The Bitch is back!
Carrie Soto, “the Battle Axe”, infamous, merciless, an unbeatable champion. Just shy of 30 she’s the greatest tennis player of all time, achieving everything she’s ever worked for, lived for. Soon her career is cut short due to injuries and ego. Now, five years and one surgery later, she can’t stand to watch her records taken from her by up-and-comer Nikki Chan so at age 37 she’s donning her tennis whites and heading to the court, ready to compete again and defend her legacy – Carrie Soto is back!
Some reviewers have found Carrie hard to like and, well, that’s the point! Carrie doesn’t exist to be liked, she’s here to win. She excels at her sport and knows it and wants to be judged on her skill, how she plays, not who she is. Self-assured, no nonsense women are rarely adored by the world at large. And that kind of single minded determination can be isolating – it’s lonely at the top. Carrie has worked hard for her achievements, but she’s also sacrificed a lot to get where she is, her comeback is about more than just tennis.
Carrie Soto is certainly in the running for my favorite TJR character. I love unapologetic women. In a world which has very distinct ideas and expectations for how women should look, think, and act I love a woman who goes her own way.
I was somewhat skeptical when I knew the story was going to be tennis focused – I’m not much for the sportsball – but I appreciate a story which can make me care about topics I have no interest in and before the end of Carrie’s journey I was googling plenty about 80s/90s tennis, including a deep dive into the history of clay tennis courts.
The sport aspect actually created an exciting element and I loved the relationship between Carrie and her dad/trainer Javier (though I am curious of the choice to write Latinx characters), Bowe is a total hunk, and I, of course, loved seeing the way Carrie’s story intersects with others in the TJR world and I’m dying to know whether anyone from Carrie will be the next TJR star!
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for the advanced review opportunity.
That Bookish Life 