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cortjstr's review
2.0
It was OK, the ending felt really forced. Of the books I've read in this genre ([b:Confessions of a D-List Supervillain|11334430|Confessions of a D-List Supervillain|Jim Bernheimer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1319427728s/11334430.jpg|16262945], [b:Soon I Will Be Invincible|645180|Soon I Will Be Invincible|Austin Grossman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320554514s/645180.jpg|955983]) this was definitely the weakest.
storytimed's review
2.0
THIS IS A BAD BOOK.... like genuinely it's just awful
I knew there was a chance that it would be bad bc it's one of the earliest books on my goodreads to-read list, which means I added it about ten years ago when I had absolutely no taste at all
But I was like, you know what, I am interested in superhero media from authors of color! And the synopsis (therapist to superheroes tries to treat a fractured alt-Justice League) seemed really interesting!
But it was bad.......................... genuinely so many of the plot twists should not have happened, including a "straight girl pretends to be gay for clout" storyline
There were interesting things about it? Like, X-Man, the 70s Blaxploitation analogue, embodies both the high and low points of the movement. He starts as a paranoid conspiracy theorist caricature, but ends up being the only character with a little bit of nuance. He's rightfully criticized for excusing the homophobia of his peers and allowing his image as an activist take precedence over the people he actually cares about, but in the end he's still the most rational guy in the novel
Which makes the ending, where he dies at the hands of the Batman-analogue industrialist supervillain, SUPER interesting. Dr. Brain never believes him, and neither does the rest of (white) society. Totally out of left field but also v. believable
However, to get to the ending you have to slog through page after page of ridiculous cliche, phonetic dialogue and everyone talking like this
Not worth it.
I knew there was a chance that it would be bad bc it's one of the earliest books on my goodreads to-read list, which means I added it about ten years ago when I had absolutely no taste at all
But I was like, you know what, I am interested in superhero media from authors of color! And the synopsis (therapist to superheroes tries to treat a fractured alt-Justice League) seemed really interesting!
But it was bad.......................... genuinely so many of the plot twists should not have happened, including a "straight girl pretends to be gay for clout" storyline
There were interesting things about it? Like, X-Man, the 70s Blaxploitation analogue, embodies both the high and low points of the movement. He starts as a paranoid conspiracy theorist caricature, but ends up being the only character with a little bit of nuance. He's rightfully criticized for excusing the homophobia of his peers and allowing his image as an activist take precedence over the people he actually cares about, but in the end he's still the most rational guy in the novel
Which makes the ending, where he dies at the hands of the Batman-analogue industrialist supervillain, SUPER interesting. Dr. Brain never believes him, and neither does the rest of (white) society. Totally out of left field but also v. believable
However, to get to the ending you have to slog through page after page of ridiculous cliche, phonetic dialogue and everyone talking like this
Not worth it.
jmanchester0's review
4.0
The Notebooks of Dr. Brain chronicles the therapy sessions of the superhero team, F*O*O*J - The Fantastic Order of Justice. While the book is hilarious, it digs deep into topics that many writers have trouble finessing.
Meet The Flying Squirrel, Omnipotent Man, Iron Lass, X-Man, Brotherfly, and Power Grrrl, as they tackle racism, sexism, relationships, all while Dr. Eva Brain helps them work through their issues with each other, superheroing, and the world around them.
Minister Faust is an amazing wordsmith. The book is written as a pseudo-psychological self-help book by Dr. Brain: Unmasked! When Being a Superhero Can't Save You From Yourself. I feel that calling this book a satire would limit it - it's so much more. Faust's writing is riveting - not so much because you get lost in the story, but because you get lost in the writing itself. He weaves words together in an amazing fashion leaving a completely absorbing tapestry that the viewer must stare at in awe.
I highly recommend this to anyone who's into superheroes, who's dabbled in psychology, or just loves good writing.
Meet The Flying Squirrel, Omnipotent Man, Iron Lass, X-Man, Brotherfly, and Power Grrrl, as they tackle racism, sexism, relationships, all while Dr. Eva Brain helps them work through their issues with each other, superheroing, and the world around them.
Minister Faust is an amazing wordsmith. The book is written as a pseudo-psychological self-help book by Dr. Brain: Unmasked! When Being a Superhero Can't Save You From Yourself. I feel that calling this book a satire would limit it - it's so much more. Faust's writing is riveting - not so much because you get lost in the story, but because you get lost in the writing itself. He weaves words together in an amazing fashion leaving a completely absorbing tapestry that the viewer must stare at in awe.
I highly recommend this to anyone who's into superheroes, who's dabbled in psychology, or just loves good writing.
bent's review
3.0
I read this after reading The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age Bachelor Pad by Minister Faust, which I really enjoyed. I was really looking forward to this, since I was going through a bit of a super-hero novel thing. It had it's moments, but in the end, it was a little disappointing. Good, not great. And not nearly as original as The Coyote Kings.
inferiorwit's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a novel about superheroes going to group therapy. It's also about 9/11. It's also about endless wartime and the military-industrial complex. It's also about race in America. It's also about privilege and the way the misery of institutional injustice is pathologized. It also contains so many superhero name puns that I suffered mild-to-moderate psychic damage. You should read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Outing, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
theangrylawngnome's review
3.0
Amusing premise, cute twists on superhero and villain stereotypes, and even more amusing pokes at pop psychology. Unfortunately this one seemed to fall apart in the last fifty pages. The plot became increasingly confused, and confusing, ceased being amusing and candidly became a chore to finish up. Which is a pity, since the first 200 or so pages had more than their share of chuckles.
belathora's review
4.0
It was a good read.I found myself engrossed in the story and characters. Although it did not end how I thought it should have, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
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