Contains themes of sexual violence, sexual assault, oppression and animal crueltyGirls of Paper and Fire
Girls of Paper and Fire Book One
Written by Natasha Ngan
Fantasy, Diverse, LGBT
384 Pages
Thanks to Hachette Australia
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★★★★☆
Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for and the most cruel.
But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.
In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after, the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.
Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable, she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
A Paper Girl is a prestigious title. Sanctioned by the Heavenly Father to reside within the ornate palace, sating the desire of the King as a concubine. Eight girls are removed from their villages within the outer provinces and presented to the King, families compensated by wealth and aristocratic privilege. Lei resides within the outer provinces, a remote village of Ikhara and distinguishable by her golden eyes.
Her father an accomplished herbalist within the family depository, is vigilant of his daughter. A Kingdom of societal standings, the Paper Caste are human commonalities, oppressed by the autocratic Steel Caste, a demonic human species. Seven years prior, a sentry of Steel Caste commanders inundated the small village community, igniting the pasture and farmland as they captured and massacred the Paper Caste residents. Seven years since her mother was captured. Villagers whisper of the night of devastation, the desolate pasture barren as the community prepares for an impoverished season.
Unprecedented, Lei is the ninth Paper Girl, forcibly captured to compete for favour of the King. Lei arrives at the royal province where she begrudgingly assimilates as a consort, educated by private tutors and disciplined in finesse, compliance and seduction. Residing within the palatial chateau, each Paper Girl is denied her innocence, modesty and coerced to pleasure the King by enduring sexual violence and assault. Provocation is condemned, sentenced to isolation and imprisonment.
Her endurance and fortitude are besieged as Lei scandalises the Paper Girls, challenging the King by refusing his advances. She is assaulted, her body fractured and innocence momentarily unscathed. The Paper Girls are abused, sexually assaulted and manipulated, punished for insolence. The King claims ownership of each Paper Girl, her body and independence. Girls of Paper and Fire centralises on rape culture and consent within a patriarchal society. Denied freedom and perceived as disposable vessels, aesthetically pleasing and objectified by society and the King, a sexual predator. The scenes and discussion surrounding sexual assault are confrontational, reminiscent of society within our own communities.
Within the Kingdom, male same sex sexual relationships are customary, Paper Girls are not permitted to engage with male courtiers, punishable by branding and ostracised by their family and community. The Paper Girls begin to measure their experiences through whispered secrets, they've been persuaded to believe that to become a Paper Girl is not only prestigious but that the female significance is dependant on their desirability. The King will discard each girl, bestowing upon his allies for political or societal advantage. This is the female capacity until whispers of a rebellion is encompassing the provinces begins to demoralise the enraged King.
The forbidden female romance was beautifully tender, allowing Lei and Wren to tentatively explore hope and optimism beyond the palatial confinement, an existence of equality and humanity where slavery and prejudice are abolished. Beginning with the oppressive rule of a tyrannical King. Their relationship enables each girl to experience vulnerabilities and sensitivities within the sanctuary created through compassion. Unfortunately the relationship was the fundamental aspect for the Paper Girl rebellion, rather than a sense of preservation.
Girls of Paper and Fire is a passionate and exceptional debut novel that will invoke discussion through a confrontational and intricate narrative.
Her endurance and fortitude are besieged as Lei scandalises the Paper Girls, challenging the King by refusing his advances. She is assaulted, her body fractured and innocence momentarily unscathed. The Paper Girls are abused, sexually assaulted and manipulated, punished for insolence. The King claims ownership of each Paper Girl, her body and independence. Girls of Paper and Fire centralises on rape culture and consent within a patriarchal society. Denied freedom and perceived as disposable vessels, aesthetically pleasing and objectified by society and the King, a sexual predator. The scenes and discussion surrounding sexual assault are confrontational, reminiscent of society within our own communities.
I don’t realise it until I speak it. And it’s different from the times I’ve said it before, or the way I’ve hoped it, as if dreaming something enough could birth it into being. I know it now with a certainty that has fitted into the lost core at the heart of me, as hard and angular as my hope was soft and shimmering. The King will not have me.
