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brianpipa's review against another edition
Wasn't bad, just didn't grab me so I moved on
jmbayer's review against another edition
After a couple days of ruminating, I think I’ve finally figured out bugs me about this book.
But first, what I did like.
Female and genderqueer superheroes!!! So many conversations that pass the Bechdel test!! Both supernatural and superhero elements! People of color as both civilians and superheroes!
All of the things are refreshing to see and the plot made this a quick read. I hope other people read this book and get as excited to see more of the diversity in the real world in their speculative fiction.
That being said, there were some things that rub me the wrong way. Gardner’s protagonist Kim is Chinese-Canadian and identifies as genderqueer. Which would usually have some fist pumping, especially since as far as I know James Alan Gardner claims neither of these identities. Unfortunately, that sometimes shows itself and broke the sense of disbelief.
It often felt like he would throw in mentions of Kim’s ethnicity or gender identity just to make sure we remembered that his writing is Diverse™. I felt as though he could have used a sensitivity reader(s) at multiple times in the editing process.
Especially when it comes to how Kim interacts with their gender identity. Kim mentions extremely early on that they identify as queer but it isn’t mentioned until more than halfway through that they identify as genderqueer. After multiple times of stating they are queer. Now, no one owes anyone an explanation of what they mean when they identify as queer. But it doesn’t make a ton of sense to not use terminology that already exists when Kim often mentions their relationship to gender. Genderqueer is used by a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.
Throughout the text Kim describes themself as occupying that space between genders or feeling like neither. Which is a definition built into genderqueer, making it odd that Gardner skirts around this. The way Kim talks about their identity also seems to suggest that all genderqueer people experience and perform gender the same way. Which is so far from the reality. Not every non-binary and genderqueer person feels the need to dress and act androgynous. It doesn’t make them any less queer.
So a step in the right direction but there’s a long path ahead.
But first, what I did like.
Female and genderqueer superheroes!!! So many conversations that pass the Bechdel test!! Both supernatural and superhero elements! People of color as both civilians and superheroes!
All of the things are refreshing to see and the plot made this a quick read. I hope other people read this book and get as excited to see more of the diversity in the real world in their speculative fiction.
That being said, there were some things that rub me the wrong way. Gardner’s protagonist Kim is Chinese-Canadian and identifies as genderqueer. Which would usually have some fist pumping, especially since as far as I know James Alan Gardner claims neither of these identities. Unfortunately, that sometimes shows itself and broke the sense of disbelief.
It often felt like he would throw in mentions of Kim’s ethnicity or gender identity just to make sure we remembered that his writing is Diverse™. I felt as though he could have used a sensitivity reader(s) at multiple times in the editing process.
Especially when it comes to how Kim interacts with their gender identity. Kim mentions extremely early on that they identify as queer but it isn’t mentioned until more than halfway through that they identify as genderqueer. After multiple times of stating they are queer. Now, no one owes anyone an explanation of what they mean when they identify as queer. But it doesn’t make a ton of sense to not use terminology that already exists when Kim often mentions their relationship to gender. Genderqueer is used by a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.
Throughout the text Kim describes themself as occupying that space between genders or feeling like neither. Which is a definition built into genderqueer, making it odd that Gardner skirts around this. The way Kim talks about their identity also seems to suggest that all genderqueer people experience and perform gender the same way. Which is so far from the reality. Not every non-binary and genderqueer person feels the need to dress and act androgynous. It doesn’t make them any less queer.
So a step in the right direction but there’s a long path ahead.
alexis_nel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
singerji's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
msdandan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
3.0
alythespoon's review against another edition
4.0
This is such a great book! Gardner doubles down on all the wacky tropes associated with comic book superheroes and yet manages to create a world full of surprises. Can we please get a Dark/Spark movie instead of yet another Batman adaptation?
xavier_reads181's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
gordcampbell's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I don't know whether it's the quirky story, the fact that it's set in Waterloo, of all places, the characters, or some mix of it all, but it's a really fun ride.
eb2114's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.25
bookclubtrivia's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5
I saved this book from being discarded from the library. I'd never heard of it, and it's not exactly my genre (too action-y for my taste), but the title was so great that I decided to give it a chance.
I normally save my five star reviews for stuff that I would re-read or recommend that everyone read; this isn't exactly one of those (and I probably won't read more of the series, just because, like I said, it's not my genre), BUT I do think it's well-written, funny, and an excellent book for a certain type of reader.
Specifically, I love how this book represents a non-binary (genderfluid? it never explicitly says anything other than queer) protagonist. Queer representation in books often feels forced, or out-of-place, OR it is the entire plot. In this book, it's just a fact about the character; the plot is something else (superheroes). That said, the superhero identity is a great metaphor for Kim's character (putting on a mask, changing names and identities, being someone different day-to-day). The internal monologue explains Kim's mindset so well; it was helpful for a straight cis person like me to get the sense of what it would be like to be queer in this way.
So: a great read for queer people, for people who want to better understand queer people, and for people who just love reading about superpowered fight scenes.
And there's some hilarious lines that make references to social media, etc., which maybe dates it a bit but were quite enjoyable for me.
I saved this book from being discarded from the library. I'd never heard of it, and it's not exactly my genre (too action-y for my taste), but the title was so great that I decided to give it a chance.
I normally save my five star reviews for stuff that I would re-read or recommend that everyone read; this isn't exactly one of those (and I probably won't read more of the series, just because, like I said, it's not my genre), BUT I do think it's well-written, funny, and an excellent book for a certain type of reader.
Specifically, I love how this book represents a non-binary (genderfluid? it never explicitly says anything other than queer) protagonist. Queer representation in books often feels forced, or out-of-place, OR it is the entire plot. In this book, it's just a fact about the character; the plot is something else (superheroes). That said, the superhero identity is a great metaphor for Kim's character (putting on a mask, changing names and identities, being someone different day-to-day). The internal monologue explains Kim's mindset so well; it was helpful for a straight cis person like me to get the sense of what it would be like to be queer in this way.
So: a great read for queer people, for people who want to better understand queer people, and for people who just love reading about superpowered fight scenes.
And there's some hilarious lines that make references to social media, etc., which maybe dates it a bit but were quite enjoyable for me.