Saturday, October 28, 2017

It's a Wonder!

Wonder Woman was a big part of my childhood:  from Saturday morning cartoons every week where I got to see her battle the bad guys on Super Friends and fly her invisible plane, to reruns of Linda Carter as Diana Prince with her bullet-stopping bracelets and golden lasso. I also really liked Gal Gadot's interpretation of this iconic figure in the movie that came out this past summer. So, when Melody suggested that we read Wonder Woman: Warbringer together as our next buddy read, I thought it was a great idea. (Be sure to check out Melody's review, too.)
In this YA novel by Leigh Bardugo, Diana is young and untested and can't help questioning whether she even deserves to be called an Amazon. When she spots a wrecked ship just beyond the boundary of Themyscira, she feels driven to rescue the only survivor, a modern-day teenager from New York City. But in bringing Alia Keralis to shore, Diana brings the taint of the mortal world to Themyscira. One by one, her friends start to fall sick and earthquakes begin to shake the island. To complicate matters, Diana discovers that Alia is a Warbringer, a descendant of Helen of Troy and an unwitting catalyst for war and destruction. If Diana saves her, she risks the fate of the world. But she just can't stand by and watch Alia die either.
"Hippolyta could claim that Diana was an Amazon, but before everything else, Diana was her daughter, too precious, too breakable to risk. And that was how the other Amazons would always see her:  not as a true sister, but as their queen's child. She would forever be an outsider...But if she made things right, if she got Alia to the spring it wouldn't just be a mission; it would be a quest, a hero's journey, like those set before champions in times of old. The line of Warbringers would be broken. Alia would live, war would be prevented, and Diana would have proven herself....To stop the cycle of Warbringers? To prevent not just one war but countless future wars? That was a deed worthy of an Amazon."
So, after devouring this book, I'm an even bigger fan of Diana Prince. I love that she's courageous and undaunted even when the odds are stacked against her. I love that she believes in truth and justice. That she tries. That she never gives up. And that she stands up for what she believes is right. I love her hope and her spirit. To me, that's the essence of Wonder Woman. And Bardugo captures it perfectly in this book.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer is an exciting and entertaining adventure. There's cool Greek mythology, suspense and action, great fight scenes, and lots of humorous moments, too. I loved Diana's experiences in NYC and her interactions with Alia. (And with Alia's older, bossy brother, Jason!) In fact, I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book. (Thanks again, Melody!) It's a fun and exciting read...especially if you've always been a fan of Wonder Woman, like me.

Happy Reading!

Melody's questions to me after finishing this book:
     Q.  Which story setting and/or adventures do you prefer? Is it Themyscira or New York City?
     A.  I'm a little torn because I love the idea of Themyscira (and wouldn't mind visiting such an awesome island!), but Diana's introduction to the modern world and her subsequent adventures in NYC were so fun they're by far my favorite.

     Q. Among all the supporting characters, who do you like best? Why?
     A. Alia's best friend, Nim, is probably my favorite supporting character because of her style and cool fashion sense, but even  more importantly because of her loyalty to Alia and her courage when everything starts to go wrong.

     Q. Finally, what do you think of our young Diana before and after she was "battle-tested"?
     A. I loved Diana and the way she faced each and every trial in this book. She willingly risked her life to save others, and even risked ever returning to Themyscira. And I admire that about her. And while she's definitely wiser at the end of this novel, with new self-confidence in her own strengths and abilities and a better understanding of her own destiny, I think at her core she's still very much the same person she always was:  Wonder Woman.


23 comments:

  1. I love that you've always been a fan of Wonder Woman. That's a fun buddy read. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seeing the new Wonder Woman movie this summer brought it all back. :)

      Delete
  2. I am listening to the audio version of this right now and enjoying it! I am glad you both liked it too!

    I grew up watching Wonder Woman too. I am so glad my daughter likes her as well. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's a great role model for girls of all ages. :)

      Delete
  3. Great review, Lark! I think Wonder Woman is a superhero idol to many girls back then and now. And once again, I'd a great time reading this book with you. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like you both enjoyed this buddy read!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Melody and you are making me want to read this!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I loved the recent Wonder Woman movie, and, like you, grew up watching Wonder Woman on tv, though not necessarily in reruns! I saw this book and wondered about reading (pun intended), but wasn't sure how and if it fit in with the movie. It doesn't seem to fit, in that movie-Diana hasn't ever left Themyscira when Steve Trevor shows up, while the Diana in this book does. Not that that matters; I know that both DC and Marvel have multiple, often conflicting, storylines for any given character. (It drives me nuts, though. How do you tell which ones are canon? They can't all be...) Anyway, I'm still thinking about reading the book, so I'm glad to have your recommendation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, this book doesn't fit the Wonder Woman timeline that we grew up with, or that's in the original comics, but if you can get past that (or just ignore the discrepancies like I did) then this book is a fun read.

      Delete
  7. Wonder Woman was my hero as a kid and I thought Linda Carter was so beautiful! I plan to see the film on dvd or tv eventually!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I wasn't really into Wonder Woman as a kid, but I loved the new movie. I have heard nothing but praise for this book, so I think I need to grab it from the library!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I used to love Wonder Woman, too! I really enjoyed the movie and am definitely planning to read WARBRINGER. I just need to find some time ... Glad you and Melody both enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I hope you can find time so read this one soon. :)

      Delete
  10. It's interesting there's so much attention around Wonder Woman right now (I think there are at least 2 nonfiction books as well?) I've never been a major fan, but this sounds like a great read on its own. I love that you had a friend to read it with. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reading it with Melody made it even more fun. :)

      Delete
  11. I was a HUGE Wonder Woman fan as a child and watched Linda Carter as Wonder Woman. My mom even made me a Wonder Woman costume for Halloween. Those were the days!

    Have you read the nonfiction book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman by Jill Lepore? It's good! Here's a link to my review of it: https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-secret-history-of-wonder-woman-by.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't read the Lepore...yet. Thanks for the recommendation! :)

      Delete