Scan barcode
ethana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, and Transphobia
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Outing
Minor: Rape
shae_purcell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Transphobia, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Violence, Vomit, and Medical trauma
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Fatphobia, Genocide, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War
teyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Transphobia, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic friendship and Sexual harassment
forestfloor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Fantastically engaging read, and satisfyingly fast. I think there was interesting world-building, albeit nothing ground breaking as far as what's typical in terms of building up a world with superheroes. I found the characters really engaging, with strong personalities. The trans rep really hit for me - Danny's experience of her transness and the way other people treat her because of it really rang true.
I was bothered at points by the tones of ableism metahumans (including Danny) have for "baselines" and more so by the way actual disability was treated when some characters acquired it. I get the impression this will be explored more in book 2, which I am interested to read because I wasn't very happy with where the topic gets left in this book.
Graphic: Transphobia, Violence, and Outing
Moderate: Ableism and Addiction
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Outing, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Cancer, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racism, Rape, Vomit, Death of parent, and War
megplant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, and Transphobia
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism
jjjreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Genocide, Self harm, Slavery, Vomit, and Gaslighting
ankonyx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Drug use, and Rape
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Lesbophobia, and Dysphoria
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I like how the world in the book is presented as morally grey, with various factions vying to Danny to join their side. For most of the book it felt like it really was a morally grey world, but I was disappointed that towards the end it seems to pick a specific side. I hope the sequel proves me wrong on that, if I decide to read it. Calamity is a great mentor, she's my favorite character. I also like Doctor Impossible but that got trickier as the story progressed. The worldbuilding works well, sketching the idea of this world that is very different from ours because of when the superheroes showed up, but recognizable enough because of what was chosen to parallel our real developments.
Now for the main reason I don't recommend this: I'm disturbed by the way it handles disability and ableism, both with the casual use of ableist slurs (from characters of all cape factions, so this wasn't just how to mark the villains) and with the treatment of physical disabilities. There’s a disturbing battle scene
Overall this seems like pretty good handling of trans stuff and domestic abuse by a parent, but mediocre to terrible handling of ableism and disability, and therefore I don't recommend it. Maybe the sequel could win me back, but that won't be enough to make me feel good about this particular book.
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Vomit
Minor: Drug use and Rape