Fence is a series of very popular graphic novels created by C.S. Pacat (author) and Johanna the Mad (illustrator)! Three volumes have been published so far and now we are getting a YA novel inspired by said comic, written by Sarah Rees Brennan!
Now if you’re a fan of Fence, you already know most of our main players, but in this book we learn more about their lives in Kings Row, including their families to relationships and aspirations! I’ve been following Fence graphic novels for a while now and when I got the chance to read and review this novel, I jumped at the chance (with a lot of enthusiasm and screaming, may I add).
Before I go into more depth about certain parts of the novel, here are my general thoughts: Fence: Striking Distance is a fun and quick read, filled with witty one-liners, angst, friendships, and relationship drama! It was pretty heavy on that last bit, but I can’t say I really minded that even if it was slightly unexpected.
Fence: Striking Distance reads like a cute LGBTQ+ contemporary and here’s my only complaint: where is the sports component? As the name implies, our main protagonists are brought together due to being team members in Kings Row fencing team, but we don’t see a lot of fencing being done. Apart from that I really enjoyed this novel and I just know every fan of the graphic novels will love it! Now let’s look more closely to some aspects of this story!
What to expect from Fence: Striking Distance?
This novel has 4 points of view!
This came as a bit of a surprise, as we mainly follow Nicholas Cox in the graphic novels. But here we also come to know Nicholas’s main rival, Seiji Katayama, and two other clasmates: Harvard Lee, the team captain, and his best friend and the school flirt Aiden Kane. Every point of view offers a new perspective on the events as a whole, and the author made a great job of making them sound distinct! All four narrators have unique voices and Brennan even plays with different writing styles and structures of sentences. While Aiden has a quick and witty mind and Nicholas is best known for his shorter and to-the-point sentences, Seiji sees the world very literally and Harvard is more poetic and introspective.
Another thing I simply have to mention is how my favourite point of view was definitely Aiden’s! He is presented in Fence as this charming flirt who couldn’t care less about fencing or feelings of others – and while this is still the front he keeps up in this novel, we also get to dig deeper with his chapters. We get to really know him and his past and you can’t help but root for him (and break down at his failures). I also really loved Harvard’s chapters, which are filled with so much sunshine that you can basically feel Harvard hugging you. Yes, he is that guy. As sweet as they get.
Seiji… Well Seiji is Seiji and his chapters are filled with that *something* that makes him such a one of a kind character! He is very literal, no-nonsense guy and I am really curious to see what will come of his friendship with Nicholas in the future books.
I must admit that I was slightly disappointed by Nicholas’s chapters. He is the main focus of the graphic novels, but in this book, his voice didn’t really carry. In his chapters, Nicholas comes off as childish and immature. Now mind you, he is only a freshman, but I guess reading a lot of YA, you get used to more mature voices. So I’m not really sure if this is an advantage… finally a teenage boy who sounds like you imagine a teenage boy would, sassy and saying ‘bro’ too many times. I refuse to believe that people use the word ‘bro’ that often. (please tell me I’m right)… or a disadvantage as it makes his chapters somewhat dull and repetitive.
To sum it up, all these distinct voices and writing styles make for a great and entertaining read!
New love interests!
This book brings forth some interesting developments in the love department. The main ship in Fence (as popularised by fans) are Nicholas and Seiji, but in this novel, we can see some other relationships evolving. There were tears and all, so now I need a sequel so I can find out if those certain characters are endgame or not! (No spoilers!)
Did you say fencing?
As I said already, despite this being a novel about fencing, there is sadly not a lot of fencing being done, which was basically the only let down for me. Sports fiction is still not as main-stream as some other subgenres, but series like All for the Game made a big break in it. Now personally, I am not much for sports, but I always love to read about sports in books – mostly fictional ones such as quidditch in Harry Potter and Exy in All for the Game. And as much as Fence graphic novels do widen your knowledge of fencing in general (I am a total newbie but those graphic novels do teach you some basics), this novel barely had any fencing in it.
All in all, Fence: Striking Distance was an entertaining YA novel with a diverse cast of characters and surprising depths when it came to certain topics such as love, family, and acceptance. There was also an inkling of a found family trope and I am super excited to see what comes from this! If you loved Fence graphic novels, you will love this book as well! So mark your calendars and get ready for these four badass fencers to swoop you off your feet! Happy reading!
Fence: Striking Distance is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 29th 2020.
Will you be picking up Fence: Striking Distance? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The boys of Kings Row bout with drama, rivalry, and romance in this original YA novel by The New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan–inspired by the award-nominated comic series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna The Mad.
Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Cox is the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion who dreams of getting the proper training he could never afford. After earning a place on the elite Kings Row fencing team, Nicholas must prove himself to his rival, Seiji Katayma, and navigate the clashes, friendships, and relationships between his teammates on the road to state championships–where Nicholas might finally have the chance to spar with his golden-boy half-brother.
Coach Williams decides to take advantage of the boys’ morale after a recent victory and assigns them a course of team building exercises to further deepen their bonds. It takes a shoplifting scandal, a couple of moonlit forest strolls, several hilariously bad dates, and a whole lot of introspection for the team to realize they are stronger together than they could ever be apart.
The first installment of this enticing original YA novel series by Sarah Rees Brennan, rich with casual diversity and queer self-discovery, explores never-before-seen drama inspired by C.S. Pacat’s critically acclaimed Fence comic series and boasts original cover and interior art by Johanna The Mad.
