Actual rating: 4.5/5, rounded up

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting when I picked up One for All, but a gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers sounded like something I would enjoy, and I was entirely right in that!

This book had everything I could have wanted: spies and court intrigue, balls and swordfights, a school that isn't at all what it seems, and a delightful found family. The story starts off a bit slow as we're introduced to Tania and her struggles to live a normal life. She suffers from a condition that causes her to have frequent dizzy spells and fainting, which we know to be POTS but in 17th-century France causes her to be dismissed as a "sick girl" who'll never amount to anything. That is, from everyone except her father. Tania's relationship with her father was beautiful, and the way he always believed in her and pushed her to defy other people's expectations and labels was heartwarming. Until he was murdered.

The pace picks up when Tania arrives in Paris to join a mysterious finishing school as her father's last wish. Between training, fencing, learning high-society etiquette and uncovering a potential assassination plot, Tania will need to learn whom to trust: her newfound sisters-in-arms or the charming Étienne?

I loved the way the author handled this work compared to the original. Unlike some other retellings, this isn't a scene-by-scene replay of the original with female characters. Rather, she took the essence of the story and weaved something new and original from it, so much so that at times I felt as though this could almost be a companion novel to The Three Musketeers rather than simply a retelling. I also liked the inclusion of French words and phrases throughout the novel, as it helped to bring the setting to life for me, although sometimes there were a few needless repetitions in translation.

Reading about this time period was also very interesting, as I realised I knew hardly anything about La Fronde and the following years (as always, thank you Wikipedia for helping me fill in the gaps!), and I love a book that pushes me to do some research and learn something new! The plot was captivating enough, although I had guessed most of the surprises (as many avid, adult readers will probably also do), but it does a good job for a YA novel and a debut at that.

The representation in this was also a major plus point for me. The book is OwnVoices, as the author herself shares Tania's chronic health problems and is a fencer. This was really cool and shown through the writing, making it all feel more authentic. As a former fencer myself, I particularly loved those scenes and how real they felt. Alongside the disability rep, there are also discussions on women's rights and social expectations, as well as a lovely LGBT rep. This last one I particularly appreciated because it was handled so delicately and not used as a conflict point. There was also a bit of social commentary, with references being made to the poorest and most marginalised in society, and how they are often exploited and used as scapegoats by the higher classes - again, one of my favourite themes (as you may have gathered if you're a regular around here!).

The dynamics between the characters were probably my favourite thing. I adore the found family trope, and this was one of the best I read recently. Every interaction between Tania and her newfound sisters Portia, Théa and Aria was an absolute joy, and I loved every moment spent together. The individual character development wasn't quite as strong for me. This is a YA novel and the characters mostly act their age, which I'm fine with, but it felt as though there was something missing in their characterisation and growth. Tania especially was a little bit of a disappointment in this sense: I loved the fact that she grew more confident as the novel progressed, but she seemed to continue to lack common sense and maturity by the end.

I accompanied this with the audiobook, which is narrated by Mara Wilson (forever Matilda in my mind). She does a wonderful job of it, both with the English and the French lines. Definitely worth it if you like audiobooks.

Overall, this was an extremely pleasant read, expertly mixing adventure with a number of social issues and some great representation. I had a few minor issues with it, but they didn't take much away from my enjoyment of this book and are very likely things that will be ironed out in future works. If this is Lainoff's debut, I'm really curious to see what she'll write next!

For more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. ( )

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

I am excited to join Coloured Page Tours as part of the Book Tour for One for All! This book was provided for free by NetGalley, Fierce Reads and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Fierce Reads, Coloured Page Tours, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the opportunity to read this book.

Content warnings:
There are some scenes of violence and blood, although they are not particularly gory as they are duels rather than vicious fights. This book includes themes of ableism, eugenics, classism and misogyny. There is a brief scene that suggests violence towards women, and more specific reference to an attack that happened off pages.

One for All is my most anticipated book of this year, and probably will keep that title for a few years, to be honest. I found out about it last year during a CYMERA panel when I mentioned my dream of one day writing a story with a disabled protagonist and some kindly soul told me about Lillie’s book. I was so excited to hear about One for All, not just because it was a book about a disabled heroine with a chronic illness (and that’s important, I’ll explain why in a moment), BY a disabled author, but because I am a huge fan of The Three Musketeers. There had been various cartoon versions throughout my childhood, notable Dogtanian and Albert the fifth Musketeer on CBBC. In 1993 Disney’s The Three Musketeers came out, and I fell even further in love with the story. When The Man in the Iron Mask came out in 1998 it sparked my interest again and at thirteen years of age I was finally old enough to seek out and read the original book by Alexander Dumas. I had intended to follow up with the rest of The D’Artagnan Romances but back then we didn’t have the Internet, let alone Amazon so getting hold of them was not that easy. They’re still on my to read list (what can I say? I get distracted by more books… a lot :D).

