I love this book. I want more. Many, many more. There is a lot going on: Thom’s developing superpowers, his agonising over his sexuality, his troubled and somewhat distant relationship with his father and his mother’s disappearance. The fact that his parents used to be superheroes themselves. But after his father’s public shaming, these things are no longer mentioned in his house. So Thom feels that needs to keep his sexuality, his powers and the fact he is now a probationary member of the League a secret. Thom is a wonderful character. I found it very easy to get inside his head and to understand his actions and decisions. He wants to please his father but still be true to himself. He works a few different jobs for money and is on the basketball team to make his father proud. He is by no means perfect but I loved him. My heart broke for him when he was kicked out of the League for being gay and telling the truth and his father’s reaction to this. The unfairness of it overwhelmed me and I teared up a little. It is also a humorous novel with tongue planted firmly in cheek on occasions. Thom finds himself in a predicament with porn, the superhero names are amusing (Typhoid Larry’s power is making people ill) and they do gently poke fun at the mainstream Marvel and DC characters in a goofy sort of way. All characters were well developed but my favourites were the other probationers in Thom’s group. We have the initially loathsome Golden Boy (the shamed sidekick in charge of the group) and Miss Scarlett, Typhoid Larry and the fantastic Ruth, a rather droll near-elderly lady who just happens to be a bit psychic. My favourite parts of the book were where this motley crew were bickering at each other. There was all of this characterisation going on and yet the world building was equally as fantastic. Okay, so the characters may be familiar to those who read comic books, I get that, but it is not a complete rip-off of the worlds from the big comic book publishing houses. The plot was great and full of twists I genuinely never saw coming. The ending blew me away and had me bawling my eyes out.

This is so much more than just a book about superheroes ridding the world of evil-doers in spangly spandex outfits. Don't get me wrong, there is a plentiful suply of spandex, but there is so much more. For starters we have one the nicest main characters you will ever encounter in literature, and your heart will go out to him as he struggles through adolescent life and all that that entails, and this kid has some serious issues to deal with. Then there's the story, which is a much about coming-of-age as it is solving crimes and stopping the bad guy, with plenty of shameful pasts and life changing mysterious to be discovered. So if you're looking for a break from the countless supernatural romance stories doing then rounds, then you should treat youself to this little marvel !!! (and that is an unintentional comic book reference pun!!! )