4.5
I adore Victoria Scott's books. Titans is no exception! There are some key elements that just made this book stand out for me and made it quite refreshing.
Family and Friends
Oh, how I adore books with strong family ties and great friendships. And guess what? The entire premise of this book is built on just that. It's family (and maybe a bit of stubbornness and pride) that leads Astrid to enter the Titans race to begin with. It's friends and family who build her up, who pull her through. And it isn't a clique of high school girls either. These are friends for life, you can feel it. Victoria's writing makes you feel it.
Some of these people have been in Astrid's life forever- her family, of course, and her best friend Magnolia, who is absolutely everything a best friend should be. Their friendship makes me believe in the strength and sanctity of a close female friendship. Some of these people Astrid met specifically because of the Titans race. Rags, Barney, Lottie, they are complex and gorgeous characters who help Astrid along the way, but in fact, they all learn from each other. I want to tell you how damn beautiful it is, but you're going to want to experience it for yourself. Not one of these characters is perfect, but at the core? They're good souls, and they are so incredibly authentic- the type of characters that you simply don't want to leave behind when you close the final pages of the book.
Astrid's relationship with her family is messy. They love each other, that's a certainty, but there are struggles. Again, this mimics real life so, so deeply. The love between Astrid and her mom is so sweet, so complex, and seems like such a legitimate mother-daughter relationship. Astrid's need for her father's acceptance is also huge- and touched me on a personal level.
Astrid's Growth
While I liked and connected to Astrid from the start, I felt like she needed to know so much more about the world around her. She's proud and strong-willed to the point that she can get in her own way. The people that helped to guide her had such personality ranges that it felt very reasonable for Astrid to pick up these lessons. Lottie was teaching her how to be more "high society" while Rags was teaching her how to maneuver Padlock, her Titan, in his usual gruffness. But it clicked for Astrid, more and more as time went on. I loved this line:
"'I could be like one of those rich track kids if I had someone to teach me.'
Rags shoots me a look like he's disappointed. 'You don't want to be like them, Astrid. Be a girl who likes a little dirt under her nails. Be a girl who isn't afraid to eat with her hands and speak her mind.'
I think on what he's telling me. Then I say, 'Why can't I be both?'"
This is just a glimpse into what Astrid learns- about herself, the world around her, and those she holds dearest. She's a character you simply can't help but root for, because not only does she want to succeed, she works hard at it.
Astrid doesn't have a love interest in this book, and I feel that while I was kind of sad about it, it probably was a good choice for the book. Romance would have pulled away from the best parts of the book- and perhaps taken the focus off the story as a whole.
The Race Was an Incredible Microcosm
While the race itself was fun and exciting, because come on, mechanical horses are incredible, I found the sociological aspects of the whole thing most intriguing. There is a huge disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots". Normally Astrid would be watching the races from outside the fence, her family falling into debt because of her father's gambling. But while she was given the opportunity of a lifetime with her chance encounter with Rags, it's clear that not everyone is going to root for the underdog.
No, they prefer to hobnob with the other elite. Nobody wants to see what goes on beyond the tracks, what happens to the real people who live in Detroit. They're viewed as "less than", and even though Astrid is in the race now, it's no different. Money talks in this arena, as it does in life, and Astrid doesn't have a penny to work with. And while the prize would change that, would these people ever even allow it?
The races were fun to read about, especially as Astrid pushed her limits- and her luck. A few of the semi-final races seemed to run together just a bit for me, which is the only problem I had at all with the book. But as a whole, the races were exciting- especially the first few and the last few!
Bottom Line:
Read it, read it now. Well, okay, read it in a few days when it comes out. After reading Titans, I had a restored faith in humanity, in the power of friendship, family, and just an overall appreciation in the ability to better oneself. Also, you'll love Padlock. Because no one out there can write amazing fantasy animals like Victoria Scott!
**Copy provided by publisher for review
***Quote taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change.