Hostage Girl, a.k.a. Gail Godwin, came by her nickname the hard way. Shortly after her move to Chicago, she became a favorite kidnap target by the local villains. Believing that she is dating the superhero Blaze, they keep taking her hostage, baiting him to come and rescue her, which he does, reliably and successfully. Until he doesn't. And then things really start to get interesting for Gail.
Lexie Dunne tells Gail's story in her debut novel, Superheroes Anonymous. Gail's latest captor holds her hostage for a couple of weeks, but Blaze never shows up. She escapes and falls into the hands of the secret society of superheroes, where she discovers that the isotope with which her captor had injected her has actually given her super powers of her own!
Superheroes Anonymous is an origin story, set in a world familiar to fans of superhero movies and comics. The tone is more like Sky High or The Incredibles than Batman. While familiar, the story and setting are wholly original without feeling derivative or like fan fiction. Told from Gail's perspective, the story has a more feminine tone than most superhero stories, but make no mistake: she's no ordinary "damsel in distress." She's tough, a budding superhero with an attitude.
This is a fun read. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. It was a bit like the first episode of a TV series though, with lots of stage setting, not as much action. Which leads to my complaint about the book. Not to give a spoiler, but Dunne ends it in a cliffhanger!! So many questions unanswered. . . . So tune in next time, same Hostage Girl time, same Hostage Girl channel. I will definitely be looking forward to the sequel!
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
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