I was a tomboy growing up, and naturally I was enthralled with the sword fighting in The Three Musketeers, however, it was the strong female character of Milady de Winter that always drew my attention. She was my first experience with a villain that I had morally grey feelings about, and I was mesmerised by what she represented; a powerful woman who could bring a powerful country like France to it’s knees with subterfuge. One for All takes the positives that I saw in Milady de Winter and spins them into a mission for Tania and the other young ladies of L’Académie des Mariées. They are not at a finishing school to find them a husband, rather they are female Musketeers using their feminine wiles and gender as a shroud to fool men into letting slip valuable intelligence. While they learn how to laugh just so, to turn their lips into a smile that gives just the right amount of attention, they are training to be Musketeers, learning spy craft and to duel.

Tania being a disabled protagonist is important, especially since just the other day a non-disabled author used the excuse that writing about disabled characters was always going to be “high risk” when faced with criticism of her book about a disabled character. I won’t get into whether that criticism was rightly deserved or not, this isn’t a review of that book, however, that attitude is one that is prevalent not just through literature, but through the whole of pop culture. I held back on interviewing Lillie for my spot on the One for All book tour because I had the honour of doing so last September for GeekDis, a discussion about disability representation in pop culture. You can read it here, and we talked in detail about this topic, especially how there is a readership for disabled stories.

Often when a disabled character appears in a book or film, their disability is physical. It’s visible, they use mobility aids. Tania has a chronic illness, what is known as an invisible illness, and there is a scene in the book where her illness is discovered by a potential suitor, when she is revealed to not be as normal as she appears. It is heartbreaking, it is painful, and it is absolutely real. One for All shows the negativity that disabled people have to deal with every single day, and while this is a historical novel the attitudes are NOT historical. People still believe that we are contagious (I myself have had someone yell that I was “diseased” at me in public), they believe that we should be left to die in the back alleys of a city (just look at the pandemic), and many (thankfully not all – there are good people out there, I swear) turn their noses up at the thought of dating us. Even worse, we are mentally, physically and emotionally abused, and that’s not including those of us who are women, LGBTQA or those whose skin is a different colour or practise another religion.

There will be some who read One for All and confine it to the works of fiction, that the idea of a disabled woman being able to do all the things Tania does is mere fantasy. Or that even if it is possible that it’s a one off, that Lillie who has achieved what Tania manages and more in her athletic career, was a one off. That is one of the best things about One for All; it doesn’t magically erase Tania’s POTS (Postural tachycardia syndrome). It’s there all the time. Every time she moves, every time she wants to do something she has to think about how to do it within the limits of her dizziness. I loved the little trick with her toes! That is the authentic experience of a disabled writer verses a non-disabled writer. While a non-disabled writer can research how POTS affects a person, what the symptoms are, and they can talk to people who have POTS, they can’t simulate what it is like to live with it, to find ways to steady yourself and to adapt, so you can manage in a world that isn’t designed for your body. I have very different disabilities to POTS, however, the feeling of being unstable on my feet, of my body suddenly betraying me, was instantly recognisable. I was much the same age as Tania was when my ankles suddenly decided that being stable and upright was no longer the plan, and twisting this way and that was much more fun. I could just be walking along and oft, there goes the world. My worst injury occurred just stepping off the school bus (if you’d like to know more you can read my disability story here).

There are no words to say how much it meant to read in a book where a father put up a fence especially, so that his daughter had a support for walking. Where Tania’s sisterhood just automatically stepped in to support her, and (historically accurate) accessibility was designed and installed for her without her having to ask. For all the awful attitudes that are portrayed in One for All, Lillie does the one thing that I find missing in many books about disabled characters; shows the support network we have. In Tania’s time chronically ill people are shunned, so they don’t tend to hang out in groups, as we do in real life. Instead, Tania’s sisterhood are girls who all understand what it is like to be made to feel weak in some way. Each one of them have their own storyline which we learn over the course of the book. There’s chatting and creative Théa, quiet and calculative Aria, and loud and warm Portia.

Like Tania, they have all fell down and picked themselves back up, sometimes alone and sometimes with someone to help them. By the time Tania joins them they have become the type of people who do not let people fall alone, and it is just what Tania needs in her life. There is a moment when Tania has a bad day after having multiple good ones, and Portia tries to understand, to place herself in Tania’s shoes, not out of malice but to try to help. When she asks Tania what she would like to do, Tania finds herself snapping; “It’s not what I want to do, it’s what I can do”. She immediately apologises, fearing that Portia will react as others have with anger and disgust. Instead, Portia admits that she “deserved that”.

