5 Reasons To Read Furious Thing (by Jenny Downham) // blog tour

Hey everyone!
When I signed up for this blog tour, I was hoping to get a copy of this book because it sounded so amazing. So when I got accepted to give 5 reasons to read Furious Thing by Jenny Downham, I was definitely excited! (click on the pic to get to the tour schedule). As usual, thank you to FFBC for organizing this tour and giving me this opportunity 🙂

Bad things happen when you’re around, Lex…

That’s what her stepfather tells her. That’s what she believes about herself.

But how can she convince herself and everyone around her that her anger doesn’t make her a monster? If only she could stop losing her temper and behave herself, her stepfather would accept her, her mom would love her like she used to, and her stepbrother would declare his crushing desire to spend the rest of his life with her. She wants these things so badly, she’s determined to swallow her anger and make her family proud.

But pushing fury down doesn’t make it disappear. Instead, it simmers below the surface, waiting to erupt. There’ll be fireworks when it does…

An intensely real story of manipulation and identity, Furious Thing is about the slippery slope of manipulation and how one girl can fight to claim back the spaces that belong to her.

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5 Reasons To Read This Book:

1. It’ll keep you guessing

One thing that’s common in most reviews of Furious Thing is the complimenting of the way this book was written. It’s supposed to titillate and to keep you on the edge of your seat and just based on the synopsis, it already is doing a great job of that.

Isn’t a mystery boring when you know exactly what’s going to happen? You do need some stimulation and some sort of kick to the book/movie.

The whole story will leave you jumping between opinion to opinion and wondering what’s true and what/ who you believe. When a story is about gaslighting and emotional manipulation, it’ll be impossible to decide on one opinion, one certain fact that you’re sure of. Nothing is neatly resolved and everything has a different side to it.

2. The main character- Lex

Lex isn’t the sort of main character who is perfect. She isn’t even a ‘smol bean’. What she IS is a girl who is scared, angry, and human. I think that a female character who’s angry is so often either tamed down because ‘girls can’t be like that’ OR that sort of character doesn’t exist at all.

Lex doesn’t seem like she could even be tamed down at all to be meek and observant and ‘see don’t speak’. She’s so, so mad, and unapologetically imperfect. That’s the sort of character who’s real, not just a fairytale princess.

3. You can read it as an adult, too

Although Furious Thing is a YA book and marketed for teenagers and college students, many readers and reviewers have said that as a mid-30s reader or even older, they really enjoyed this story. It’s appealing to an audience of all ages due to the gripping content and although it’s an ‘easy read’ as in the writing isn’t hard to decipher, the content is supposed to be grim-ish and solemn.

4. Portrayal of domestic abuse and manipulation

This book tackles some very serious topics that need to be researched and handled with care, the most prominent one being Lexi’s step-father gaslighting and emotionally manipulating her.

Since I haven’t read it, I can’t offer much on this topic, but it highly intrigues me and I already know that’ll it’ll be a tough but rewarding read. Check out other reviews for an idea.

5. The message- it’s okay to be mad

Furious Thing seems like it could turn into a very controversial book, what with the covering of emotional manipulation and a very angry main character.

But something that everyone should take away from it? The message. It’s okay to be mad. It’s okay. To be mad.

When something is going on- when you’re panicked and scared and furious- remember to tell someone, remember to take some deep breaths, and remember to at least try and have an honest conversation (which is sometimes not possible with people who verbally abuse you and reduce you to tears) before resorting to other measures like sabotage.

It’s okay to be mad.

Jenny Downham is a critically acclaimed, international bestseller. Her debut novel, Before I Die, was shortlisted for numerous awards in the UK, including the Guardian Award and the Lancashire Children’s Book of the Year, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the Booktrust Teenage Prize, and won the Branford Boase Award. Before I Die was turned into a movie called Now is Good starring Dakota Fanning in 2012. Her most recent novel, Unbecoming, garnered four starred reviews and was an Entertainment Weekly Must List pick. Jenny lives in London with her two sons.

AND THERE’S A GIVEAWAY!

Click here for a chance to win the giveaway and receive a copy of this intriguing book!

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I hope you enjoyed this post. I made a little oopsie when I scheduled TWO tours for the same day, same time… oops? I hope you read the other one too, though! 😀

What books have you read about emotional abuse? Have you read Jenny Downham’s books before? What’s your current read?

Have a wonderful day!