Review Detail

What I Loved:

The X-Men meets Godfather vibe in this story makes for a fun, fast-paced read. Fiona is an engaging and interesting heroine whose voice immediately draws the reader in. Seth and Miles are also notable characters who will pull readers into the story (for different reasons). The plot moves quickly, and the conflict builds steadily. I especially enjoyed Fiona's efforts to solve her own problems rather than sit around and wait for her brother or her new friends to save her. She often makes mistakes along the way, but that feels authentic. In fact, authenticity is a strength in this story. Never mind that we're dealing with people who have superhuman abilities (due to mutations) or that the number one crime boss in Vegas is involved, Fiona and most of her friends act like typical teenagers. Fiona blushes when she's around the boy she likes, she says and does awkward things while trying so hard not to, and she feels that the impact of every choice she makes will be permanent. Readers who love contemporary voices with a flair for honesty will really enjoy this book, along with fans of X-Man and stories that veer toward the paranormal.

Another thing to note is that the story is very clean in terms of profanity or swoony scenes. Younger readers or those more sensitive to content will enjoy this story.

What Left Me Wanting More:

The mutations aren't very well explained, and I spent a lot of time wondering how the world got to the point that so many people had superhuman abilities. I also had some issues with the romance (at first, though it did grown on me) because the boy starts off acting like a jerk in many ways. Again, I did warm up to the romance, but it took a bit longer for me to fully invest in that relationship.

Final Verdict:

Action-packed plot, authentic voices, and a super fun X-Men vibe make TRANSPARENT a story readers won't want to put down.