Scan barcode
A review by kadtide
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It's a very fun book and a breath of fresh air when it comes to the superhero genre. The anti-crime vigilante violence typical of the genre, which often reads like above-the-law police brutality justified by the heinousness of the villains, is treated as a symptom of a corrupt government creating false conflict to control the masses through propaganda. This is hinted at from the start, but we as the reader get to follow Jess as she realizes the ways in which she's been lied to all her life and decides to break free of the mold and fight against corruption.
Many of the twists are telegraphed long before they become relevant, although I don't see this as a flaw- instead of the suspense of "what's going to happen next?" it's a Chekhov's gun of "I wonder when Jess will realize X?" And for many of them while it is easy for the reader to see what's going on, it makes perfect sense why Jess, living inside the universe, wouldn't pick up on them right away.
The diversity feels natural and not forced, and despite being over 100 years in our future, a lot of the everyday struggles feel relevant to our world today. Jess experiences casual racism for being Asian, and struggles with her identity as being both Vietnamese and Chinese, yet not having the connection of having grown up with either culture. She is comfortable in her queer identity, but still struggles with the age-old question, "does my crush also like girls?" And on a larger scale, the issues with government corruption, propaganda, and the police state reflect similar issues in the US right now.
I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Many of the twists are telegraphed long before they become relevant, although I don't see this as a flaw- instead of the suspense of "what's going to happen next?" it's a Chekhov's gun of "I wonder when Jess will realize X?" And for many of them while it is easy for the reader to see what's going on, it makes perfect sense why Jess, living inside the universe, wouldn't pick up on them right away.
The diversity feels natural and not forced, and despite being over 100 years in our future, a lot of the everyday struggles feel relevant to our world today. Jess experiences casual racism for being Asian, and struggles with her identity as being both Vietnamese and Chinese, yet not having the connection of having grown up with either culture. She is comfortable in her queer identity, but still struggles with the age-old question, "does my crush also like girls?" And on a larger scale, the issues with government corruption, propaganda, and the police state reflect similar issues in the US right now.
I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism