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runes_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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? Yes
4.25
4.25 stars overall!
A cute YA story! Superheroes, romance, and a great ending-what more do you need?
This is a great story with queer characters! I love stories like this where characters being lgbtq isn't made into a big deal. There's no homophobia (or transphobia, but no trans representation either) at all in the story, which is such a breath of fresh air. The characters go through realistic change and growth, and are all so lovable!
It's a dual POV, with one of the protagonists being 17, and the other 20. A good pick if you feel like you're outgrowing high school settings, this deals with things like college applications and internships. The characters are at worst annoying at times, but endearing even so.
A cute YA story! Superheroes, romance, and a great ending-what more do you need?
This is a great story with queer characters! I love stories like this where characters being lgbtq isn't made into a big deal. There's no homophobia (or transphobia, but no trans representation either) at all in the story, which is such a breath of fresh air. The characters go through realistic change and growth, and are all so lovable!
It's a dual POV, with one of the protagonists being 17, and the other 20. A good pick if you feel like you're outgrowing high school settings, this deals with things like college applications and internships. The characters are at worst annoying at times, but endearing even so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Murder, Gun violence, and Cursing
Minor: Child death, Stalking, Torture, and Vomit
CW summary: Everything in this book I would consider pg13, but check out the specific warnings.b_r_99's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
paragraphsandpages's review
4.0
This was a surprisingly good superhero AND queer book. I have to admit the execution is far from flawless, but it handles the morals of capitalisitic superhero administrations so well? The themes of individual safety vs. group safety, of who should be the heroes and who decides that, and superheroes as not just caped crusaders, but brands to profit off of, are all at play here, and they were executed flawlessly.
If someone presented this story to me as an outline, I'd say there's literally no way this story can disappoint me. And honestly? It totally didn't. This perfectly scratched my superhero itch (though it still lingers), while also touching on a ton of related societal issues without coming off as high-handed or cliche. A large part of this comes from how well the book ended, keeping in mind how the effects of the story would actually impact the characters involved, and showing the variety of ways one can engage with the world of superheroes without being one (this be a large focus due to the title, super 'adjacent'). It also did a great job of showing the flawed and human side of heroes, the lens of the heroes' adjacent loved ones showcasing that well. We got to see the individual side of heroes, both on the saved and the forgotten.
A lot of hero novels show the picture we all want to see, of cheering crowds and heroes saving masses of people at once. This book narrows that focus. We see what happens to those that are saved, how that impacts their life. We get to see the girlfriend of a hero, how the constant hate brings her down and how her boyfriend's dream to save everyone leaves her in the sidelines, forgotten. We see what happens when a hero is no longer wanted, no longer 'profitable'. We get to see heroes become so with a variety of motivations, that not everyone sets out wanting to save the entire world. It gives a much more nuanced view of the superhero world as a whole, from the heroes that save the world and the individuals who save the heroes.
Now I say above the execution wasn't always great. It wasn't. The writing wasn't impeccable, and it felt more like something I had to get through to understand the story. I also found Claire annoying at first til she gained more and more depth, but that's mainly due to how her character is constructed. It's extremely realistic because she just actually is kind of annoying in her obsession. Additionally, I can't fault the writing too much because at the same time, the two POVs were extremely distinct. You could tell who you were reading at all times, even if you went and removed all the names.
All in all, I did really enjoy this even though I can't say the book is the best book ever. The superhero aspect of the novel is just done SO well, and to be honest, that's the most important part.
If someone presented this story to me as an outline, I'd say there's literally no way this story can disappoint me. And honestly? It totally didn't. This perfectly scratched my superhero itch (though it still lingers), while also touching on a ton of related societal issues without coming off as high-handed or cliche. A large part of this comes from how well the book ended, keeping in mind how the effects of the story would actually impact the characters involved, and showing the variety of ways one can engage with the world of superheroes without being one (this be a large focus due to the title, super 'adjacent'). It also did a great job of showing the flawed and human side of heroes, the lens of the heroes' adjacent loved ones showcasing that well. We got to see the individual side of heroes, both on the saved and the forgotten.
A lot of hero novels show the picture we all want to see, of cheering crowds and heroes saving masses of people at once. This book narrows that focus. We see what happens to those that are saved, how that impacts their life. We get to see the girlfriend of a hero, how the constant hate brings her down and how her boyfriend's dream to save everyone leaves her in the sidelines, forgotten. We see what happens when a hero is no longer wanted, no longer 'profitable'. We get to see heroes become so with a variety of motivations, that not everyone sets out wanting to save the entire world. It gives a much more nuanced view of the superhero world as a whole, from the heroes that save the world and the individuals who save the heroes.
Now I say above the execution wasn't always great. It wasn't. The writing wasn't impeccable, and it felt more like something I had to get through to understand the story. I also found Claire annoying at first til she gained more and more depth, but that's mainly due to how her character is constructed. It's extremely realistic because she just actually is kind of annoying in her obsession. Additionally, I can't fault the writing too much because at the same time, the two POVs were extremely distinct. You could tell who you were reading at all times, even if you went and removed all the names.
All in all, I did really enjoy this even though I can't say the book is the best book ever. The superhero aspect of the novel is just done SO well, and to be honest, that's the most important part.
areaderamongthestars's review
4.0
“Heroism is pulling a stranger from a burning building, and it’s also finding the strength to get out of bed. It is sharing your voice to change the world, and it’s living a quiet yet fiercely truthful existence. You don’t have to have muscles or powers to be a hero; leading a life that reflects what’s in your heart is the boldest, most powerful act of heroism there is.” (acknowledgments)
I picked up this book because I wanted a light contemporary to take a little break from big fantasy worlds and even if it’s not perfect (I actually got the big plot twist pretty early) I really liked it, mostly because it shows that even common people can be heroes in their own way (inserire quotes relative a questo). Plus, the friendship between Claire and Bridget was such a cute little gem that really warmed my heart.
It actually surprised me somehow as it was not all sunshine and rainbows as I expected it to be: it portrays in a sort of realistic way the idea of what is really like to date a superhero (even if you love them beyond reasons, it will always be hard to see them risking their life or leaving a date to save the world instead of being with you, and then you also end up feels shitty as you are putting your 5 minutes of happiness over the life of another person) and how heartbreaking could be to realize that something you idolized for years (it can either be a book, an actor/author, or an entire organization like in this book) is not as perfect and flawless as you imagined it to be, because even if it gave you strength when you needed it the most and shaped who you are sometimes it’s impossible to glue the pieces back together.
And I adored that all of this has been taken into account in the ending, because although it’s a happy one it doesn’t erase the impact of certain experiences that won’t go away in the blink of an eye, but will need time and love to heal (almost) completely.
I picked up this book because I wanted a light contemporary to take a little break from big fantasy worlds and even if it’s not perfect (I actually got the big plot twist pretty early) I really liked it, mostly because it shows that even common people can be heroes in their own way (inserire quotes relative a questo). Plus, the friendship between Claire and Bridget was such a cute little gem that really warmed my heart.
It actually surprised me somehow as it was not all sunshine and rainbows as I expected it to be: it portrays in a sort of realistic way the idea of what is really like to date a superhero (even if you love them beyond reasons, it will always be hard to see them risking their life or leaving a date to save the world instead of being with you, and then you also end up feels shitty as you are putting your 5 minutes of happiness over the life of another person) and how heartbreaking could be to realize that something you idolized for years (it can either be a book, an actor/author, or an entire organization like in this book) is not as perfect and flawless as you imagined it to be, because even if it gave you strength when you needed it the most and shaped who you are sometimes it’s impossible to glue the pieces back together.
And I adored that all of this has been taken into account in the ending, because although it’s a happy one it doesn’t erase the impact of certain experiences that won’t go away in the blink of an eye, but will need time and love to heal (almost) completely.
kill_so_kind's review
2.0
2.5/5 stars.
While I loved the concept of civilians saving heroes, this story was a bit of a let-down in the way it executed its premise. Claire, a Warrior Nation super-fan, is often difficult to want to read about. When we see through her Bridgette's eyes, Claire comes off as sweet, but her own POV chapters are hard to get through. She's just kind of annoying, from her whole "I hate pretty girls" thing to her hypocritical treatment of Teddy, another fan-turned-WarNat-employee who is only slightly more annoying than she is. I did like her love interest, Joy, and I certainly wish we'd gotten to know her better.
Joy: *coughs up blood* hey, killer
The overarching plot wasn't bad, and I enjoyed Bridgette's character a lot. I sort of wish Cestari had made her the sole protagonist, but some of the plot points wouldn't have made the same emotional impact if we weren't so focused on Claire. My general mood regarding this one is disappointed but not surprised.
While I loved the concept of civilians saving heroes, this story was a bit of a let-down in the way it executed its premise. Claire, a Warrior Nation super-fan, is often difficult to want to read about. When we see through her Bridgette's eyes, Claire comes off as sweet, but her own POV chapters are hard to get through. She's just kind of annoying, from her whole "I hate pretty girls" thing to her hypocritical treatment of Teddy, another fan-turned-WarNat-employee who is only slightly more annoying than she is. I did like her love interest, Joy, and I certainly wish we'd gotten to know her better.
Joy: *coughs up blood* hey, killer
The overarching plot wasn't bad, and I enjoyed Bridgette's character a lot. I sort of wish Cestari had made her the sole protagonist, but some of the plot points wouldn't have made the same emotional impact if we weren't so focused on Claire. My general mood regarding this one is disappointed but not surprised.
gold_star_reader's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A fun YA take on dating a super hero.
cyberdumps's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
3 stars at most. in my opinion, this read was below average. the characters are insufferable, and claire is too childish for my own liking. i know she's 17 but i certainly did not act like that when i was 17. the only redeeming qualities that this book has are the feminist views/discussions and the plot twist. other than that, it was just average.
celinewyp's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
misha_ali's review
2.0
I realise the audience for this book is fairly young people, but even for this audience the characters feel incredibly simplistic and one dimensional. The main f-f relationship being at the starting phase while the other POV character's (m-f) relationship is in the end stages is an interesting idea and was worth exploring. However, it's clear that the hetero relationship is much more fleshed out and well thought out, highlighting the actual challenges of being in a long term relationship with a celebrity superhero. A lot of things never really made send and weren't explained by the end and the overall impression I had of this book was that it was simplistic and frankly a bit dull and a waste of the promising premise.