L. L. McKinney

I don't want there to be another book in this series, but there's enough left unanswered that a novella might be needed. I'm pissed that it took until 78% of this book was finished for them to confirm that Alice was a descendant of the Red Queen. Also, why the hell is Hatta kissing Humphrey right before battle but not Alice when they are supposedly a thing? How is that relationship going to work out in the long run? Do they end up in a polyamorus relationship? Based on how Alice felt about show more Humphrey previously, I don't see her being happy to share her boyfriend with him. Also, Humphrey and Chess being the same person? I had a feeling Chess had some wonderland connection due to his violet eyes. But the two being the same person won't ever be resolved now since they all "conveniently" forgot about it. And why would Manxome want Alice to defeat Portentia if it's the first nightmare? Wouldn't having more nightmares make it more powerful? Or is it playing some sort of long game that we wont find out because the story is over?
We also never found out what actually caused Odette's death and both the White Queen and Hatta seem to have recovered from the Madness perfectly fine without the Heart, which was what they were looking for in the first place (one could argue that Alice going all Soul of Wonderland cleared it, but they were acting fine long before that happened). Also, how did Humphrey supposedly kill Sydney when Sydney died of heart failure? Was it a Verse? How did Chess have memories of being kicked out of school for breaking and entering if he is a part of Humphrey? Is Nana K gonna stop aging now that she's back in Wonderland? There are just too many unanswered questions for this to be a satisfying ending to this series.
There is some good humor and I did quite enjoy some of the characters and scenes. I just felt like this series wasn't plotted out very well and needed a few more revisions before going to market. show less

(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Content warning for racist and homophobic violence, sexual assault, police brutality, gun violence, and a school shooting.)

Ever since she uprooted a tree at the age of three to rescue a neighbor's cat, Nubia and her moms have known that she's different. Rather than celebrating her superpowers, her adoptive mothers, Amera and Danielle, decided to hide them instead: because, to a country show more rooted in white supremacy, a Black girl with superhuman strength and speed is more likely to be treated like a villain than a hero, no matter which side she's fighting for.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smiteme/51052925892/

Despite Nubia's best intentions, staying under the radar is harder than ever in the world of smartphones, Twitter, and TikTok - hence the family's many abrupt moves. Now a high school junior, Nubia's carved out a space for herself, with best friends Quisha and Jason, and a cute crush named Oscar. Nubia barely avoids discovery - and arrest - when she foils a robbery at a local convenience store. But when privileged rich boy positively oozing toxic masculinity assaults Quisha at a party, the fallout is captured on camera for the world to see.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smiteme/51052925877/

With racial tensions already simmering in the neighborhood after the police murder of an unarmed Black boy, school dirt bag Wayland weaponizes his whiteness further, threatening Quisha, the movement she helped to build, and the kids' high school and community. Now armed with the knowledge of where she came from, it's up to Nubia to decide who she wants to be: a regular high school kid, or an honest-to-goodness superhero.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smiteme/51052114018/

I came to NUBIA: REAL ONE with very little knowledge of the character or her history (though I've done some internet research since). I love the origin story McKinney decided to run with, and the scenes where Nubia learns of her super-human ancestry are lovely, filled with both humor and heart.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smiteme/51052845606/

Nubia is an endearing character, grappling with the usual teenage awkwardness and angst, both of which are only compounded by her burdensome secret. Nubia's family is adorable (if a little strict, though for obvious reasons), and the reveal at the end is just *chef's kiss*. Quisha, Jason, Oscar - all are multifaceted, memorable supporting characters who, though they may not possess x-ray vision or the ability to control the weather, bring their own special strengths to the table.

As the content warning notes, McKinney tackles a number of difficult subjects in this thin, 207-page volume: racism, homophobia, sexual assault, police brutality, state-sanctioned murder, unwarranted crackdowns on BLM protesters, gun culture, school shootings, domestic violence, bullying ... It seems like a lot when I type it out like that, yet it feels realistic and organic to the story. (It's depressingly easy to picture Wayland going on a rampage because, for once in his spoiled life, dudebro didn't get his way.)

Sadly, this is the world so many young people - especially those claiming one or more marginalized identities - live in. Systemic racism, school shootings (or just the daily reminders that a mass shooting could happen, i.e., drills and metal detectors), hate crimes, bullying ... all can be found in every town and city across America. The question is the same one Nubia struggles with - what are you willing to do about it? show less

Imagine your standard superhero coming-of-age story, but the teenage superhero in question is a Black girl. Not that Peter Parker always has it easy, but the things he gets away with by being white, male, and adorable, are going to be met with a different level of scrutiny when it is a young Black woman. And being an Amazon, Nubia is TALL, and the way this is depicted in the art in key early scenes as this looming Black presence, you just know she isn't going to be given the same kind of show more grace.

This is a slim volume and a quick read, but it packs a LOT of hot button current event issues into its tiny frame. So check your content warnings on this one. There is actually one moment where it felt like a bit of a stretch for me -- like REALLY? We are going to address racism and police brutality and BLM protests and school bullying AND racist infiltration of BLM protests AND school shootings AND...? Like, calm down and leave something for book two?

What really felt like above and beyond departure from the form (in a good way!) for me was Nubia's two moms. The story starts out with the kind of parental over-protection that seems obvious will cause rebellion, with bickering about how to best keep Nubia safe, but when the superhero reveal moment happens, both moms back her fully and pretty much instantly. They put the choice of how to reveal herself in the world fully in Nubia's hands and promise to back her in all she does, and it is so SO refreshing!

I loved the use of color in this book, not just the the color palette was overall rich and pleasing, but the way "realistic" colors were sometime show less

My students really enjoyed this one as did I. Loved that it calls attention to the violence that tends to undergird traditional heterosexual romance. First thing to really call Rochester out for morality in regards to Bertha and Adèle. I also loved that Bertha was bi and Jane was lesbian. Two different models of sexuality. The novel also highlights race in a positive was. It doesn’t play into assumption of whiteness (it points out white characters), and it offers readers the chance to show more make of the revision to race what they will. My students and I kept coming back to the history of British colonialism and slavery by considering Jane’s sense of ethics and responsibility to defend it where the other characters (save Adèle) actively supported Rochester’s imprisonment and abuse of Bertha, Adèle, and Jane for money. Overall, great read! I’d teach it again and invite the author to campus. One of my nontrad students liked it so much they’ll be emailing the author about a sequel. show less