Fierce as the Wind by Tara Wilson Redd

Abstract

Reviewed by: Fierce as the Wind by Tara Wilson Redd Elizabeth Bush Redd, Tara Wilson Fierce as the Wind. Lamb, 2021 [304 p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781524766917 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781524766931 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 8-10 As breakups go, Miho's is a rotten one: the boy, who would henceforth be referred to only as Scumbucket, did not just cheat on her but regarded her all along as side chick to his real beloved, who is now pregnant. This is a huge blow to Miho's already shaky self-esteem, especially as her crew of friends will head off to mainland colleges after the summer, leaving her on Oahu with a pizza delivery job and a disabled father who keeps pushing her to apply to college and prepare for a future worthy of her artistic talent. Best friend X knows she needs distraction and purpose, and he piques her interest in an Ironman triathlon; with her awesome cycling skills from the pizza gig, she's a third of the way there, and X and the crew take on roles in her training. Bad breakup, true-blue friends, and a girl saved by sports sounds like a pretty trite plot combo, but Redd hones each facet to near perfection. The cast of secondary players is affectionately developed (even X demolishes the gay guy sidekick trope with his mastery of genuine friendship); Miho leaps realistic hurdles apart from heartbreak and training (she's priced out of Ironman and holds her own solo "Miho-man" race); the crew devises clever workarounds to accomplish a lot on the cheap; and Redd provocatively explores what charity looks like from the perspective of a multiracial, financially challenged teen. Copyright © 2021 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois