from both of their points of view, as they end up pretty separated both physically and emotionally following what happens in that one.

This trilogy has absolutely torn me apart emotionally whilst I’ve read it. But it’s just the perfect way of showing people dealing with PTSD and overcoming obstacles to make the world a better place that I can’t help but love it. Heavy subjects are dealt with throughout, including the effects of rape and emotional manipulation. But, I have to stress that Natasha covers this in such a way that you have to keep reading. It’s handled with care and you fall in love with every character, even when they do questionable things you’re shown the reasoning behind it.

“You were the only thing in the world that existed right then. The only thing she cared about.”
And that reasoning is usually love. Whether is familial, friendship or romantic these books are filled to the brim with love being how things are overcome. There are instances where family members don’t show their love but this is picked up by friends around them, there are times when sacrifices are made out of love, and it’s obvious that one of the reasons why the Demon King is so monstrous is that he’s incapable of loving in the normal way.

In short, this is a trilogy that will rip your heart open but stitch it back together in the most beautiful way.

I had to sit and just think for a while after finishing this read. I absolutely adored the first 2 books in this series and and after the cliffhanger of the 2nd book was anxious to find out what happened next.
This third book in the trilogy does not slow its pace one bit.
Without giving too much away, the characters remain well written and I really came to dislike some of them for their personalities but that is the mark of a well written character in my opinion, one that can make you feel something.
The world building remains strong as well, it is the same one as written previously.
Now the storyline. The storyline. I just can't with how this one went. It made me feel all sorts of things as I was reading and I really found that I didn't want to put it down, I needed to turn the page to find out what happened next! Really, this is one of my favourite series and I need more haha.

Pick it up, and if you haven't picked up the first 2, then go pick those up as well!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4,5 <3 Girls of paper and fire was one of the top three books I read in 2021 so I was equally excited and nervous going into this one. I love this series and these characters so much! Natascha Ngan deals in this series with trauma so well and in such a realistic way. This is also one of those books about war where actual casualties will fall. Although I was saddened by some of the deaths, I can appreciate it when authors do it because it is realistic. You can't have a big war finale without people dying, as much as it breaks my heart. The first book will still remain my favourite in this series as it has a special place in my heart, but I loved how this one wrapped up. I hope Natascha Ngan keeps writing because I will definitely pick anything up by her no matter what is it about

I loved Girls of Fate and Fury. In fact, I loved re-reading the whole trilogy, but this conclusion to the series was the best book out of all of them. It took all of the themes and things I enjoyed, and went into them in more depth and detail. This still is the wonderful sapphic YA fantasy centred around Lei and Wren that readers have loved since the beginning, but this really dives into the themes of abuse and trauma. Not only are Lei and Wren dealing with their pasts and present, but many of the side characters actively show and experience the consequences of what happens to them, and their treatment at the hands of the king.
Natasha Ngan is a master at writing with compassion. The way she writes about trauma, abuse and disability never feels like it’s condescending or lecturing, but accepting. As someone with mental health issues, I really empathized with the wide range of responses the former Paper Girls had in the wake of Lei’s return – none of them considered lesser because they struggled. Another character became paralyzed, and after the first shock of everyone around them, the acceptance and love that emanated from the characters was wonderful. Not many authors manage to strike this balance and it is clear that this series is a true labour of love for Ngan.
And damn, the story. It’s fast-paced – faster than the previous two books – and extremely addictive. I really liked that this switched between Lei and Wren’s PoV for the first time, as they are apart for the first time in the trilogy. It really allowed both their stories to shine, and Ngan to explore the struggles they faced. And while, obviously they are the OTP and fated to be together, reading about them striving to reunite and longing for the other is so damn delicious. Combine that with revolution, overthrowing an evil king and friendships in all their iterations, and you have a fantastic conclusion to a great trilogy.

Girls of Fate and Fury is a wonderful conclusion to an amazing series, an emotional roller-coaster complete with even more worldbuilding, plenty of intrigue and backstabbing.

I loved getting Wren’s viewpoint as well, with an intriguing glimpse into her psyche, trauma and abilities. She’s come so far from the steely ice princess of the first book, opening up and loving even deeper. However, that growth has come alongside truly tragic and devastating events. What I loved here was Ngan’s discussion of the ongoing impact of trauma and reclaiming your identity in a world pitted against you. The backstory of every Paper Girl was tragic and made them that much more empathetic. You want to just scoop them up and protect them.

Whereas Girls of Storm and Shadow was potentially a more character-driven story, here Ngan ramps up the tension and action even more. You’ve seen these characters grow and fallen in love with them, so now Ngan places everything on the line. The action scenes are not short of spectacular, full of darkness and violence. Every page has the tangible sense that everything may come crashing down at any point. This truly is an emotional rollercoaster of a book. I also really enjoyed Ngan’s ethical exploration of the cost of vengeance and the dark places we will go to (or be manipulated into) in order to survive and protect our loved ones.

Speaking of ramping up, I adored how Ngan threaded in even more details to this complex tapestry of worldbuilding. There are still new power players to meet and lands to explore. Also, I loved the sheer amount of intrigue and backstabbing hidden round every corner. The political machinations have always been a fascinating aspect of this trilogy and Ngan utilises them perfectly, showing the horrific cost of war. Just when you think you know everything, Ngan unveils another layer of emotional depth and twists that leave you reeling.

Girls of Fate and Fury confirms what I already knew: Natasha Ngan has my whole heart.