It’s just a small scene, but as someone who has been both the snapper and on the receiving end of the snap, it was so wonderfully familiar. Like Tania, I have feared how people would react, and have had both the bad and the good reactions. It has taken me time to let people in, to accept that people like Théa, Aria and Portia could and do exist without ulterior motives. Similarly, I’ve been Portia who has sat helplessly trying to help someone I care about and said something without thought. It’s the small moments like this that tie all the bigger parts, the intrigue and adventure together and make One for All into something truly special.

I have spent a lot of this review talking about disability representation, and that is because as someone with seven chronic health conditions, this is a very personal book for me. You may be wondering whether One for All can offer anything to those who are non-disabled or have no interest in disabled topics. The answer is yes, most definitely. This is a story of adventure, intrigue and of overcoming adversity and whether that comes in the form of illness or something else, every single person has had to overcome something in their life. One for All is about finding your sisterhood (or found family, whoever they may be), the people who help you become the person you want to become. The people who accept you for who you are no matter what, who help you overcome your weaknesses and adapt them, so you can navigate the world on your terms. And of course, there is sword fighting. It wouldn’t be a musketeer book without it now, would it? ( )

This novel is a 2023 Lone Star selection.

Tania desires to be a Musketeer despite her disability. Tania's father was a Musketeer; he moved his family to the country (even though his wife would prefer the city) and trains Tania in the barn. She loves it, but she can't train like others. She feels weak a lot. She faints easily and often her legs won't hold her. No one knows what's wrong with her. When she's too weak, she fences from a chair; when she's really weak, she stays in bed for however long it takes. Her mother wants her married but believes no one will marry a sickly girl. When her father dies (is murdered), Tania's mother fails to be a strong mother. Thankfully, Tania's father requested that Tania attend a finishing school in Paris if he were to die. This school is perfect! Her mother is happy and Tania can become a more elegant female and catch a husband.

When Tania arrives in Paris, she quickly discovers that the school is not a finishing school. It's a training school for girls to be female Musketeers. Tania feels so thankful to her father; he knew being a Musketeer has always been her desire. Of course, how can she perform what's needed with her illness? The other girls say they will always hold her up. They are trained in sword fighting and how to interpret the messages sent by how a fan held by a women as well as how to interest a man in order to get secrets and/or information out of him. No one would suspect young women because women aren't smart. Whenever Tania feels faint, there's always one of her fellow females to hold her up and get her to a chair or outside to fresh air. They can successfully hide her illness. Only one young man notices, but he is kind. She's used to be treated as inferior, but this young man sees her for herself and wants to help her.

There is a plot to kill the King of France and the female Musketeers must find evidence to allow the other Musketeers to stop the assassins. Stopping this plot will also reveal who murdered her father; Tania is determined to find her father's killer and save the king. There's not much time left. The reader will be given several red herrings, so you may wonder who to trust. As the novel finishes, you'll discover all the secrets as the young ladies risk their lives to save their king. At the end of the novel, the author reveals that she suffers from the same disability. For years no one knew what the illness was and, still, it can takes years to get a proper diagnosis. As someone with a illness that can strike at any moment, the illness is a constant part of life. You'll feel that as you read the novel--you cannot forget--every decision has to consider your ability and what to do if your ability suddenly changes. Despite these issues, you can, with help, achieve as Tania does. ( )

Tania de Batz is most herself with a sword in her hand. Everyone in town thinks her near-constant dizziness makes her weak, nothing but “a sick girl”; even her mother is desperate to marry her off for security. But Tania wants to be strong, independent, a fencer like her father—a former Musketeer and her greatest champion.

Then Papa is brutally, mysteriously murdered. His dying wish? For Tania to attend finishing school. But L’Académie des Mariées, Tania realizes, is no finishing school. It’s a secret training ground for a new kind of Musketeer: women who are socialites on the surface, but strap daggers under their skirts, seduce men into giving up dangerous secrets, and protect France from downfall. And they don’t shy away from a swordfight.

With her newfound sisters at her side, Tania feels for the first time like she has a purpose, like she belongs. But then she meets Étienne, her first target in uncovering a potential assassination plot. He’s kind, charming, and breathlessly attractive—and he might have information about what really happened to her father. Torn between duty and dizzying emotion, Tania will have to lean on her friends, listen to her own body, and decide where her loyalties lie…or risk losing everything she’s ever wanted. ( )

Tania is known as the weak girl around town. She has dizzy spells that make others consider her a “sick girl” but she’s anything but that. She wants to be a strong, independent girl, just like her father is, as a former Musketeer. Her papa is murdered, leaving her mother and her alone. His dying wish is for Tania to attend L’Académie de Mariées, a finishing school. But the school is not what it seems, it’s a secret training school for female Musketeers. With her sister in arms by her side, Tania finally feels like she belongs. As she’s put on a mission, she realizes she has feelings for her target, but she’s torn between solving her papa’s murder and her duty, she has to make an important decision. This book was entertaining, though it started a bit slowly. I instantly loved Tania and was rooting for her to kick some butt and show the world who she truly was. ( )