This was gold. Ifueko's very creative. Only nitpick some of the Anointed Ones got more spotlight than others.

I love when superheroes/powers meet morality, in this case a Black superhero trying to save the world but still having to deal with racism. Like, yeah, she just saved you, but you’re trying to call the cops on her? I could definitely see even with superhero-villain realities, that racism would still be thriving. *nasally racist’s voice* “I don’t want her, one of the bLaCkS, to save me. I want Superman.” Lemme stop lol.

While I love how adorable Nubia looked, her awkwardness, and her struggles of being a hero in the U.S, I couldn’t always mesh with the storyline. The narrative is not subtle. at. all, but I understand it’s to reach a wider audience. Some scenes just don’t feel like they flow naturally. While there are certainly entitled individuals like Wayland, he felt a bit cartoonish at times. I would certainly believe him typing his garbage on social media, but he would probably do more gaslighting in person.

In the background of the story, a young black boy had recently been murdered, so Nubia’s friend, Quisha organizes a protest.

The peaceful protest gets sabotaged as you would expect by Wayland and his white, entitled diet-frat boy hooligans who think they own the world, and the cops escalate things as you would expect. In addition, another black teen gets shot by the cops

Y’know, this can get very draining (or potentially triggering, I guess) to read, so I’m glad the book acknowledges this in its content warnings. This can be a tender reading experience for some. 

Still, I liked reading this. These new DC comics are really exploring how to make things relevant for today. I hope Nubia gets another book now that we have her origin out of the way.

 Very promising beginning before it fizzles out. The ending gets a little cheesy and violent. The story pokes fun at obvious YA tropes while wrapped in a spy theme until the blandness of the characters collapses underneath its weight. Ain’t nobody really interesting in this book. Juliet was pretty run-of-the-mill. She’s supposed to be quirky and awkward, a little bratty too. I forgot she was supposed to be a super genius. Caden himself wasn’t interesting but his circumstances were. 

Overall, this is a unique story that would’ve benefited from a dual pov. I wanted to know what Dylan was thinking. He was too real for LIC. I wouldn’t have minded learning a bit more about M and D too. 

About that Trevor mess:

  While I was upset with Caden glossing over Natalie’s valid hurt (especially since he was understandably torn up from the floor up when he saw Dyl making out with Juliet), that was a nice plot twist. I’m not even going to play with you. I didn’t see it coming. 

Y’know, being upset over someone cheating is not irrational or unreasonable. TV shows are not indoctrinating no one on that, kay. Like, what type of dusty logic??? 

Also, the reporter was a grown woman. “Y’all are going to jail! Period!” 

Another thing, I don’t know if Dyl was lying to Caden to save face or to hurt him so he wouldn’t mourn after his death, but that totally came out of left field. Sir, you are full of lies.  

 I keep wavering between a 3 and 4, but just know I enjoyed reading this a lot. The dystopian vibes felt plausible even if some the Ilori stuff felt under-baked. I especially liked the book and music references, and how Janelle “Ellie” had agency, whether she made the right decisions or not she still chose them.

Also, there are some seriously cute and poignant lines/moments. If I had read the book version, I would have highlighted them all.

Hey Netflix, yoohoo, do you want to adapt this one?

 My heart! This series is so cute, and I love how Yuki and Itsuomi’s relationship is blossoming. Love-interest #2 dude, either do something or get out the doggone way lol! Itsuomi probably an easy guy to fall for or whatever, but he makes an EFFORT with Yuki. He’s nice to everyone, but he’s extra special nice to her. Because you know he’s feeling her (at least I think so). In this volume, Yuki has lunch/dinner at Itsu’s house and it’s so intimate. 

Even though this series doesn’t aim to educate, it was an interesting tidbit that Yuki commented families with a deaf member/child don’t always use sign language. In her own family, she relied more so on texting or writing things down or vocalizing. 

I’m here for volume 3. 

 9780062894571 

Not really a review but more so some rambling thoughts

-Easy to read. I breezed through pages like it was nothing. I looked up and half the book was already read.

-The different people, the scholars, martials, masks, and so… the racial makeup was hard to get a grasp on. I think scholars are pale, lighter-skinned and martials are generally darker, whether in skin or hair color. But some people are blonde, redhead, dark-haired and so on. Maybe it’s more of a cultural thing than a general look because every character’s looks ran the gamut.

-Marcus was horrid. Like a hyena laughing at brutality, grossness, and violence. I don’t think he had any redeeming value. It’s unfortunate placement the first line about him refers to his darker skin, then him being called ugly.

-I’m not sure why only one girl is allowed each year, and in a school of boys raised to be brutish and barbaric.  

-Things are cruel at the academy for everyone, the students and, especially, the enslaved. The threat of being raped is a very real, ever-present thing here for the female characters and slaves. In addition, the carnage rises high and children are not spared. There’s a constant sense of peril, which runs throughout the story.

-I’m ambivalent about the Helene-Elias stuff. I didn’t really care for the romance aspect in general, but the strain it put on their friendship was interesting to watch. I wonder why Helene is SO loyal to him.

She’s is staking life decisions on one dude.

- I <b>loved</b> the Cook, the real MVP! Also, Laia has some good character development.

- hormones are all powerful. Characters close to death and being actively tortured in ENSLAVEMENT, but got time for their hearts to go doki doki. Well, okay, even during tragedy, people fall in love.

- I'm ready for the Commandment to get rocked.

I guess the real friends we made were the sexism and battle weaponry we met along the way. 

In all seriousness, I’ll read book two. I want to see where this goes.