Valiant Ladies
“Women aren’t reckless,” I groaned as I read the opening fight scene in Valiant Ladies. My love of historical fiction taught me that while ladies might be cunning, daring, or brilliant, they aren’t aggressive, drunk, or carnal. Frustrated, I flipped to the back of Melissa Grey’s action-romance novel and discovered that her heroes Eustaquia de Sonza and Ana Lezama de Urinza weren’t simply reckless characters. They were real women who ruled the streets of 17th-century Potosí, Peru, with their swords.
Potosí, governed by Spain, was bursting with silver, corruption, and unspeakable violence. Grey’s work invites us to ride along with Eustaquia and Ana as they attend lavish parties, smash heads in the filthiest pubs, chase murderers through the streets, and fall deeply in love with one another. This story is equal parts glam and gore as Eustaquia and Ana race to rescue a damsel in distress and avenge a loved one.
This violent adventure challenges readers’ assumptions and invites them to imagine the histories that aren’t told: The stories just below the surface that white male authors often ignore. Grey lays bare the readers’ biases and reacquaints them with the limitless nature of their imaginations. Highly recommended for ages 13 and up (if you don’t mind hard-drinking and filthy mouths).
