A review by thebookbin
Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

 At work yesterday I finished Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. This is a YA graphic novel, which I would describe as a teen revenge fantasy à la Jennifer's Body. Becca has just moved to a new school and she's desperate to fit in. When she gives a stranger a tampon in the bathroom, she is launched into a whole new life wherein she is initiated into a pack of man-eating werewolves. Except these werewolves are a pack of teenage girls. The story is a lot darker than I'd expect, and honestly I thought it would be a lot better as an adult graphic novel rather than YA. In order to keep it YA they gloss over a lot of the horror elements, which almost makes it even more horror-y but unintentionally.
When the pack alpha upsets the leader of another pack, they kill her and Becca and her girlfriend eat her heart out, literally so they can stop being werewolves. Then Becca and her girlfriend go on a date to homecoming lol.
 

I mean I did like the themes of female rage, and I definitely appreciated how they only went after sleazy guys, but the fact that they couldn't confront some themes and plot elements because it was YA really took away from it for me. 
Overall I think I'm a fan of this sapphic spooky read, I just wish it embraced itself in all its gory glory. 

4.5/5 eat your heart out stars
Expand filter menu Content Warnings