2.5 Stars (outliner)

Lili Gray is a ten-year-old with a secret superpower. However, this superpower is so embarrassing that she doesn’t know what to do with it. But with Lili’s dad vanishing and her stepmother looking like a supervillain, Lili knows she needs to solve the case, especially since no one is willing to believe her. With her best friend Ale, Lili now has to figure out how to navigate the new complications in her life. 

The story comes in Lili’s first-person POV in the present tense. 

I wish I loved this one, but it was not to be. The premise is highly appealing, exactly the kind kids would enjoy. However, the content doesn’t hit the mark in many aspects. 

Firstly, I love the friendship between Lili and Ale. It is the highlight of the book and the best part of the story. 

The pacing is decent. Since there’s no proper backstory or explanation, the story moves ahead quickly. 

The superpower is easily guessable and does result in a lot of humor, even if 60% of the comedy feels flat. Kids might enjoy it more, so consider it a plus point (to an extent). 

The book also deals with bullying, along with a bunch of other things. 

Now, the issues are with Lili and her relationship with her family. I still can’t understand the dynamics. Her hatred for Bella (stepmom) doesn’t, even seem to have any basis (the excuse used later on is ridiculous). Just coz her dad read her fairytales about stepmothers doesn't make her a villain. Makes no sense at all! 

Then, there are many pieces missing to create a picture of her family. There’s no info about how the mother died. And if it was two years ago, how did her dad meet Bella, and when did they marry? How did the mom die? While resenting the new parent is not uncommon, Lili’s case seems to go a bit too far. Of course, she realizes her mistakes, which is good, but the direct first-person POV doesn’t help in this case. 

We have the same question again – why is it so easy for Lili to trust outsiders than her family? If there was something to trigger this, the context would have made more sense. Even in kiddo books, we need some structure. Kids can ask a lot of questions (and they won’t find answers here). 

There’s another question about… let’s say, certain wearable aspect that hasn’t been dealt with. It could be an embarrassing scenario, not to mention risky for children. 

While the ending is rounded, there’s also an opening for a sequel or to extend this into a series. It’s an ambitious idea and will work if the next books focus on providing a proper backstory to understand the characters, their relationships, and the setting. 

What works on the screen doesn’t work in books due to the inherent difference in the medium. Books need more detail and better characterization. This one could have been terrific with another 30-50 pages focusing on developing the characters and the plot. 

To summarize, Lili Gray and the World’s Most Embarrassing Superpower could have been a blockbuster but ended up underwhelming. Of course, this is an outliner review. It might work better if you go with the flow and not bother with the details. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #LiliGray