The complex evolution of Harley Quinn has always been fascinating to me. When I saw that this book dealt with her origin story, I was very excited to read it. With many writers, she feels misunderstood and not necessarily taken seriously. Her relationships with the Joker and Poison Ivy are often debated. (Personally, I love Poison Ivy and Harley!) However, Rachael Allen makes it clear from the first page that she deeply understands Harley, her bisexuality, her intelligence, and how conflicted between good/evil she is. 

In Harley Quinn: Reckoning, Harley must decide whether she is a hero or villain, or someone in between. Allen does an incredible job of including real-world issues such as sexism, sexual abuse, and misuse of power- all with a focus on STEM. The play of power dynamics that takes place in the books is all too real, forcing Harley and her friends to make difficult choices about who to trust. While much of the book deals with serious topics, there is also plenty of witty banter and funny, heartfelt moments.

I loved how Harley and her friends ended up forming a vigilante group and working together to discover who is hunting the girls on campus. The writing is witty and razor-sharp, seamlessly chilling as the plot comes together and the villain is revealed. I also appreciated the cameos from later parts of Harley’s life. I hope Allen can write more of Harley’s story! I really enjoyed Allen’s take on Harley’s origin story and found it very creative and nuanced. I can’t wait to see what Allen writes next! 

Harley Quinn: Reckoning is available now. Thank you so much to Rachael Allen, Random House Children’s, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.