One for All

by Lillie Lainoff

[Quirky Cat]

The Three Musketeers, but OwnVoices, LGBTQ+, gender-bent, and with a leading lady that deals in chronic illness? Where do I sign up?!? One For All, written by Lillie Lainoff, makes a lot of big promises – and it nails every single one of them.

Tania de Batz sees herself differently than the rest of the world. The world looks at her and sees a sick little girl. When she looks at herself, she sees a sword fighter who occasionally has to deal with dizzy spells.

Her father's death changes Tania's life, but not how she expected. Shepherded off to a finishing school, she expected nothing but misery. What did she find? It was a secret training ground – and the school of her dreams.

“Yes, I was just a girl. A sick girl. One who, when the time came, was helpless. Because that was what being a sick girl meant.”

Word cannot express how much of a delight it was to find (and read) One For All. I have always been a fan of retellings, but One For All will always stand out in my mind. Best of all? This is a gender-bent retelling full of representation, following the main story of The Three Musketeers. What's not to love?

It's so easy to fall in love with Tania de Batz and her story. From page one, I just wanted to follow her story, watch her grow up, and have her dreams come true. Trust me – I never doubted that she had what it takes to make that happen (I know, I know: retellings make it easier since we know the ending, but I still felt that way!).

One For All is a brilliant and powerful read. One that it is clear to all readers that one can be many things – especially if they have the heart to back it up. I'm trying to say that Tania de Batz clarifies that her disability is not something that holds her back, and the world should stop looking at her like it will.

Naturally, I adored every other character in this book and truly felt like everyone could find a reflection of themselves within this book. We need more like this – seriously. Can we have more? It isn't every day that a world of characters hits me this hard – or makes me feel so seen and inspired.
One For All is absolutely a must-read, especially if you enjoy retellings as much as I do. So please take a minute to give it a try.

Thanks to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks