Reading Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass was a fun way to spend an hour and a half. The graphic novel sees a teen Harley as she moves to Gotham. After the death of her grandmother, Harley is taken in by a lovable crew of Lower Gotham drag queens. But, just as Harley finds stability, encroaching real-estate giant Kane Enterprises, hellbent on owning every strip of land in Gotham, beings a crusade to squeeze the locals out of their community and replace their homes with upmarket corporate real estate.

The highlight of the graphic novel is the wonderful family Harley forms with Mama and the rest of the queens in her apartment building. Her friendship with Ivy, her classmate at Gotham High and the daughter of local community organizers was equally sweet. Their ostentatious protests of the school’s film club and its tyrannical president were a delight.

Tamaki also unpacked the issue of gentrification in an accessible way without getting too afternoon special. The emphasis on community organizing and Harley’s ultimate lesson in how to show up for her friends was executed well. The bittersweet realism of the graphic novel's ending felt true to the grit of the Gotham setting.

I did have some issues with aspects of Harley as a protagonist. She spent a lot of the graphic novel as a passive observer to the conflict of the story. As a newbie to Lower Gotham, she often felt removed from the gentrification the community was fighting against. Her irreverent personality and naivety to the issues being discussed further distanced her from the story’s conflict. While she does become more active I couldn’t help but feel Ivy would have been a more compelling vehicle for this story.

A shining star of the graphic novel was definitely Steve Pugh's fantastic art. His monochromatic almost oil painting-esque style was gorgeous to take in. Pugh was amazing at depicting dynamic action and is his striking nighttime scenes were especially memorable. The outfits on display in this comic were also standout. Harley's everyday wear and her daring harlequin costumes were both stunning. Clown costumes have never looked as good as they did here.

In the end, Breaking Glass was a fun read. Nothing revolutionary, but If you're interested in seeing Harley Quinn's irreverent narration and random humour in a YA story check it out.