A review by oofsharkz73
We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• 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

The entire time I read this novel, the song "Sunflowers" by PeachPRC was stuck in my head. Take that for what you will. We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley was instantly promising to me when I discovered the author had written a favorite of mine, If These Wings Could Fly. In this novel, McCauley weaves a tale of friendship and justice. Two young girls are betrayed by their town, by society, when their best friend is killed in a school shooting, and they begin advocating for gun reform. Through the eyes of Beck and Vivian, fueled by loyalty and love, we see the unravelling of an artful plan to invoke change. McCauley captures the reader with another gripping narrative as she explores themes of gun violence, domestic violence against women, and grief. The "anger" stage of grief that the characters were in correlated well with the plotline, though I do wish that we were able to see more into their mourning process, and that the glimpses we saw of Beck and Vivian's relationship were extended upon. Unfortunately, I feel like we only skirted on the outside of the characters' stories, that McCauley didn't write the novel with the same intensity as her debut. While We Can Be Heroes is compelling mix of heartache and hope, but it does lack depth. Still, a solid read for young adults and did not disappoint!