Within the Kingdom, male same sex sexual relationships are customary, Paper Girls are not permitted to engage with male courtiers, punishable by branding and ostracised by their family and community. The Paper Girls begin to measure their experiences through whispered secrets, they've been persuaded to believe that to become a Paper Girl is not only prestigious but that the female significance is dependant on their desirability. The King will discard each girl, bestowing upon his allies for political or societal advantage. This is the female capacity until whispers of a rebellion is encompassing the provinces begins to demoralise the enraged King.
The forbidden female romance was beautifully tender, allowing Lei and Wren to tentatively explore hope and optimism beyond the palatial confinement, an existence of equality and humanity where slavery and prejudice are abolished. Beginning with the oppressive rule of a tyrannical King. Their relationship enables each girl to experience vulnerabilities and sensitivities within the sanctuary created through compassion. Unfortunately the relationship was the fundamental aspect for the Paper Girl rebellion, rather than a sense of preservation.
Girls of Paper and Fire is a passionate and exceptional debut novel that will invoke discussion through a confrontational and intricate narrative.
I wasn't in the mindset for this one (I had just read another book with violence towards women) but I'm happy you enjoyed this. The world sounds very intricate.
ReplyDeleteI can understand Amber, the themes of violence and sexual assault can be confronting for some readers, myself included. Hopefully you can pick it up again one day, I'd love to see what you think of it.
DeleteI just received a copy of this book so I'm excited to see that it was such a great read for you.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing what you think of it Suzanne, such an incredibly enchanting read. Really looking forward to the next installment.
DeleteI've read one other review for this and it was decidedly less excited about some aspects, but I believe they still wanted to read the next book. I'm glad you felt this was a well-done read. It sounds like it focuses on important, timely topics about sexuality and female empowerment and we always need that.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I can understand how many readers may find the content confrontational, any book that explores rape and gender violence is a difficult discussion to have. It's so well written Lauren, with much care and compassion.
DeleteOh yay, I am SO glad you liked it! I have heard so many mixed things (a lot in regard to the content, which I think I will be okay with, so fingers crossed!) but I so badly want to read it! I LOVE that it is really thought provoking and worthy of discussion. I need to get to it ASAP I think! Great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shannon. I think often the most difficult reads are the ones that stay with us long after the final page and it's such an important conversation to have surrounding rape culture and consent. I'm really interested to see what you think of this one.
DeleteI need to give something like this a try. Cheers from Carole's Chatter
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful read Carole, I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
DeleteI've been really looking forward to this one, so I'm happy to see you enjoyed it! I like confrontational books that challenge a reader's thinking, especially when they lead to interesting discussions with others. Sometimes it's fun to disagree, as long as everyone can remain respectful. Lovely review!
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?
I couldn't agree more! I find the differing opinions on this one really interesting and also valid. I would suggest that those effected by themes of sexual violence and assault tread carefully, as it's confrontational. In the authors note, it also reiterates how important it is to tell these stories as so many women around the world find themselves in similar, traumatic situations.
DeleteThe fact that this book explored society's rape culture in a fantasy setting is incredible. I feel like it's something that is not often explored in YA, especially outside of the contemporary gaze. But I think having this story set in a fantasy world almost allowed even more examination of rape culture because it was so overt.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the romance took over the plot, and that disappointed me a little bit. I hope that in the second book that will be different as the initial relationship development has already happened.
Great review, Kell!
I enjoyed the romance but it did feel overwhelming considering the position the girls were in. I would have preferred to have seen a caring, compassionate friendship and friends to lovers narrative. It's building to be an incredible storyline, I'm hoping the next installment discusses issues such as equality within the caste system. I love that fantasy now is finally exploring diversity, it's long overdue.
DeleteI adored this book when I first read because it's an Asian #ownvoices fantasy but also because of the f/f romance which was done so well! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this one and that it's a surprisingly popular book that is doing well.
ReplyDeleteIt's so beautifully written and I loved that it didn't shy away from important discussions such as consent, gender violence and equality. I can't wait for book two, I think it'll be explosive now that the girls are finally able to fight back against the patriarchy.
DeleteWow, well your review makes this book sound powerful and so very interesting. I love that there seem to be some very important discussions of rape and consent going on in this whilst also being a powerful and interesting read. I didn't have this on my radar as I'd read another book by this author and simply couldn't get into it but I might just have to change my mind.
ReplyDelete