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ahlisa's review
I was gripped by the writing style and some of the emotional flashbacks about Carmen’s dad, but it feels a lot like this was written by a comic fan (and writer) for comic fans, which I am not. I also felt weird about Carmen being a self-described beauty that all the guys wanna be with. Just felt distracting. I would’ve maybe forgiven that part if this was written by a woman describing her firsthand experiences, but it wasn’t.
emckeon1002's review
3.0
A plot as thin and preposterous as a comic book. Two dimensional characters drawn as if by a second-string illustrator. A mystery tortured into existence by a lack of motive. A litany of comic book history details serving to advertise research. Did I like it? No.
junieburns's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
surfmonkey01's review
5.0
This was terrific. I was enjoying the glimpses into the comics industry and the personalities of the Triumph employees so much, I actually forgot there was supposed to be a murder mystery too. So when that part happened, I was surprised. The way the two parts of the tale blended together was great, and my theories about who was responsible were incorrect but who it was still made sense. I definitely loved this book and will check out else the author has written
rbreade's review
Super-atmospheric immersion into mid-1970s New York City, the comics and music scenes, in particular. Segura understands how to set his protagonist a challenge: Carmen Valdez is a queer Cuban-American woman trying to break into the boys-club of comics as a writer at fictional Triumph Comics. She has an idea, and talent, but her boss, the owner of Triumph, can't see her as anything other than his assistant. When her one ally, through whom she ghostwrites Triumph's best-selling title, The Legendary Lynx, is shot dead, Carmen gradually untangles the web of jealousies and intrigue she finds woven around the company. To this enticing story, add pages drawn by artist Sandy Jarrell showing scenes from issues of the Lynx comic, which, to be clear, is fictional. Watch for the point, after Carmen's writing partner is killed, when the writing and drawing duties are given to a pair of misogynist hacks--the writing and art clearly indicate the change!
jakewritesbooks's review
4.0
I waited for this book for months. Months! And for the most part, it was worth the wait. It’s very good.
I’ve read other stuff from Alex Segura, from his Pete Fernandez mystery books to the first edition of his Black Ghost graphic novel series. I love his interest in how journalism, urban corruption, and dogged investigative work come together to tell an entertaining tale. It’s right up my alley.
This ambitious novel set in the comic industry in 1970s New York City could fall flat for trying to do too much. This would have been a tricky first book to write. Fortunately, the veteran Segura knows how to steer the story in the right direction, mostly because the protagonist, Carmen Valdez, is so compelling.
I’ve written plenty of times in this space about my issues with men trying to write a first person perspective of a woman (and a queer one at that): it’s not that men shouldn’t do it, I just don’t know that it often translates smoothly on page. Despite some shortcomings on his end (I don’t know that I needed to keep exploring Carmen’s character by having people attracted to her and acting on it in inappropriate ways), I think Segura does a decent job. Carmen is a fully formed person, not a male wish fulfillment, and her experiences navigating the male-dominated comic industry as she tries to carve out some turf brought all the disparate threads Segura was trying to knit together to make a good story.
On top of that, the panels of the Lynx interspersed throughout the book are a lot of fun and play into the idea of how comics help people explore their identities (as it’s clear in the story how Carmen is exploring her queerness).
I enjoyed the heck out of this. It’s fun for comic and non-comic fan folk alike. A good slice of ol’ New York and an interesting mystery (though I think that’s the weakest part of the story but again, I prefer atmosphere to puzzles).
I’ve read other stuff from Alex Segura, from his Pete Fernandez mystery books to the first edition of his Black Ghost graphic novel series. I love his interest in how journalism, urban corruption, and dogged investigative work come together to tell an entertaining tale. It’s right up my alley.
This ambitious novel set in the comic industry in 1970s New York City could fall flat for trying to do too much. This would have been a tricky first book to write. Fortunately, the veteran Segura knows how to steer the story in the right direction, mostly because the protagonist, Carmen Valdez, is so compelling.
I’ve written plenty of times in this space about my issues with men trying to write a first person perspective of a woman (and a queer one at that): it’s not that men shouldn’t do it, I just don’t know that it often translates smoothly on page. Despite some shortcomings on his end (I don’t know that I needed to keep exploring Carmen’s character by having people attracted to her and acting on it in inappropriate ways), I think Segura does a decent job. Carmen is a fully formed person, not a male wish fulfillment, and her experiences navigating the male-dominated comic industry as she tries to carve out some turf brought all the disparate threads Segura was trying to knit together to make a good story.
On top of that, the panels of the Lynx interspersed throughout the book are a lot of fun and play into the idea of how comics help people explore their identities (as it’s clear in the story how Carmen is exploring her queerness).
I enjoyed the heck out of this. It’s fun for comic and non-comic fan folk alike. A good slice of ol’ New York and an interesting mystery (though I think that’s the weakest part of the story but again, I prefer atmosphere to puzzles).
f6x's review
4.0
This was a fun one, not quite noir, but not not noir either. A mystery set in the 1970s world of NYC comic book publishing, with enough mentions of CBGB’s and cafe con leche to delight this Florida music lover’s geeky heart.
samnite's review
4.0
Secret Identities is pitched as a murder mystery, but it’s really the story of a young woman trying to figure out how to be the person she wants to be — a comics creator, openly queer, able to let her guard down — in a complicated world that’s working against, with a murder mystery as an exciting b-plot. And it’s a great, readable story with a strong protagonist in Carmen and a fun setting in the world of 1970s comic books. Triumph comics is rendered with care, and the Lynx is a rare fictional comic book character who feels utterly convincing — I believe the Lynx could have existed and been as popular as she turned out to be.
I’ve gone back and forth on how to rate the book — I found a lot of Carmen’s inner monologue repetitive, almost as if Segura didn’t trust us to remember things from earlier in the story, and the ultimate mystery reveal simultaneously too easy and too complicated. Without getting into spoilers, it derives its dramatic weight from what’s happened to the comics industry since the 70s in a way that makes the villain seem a little nonsensical without a time machine. But at the same time, I couldn’t put it down and found a lot to love. As usual, I err on the side of generosity!
I’ve gone back and forth on how to rate the book — I found a lot of Carmen’s inner monologue repetitive, almost as if Segura didn’t trust us to remember things from earlier in the story, and the ultimate mystery reveal simultaneously too easy and too complicated. Without getting into spoilers, it derives its dramatic weight from what’s happened to the comics industry since the 70s in a way that makes the villain seem a little nonsensical without a time machine. But at the same time, I couldn’t put it down and found a lot to love. As usual, I err on the side of generosity!
pio_near's review
5.0
I enjoyed every page of this comic book tinged noir-style mystery. With an original take on the publishing industry from a talented woman's perspective in 1975, you are instantly plunged into her struggle to create her own comic in a boys-club industry. After constantly being rejected, an opportunity falls into her lap. But she soon finds that she has more than just her career on the line as murder, conspiracies and intrigue start cropping up everywhere!
Between the well written characters, the easy flow of the storyline and actual comic pages inserted in the book, I was quickly enamored, and have this as one of my top mysteries of the year so far. Be sure not to miss it!
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Between the well written characters, the easy flow of the storyline and actual comic pages inserted in the book, I was quickly enamored, and have this as one of my top mysteries of the year so far. Be sure not to miss it!
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
littleorphanbatman's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0