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mxbenjaminrose's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Murder
shaneent's review
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I really liked the concept of a noir murder mystery in the world of comic book publishing in the 70s, but Secret Identity fell a little short for me. I did enjoy the world Segura built around 1970s comics in New York - it was fun to get a glimpse into the behind the scenes of comic books, specifically in that era. The mystery was intriguing, planted some great clues, and had me following a few false leads. I enjoyed the complexity of the MC Carmen, and the layers to her problems.
Some of the comic references felt a little forced. Some attitudes and ideas felt anachronistic to the 70s as well, coming across as distinctly modern and not ideas that people at that time would have had or would have had that exact vocabulary for.
Some of the comic references felt a little forced. Some attitudes and ideas felt anachronistic to the 70s as well, coming across as distinctly modern and not ideas that people at that time would have had or would have had that exact vocabulary for.
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Suicide, and Violence
LGBTQ+ repbigcountry160's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Misogyny, Gun violence, Stalking, Murder, and Lesbophobia
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4/5 stars
Secret Identity is the story of Carmen Valdez, a young aspiring comic book writer living in New York. When a colleague asks for help with a new comic pitch and is murdered shortly thereafter, Carmen is unwittingly plunged into a web of secrets and lies that threaten to expose the gritty underbelly of the industry she loves.
I should start this review by saying I know nothing about comic books—in fact, one of the reasons I was excited to read Secret Identity was that I knew it was set in the world of comics and written by an industry insider, and I hoped it would expand my knowledge of the genre a bit as a result (mission accomplished). I’m pretty confident that if I were a comics fan I’d be head over heels in love with this novel (so if this describes you, you should go pick it up NOW).
Fortunately, even coming in without a comic-related knowledge base, I still really enjoyed SECRET IDENTITY! There may have been some nuance (i.e. references to comics history or other Easter eggs) that I missed, but overall this is excellent crime noir even if you overlook the comic context entirely. I particularly loved the feminist and LGBTQ elements, including the historical context about notable women in a historically male-dominated space, and the diversity of the characters overall was top notch. The mystery itself is a bit of a slow burn, but I was fully invested in Carmen’s character development and story so I didn’t mind this too much—if anything, the secondary plot lines took my eye off the ball enough that they enhanced the mystery aspect.
As a bonus, the book also includes actual comic book pages, which I would bet good money are *gorgeous* in print (they looked plenty good, if slightly small, in the eARC), so I may need to go snag a finished copy for that reason alone!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: comic books; crime noir; women’s history.
CW: Death/murder; misogyny; homophobia; suicide.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Secret Identity is the story of Carmen Valdez, a young aspiring comic book writer living in New York. When a colleague asks for help with a new comic pitch and is murdered shortly thereafter, Carmen is unwittingly plunged into a web of secrets and lies that threaten to expose the gritty underbelly of the industry she loves.
I should start this review by saying I know nothing about comic books—in fact, one of the reasons I was excited to read Secret Identity was that I knew it was set in the world of comics and written by an industry insider, and I hoped it would expand my knowledge of the genre a bit as a result (mission accomplished). I’m pretty confident that if I were a comics fan I’d be head over heels in love with this novel (so if this describes you, you should go pick it up NOW).
Fortunately, even coming in without a comic-related knowledge base, I still really enjoyed SECRET IDENTITY! There may have been some nuance (i.e. references to comics history or other Easter eggs) that I missed, but overall this is excellent crime noir even if you overlook the comic context entirely. I particularly loved the feminist and LGBTQ elements, including the historical context about notable women in a historically male-dominated space, and the diversity of the characters overall was top notch. The mystery itself is a bit of a slow burn, but I was fully invested in Carmen’s character development and story so I didn’t mind this too much—if anything, the secondary plot lines took my eye off the ball enough that they enhanced the mystery aspect.
As a bonus, the book also includes actual comic book pages, which I would bet good money are *gorgeous* in print (they looked plenty good, if slightly small, in the eARC), so I may need to go snag a finished copy for that reason alone!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: comic books; crime noir; women’s history.
CW: Death/murder; misogyny; homophobia; suicide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Suicide, Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Sexism, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia
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