Mirror Slide Junction: Book Review -- Heroine's Journey

Friday, December 21, 2018

Book Review -- Heroine's Journey

Finally! I'm all caught up on Sarah Kuhn's Heroine series. Today we have the most recent (but hopefully not last) book in the series: Heroine's Journey.

The story picks up several years after Heroine Worship. In keeping with series tradition, we once again have a new main character, and this time it's Bea. She's done with college (by which I mean she dropped out) and is working at a trendy book store. She dreams of being a superheroine like Evie and Aveda, but Evie refuses to let her join the team because Bea is flighty and Evie is afraid she'll abandon them when the next thing catches her eye. But Bea persists, and Evie eventually lets her hero up as a sort of intern (complete with a ridiculous costume). They then get their next case which is inanimate objects coming to life and attacking people, while other people are outright disappearing.

And because that's not strange enough, Bea also begins receiving supposed messages from their dead mother. Dad can't be bothered with this because he broke like a twig dipped in liquid nitrogen after she died, so it's up to his daughters to find out what the hell's going on. Oh, but that's going to be even more difficult when Bea gets the hots for her rival who probably moonlights as a Chippendales dancer (though this is unconfirmed). Can she put her clothes back on in time to save both the world and every relationship she has?

Sarah Kuhn never fails to deliver an emotional roller coaster that explores both the highs and lows of family. This time, one of the main themes is sisterhood, and she does not hold back. Bea and Evie laugh, they love, they fight--holy crap, do they fight. And due to Bea being a psychological train wreck after their mother's death, she manages to alienate almost everyone in her life. Nevertheless, you'll keep rooting for her because no one deserves what she's been through.

Also, I feel the stakes are more appropriate here with a much more interesting villain. If you haven't read the previous book, then SPOILER ALERT but Dave was just a very underwhelming threat (though I believe this to be intentional because he was portrayed as a lonely loser just looking for somewhere to belong). In contrast, the baddie this time is far more worthy of the series' comic book inspirations, though we see this character very briefly.

In conclusion: I'm quite satisfied with this trilogy. And if Kuhn is to be believed, there's another one coming. I have a very strong theory on who will be the protagonist, but I won't say. Let's just say, I believe a significant time jump will occur between now and then.