Hench

I read this because I saw a tweet that mentioned Hench when talking about “unsettling easy distinctions between heroes/villains through narrative moments of unbearable intimacy” and this is precisely what Hench was. This is a 4.5 for me.

In the age of superheroes, few works invite us to talk and think about what the world would really be if they existed. What would be the consequences to normal people, to the everyday human, and how that impact would mold our society? Hench does all of this and more.

There's a great depth of analysis in this book, a great representation of a disabled protagonist and other characters, a great bisexual representation that is never shamed, and the whole LGBTq+ gets their moments too. We have POC characters that aren't stereotypical or forgetful.

If all of that isn't enough, Hench has great humor moments, but it's not a book for you if you're squeamish because the gore is present a lot, and there are also lots of triggers. There are also lovely and warming moments that give us comfort and make us fall in love with the characters and their relationships.

Last but not least Anna. She is a great protagonist for me, she captivated me and made me root for her for the entirety of this book. I am already a villain girl, but Anna makes it easy, not only because there's so much good in her that she's better than most heroes, but because she's loveable and funny and so so lonely and precious it hurts. I'll be waiting for the second book to pass more time in her presence.