saluki's review
3.0
Vinny is a fire mimic and has the potential to be a great super. Unfortunately, after his experience with the Collector, his ambitions only entail looking after the Zoo kid supers and cooking. But, what he wants and what he gets is an entirely different matter.
Although this isn't one of my favourite books in the series, I came to like Vinny's character who prefers a passive quiet life in contrast to the other capes.
hteph's review
3.0
I have two problems ...
... with these book. But first the general good things. The prose is good, easy without being too simple, and as these are directed towards a younger group I guess it can be expected. The world building is sound but the real strength is the various personalities that are likable, interesting and fun. The plots are straight forward and without apparent plot holes.
However there are two things I have trouble with, the first is the christian propaganda that pop up now and then. It is frankly quite disgusting. The second problem I guess comes from the same limited mindset and are bit more insidious, and that is how couples are formed. As the book is aimed at pre-teens (I guess, even though the cast is clearly teen aged) hold hand love is expected and sex never ever mentioned. But couples are formed in some kind of pre-determined way, love at first sight and then they stay together forever. There seems to be no free will or doubt or teen drama included at all. It is really a propaganda bit for this high-school sweet heart trope, again, and again and again. It is Boy sees Girl and both know it is true love forever and everyone nods sagely about how well they fit together.
I guess it is packaged with the US christianity delusion I guess.
Significantly there neither are any LGBTQ representation at all (beyond some jokes about it).
BTW these books starts feel quite unrealistic, not because the superpowers, but having twenty teenagers living together and no drama....
... with these book. But first the general good things. The prose is good, easy without being too simple, and as these are directed towards a younger group I guess it can be expected. The world building is sound but the real strength is the various personalities that are likable, interesting and fun. The plots are straight forward and without apparent plot holes.
However there are two things I have trouble with, the first is the christian propaganda that pop up now and then. It is frankly quite disgusting. The second problem I guess comes from the same limited mindset and are bit more insidious, and that is how couples are formed. As the book is aimed at pre-teens (I guess, even though the cast is clearly teen aged) hold hand love is expected and sex never ever mentioned. But couples are formed in some kind of pre-determined way, love at first sight and then they stay together forever. There seems to be no free will or doubt or teen drama included at all. It is really a propaganda bit for this high-school sweet heart trope, again, and again and again. It is Boy sees Girl and both know it is true love forever and everyone nods sagely about how well they fit together.
I guess it is packaged with the US christianity delusion I guess.
Significantly there neither are any LGBTQ representation at all (beyond some jokes about it).
BTW these books starts feel quite unrealistic, not because the superpowers, but having twenty teenagers living together and no drama....
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