Author: Donna Marie Oldfield
Genre: Dystopian/ YA/ Superhero
Pages: 268
Series: There is a sequel called Heroes and Villains
Publisher: unknown
Rating: 5 stars
Scarlett Shortt is just an average 16 year old until she wakes up in a dark new world. As she tries to make sense of what’s happened to the London she knew, she meets a group of strange teenagers who insist she’s part of their team of superheroes.
She’s sceptical at first, but after run-ins with weird robots, superpowered villains and corrupt cops, she decides that trusting her new friends is her best option. And so the reluctant hero joins their fight to overthrow the evil Prime Minister Goulden, who is determined to shape the world in his own warped image.
Can Scarlett learn to use her powers of telekinesis in time to overcome their many foes and will she ever find out where she is and how she got there?
I can safely say after putting this book down I had a serious book hangover and a desperate craving for more of Scarlett and the team's adventures. Thank Goodness Donna Oldfield was kind enough to send me the sequel or I would be... well...we've all been there!
I've read quite a few books featuring teen superheroes but none quite like this. Its originality was great: Not only was it set in England, unlike many other books of this genre (due to the fact that I'm English this makes it a whole lot easier to understand and relate to.) But the plot was something else! It was totally credible and left lots of work for your own brain to do but not too much so that I couldn't enjoy the read pondering over every issue raised.
It was well thought out, exciting and fast paced, which made the book whiz by and left you thinking 'Oh! I seem to have run out of book!'
The next thing I loved about the book was the characters. I think this book is most suitable for preteens and young teens (although I still enjoyed it at the grand old age of 15) and every character had different traits that younger boys and girls can look up to and idolise. Having connections with characters is vital in all books, and I had empathy for every single one and liked them all (Particularly Neelam) for very different reasons.
Another thing I liked was the touch of romance. I'm a sucker for romance, but the romance here didn't overpower or dominate the story line. It was just a nice flourish to a fantastic story. I thought the chemistry between characters was portrayed excellently and relationships under the circumstances were realistic.
I liked the writing style and thought it was strategically simplistic in some places. I think this was a great element of the book as it makes it more attractive for the audience it is aimed at.
My only criticism would be that I thought the characters didn't develop much. You seemed to start with a character and end with the same person. I believe that experiences such as this one do change people (for better or worse). And although Scarlett and Dylan gain confidence, I felt a bit like none of the characters were built up enough.
Having said this, I think that all in all this book is a triumph. It leaves your head racing, heart pounding and fingers itching to turn the next page.
Happy Reading
Hebe x
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