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Supernova: Renegades, Book 3
Common Sense says
- Marissa Meyer
- Fantasy
- 2019
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Supernova is the third and final book in a superhero trilogy by Marissa Meyer, the best-selling author of the Lunar Chronicles series and Heartless. Expect a large body count in the lead-up battle and final battle, with a few named and beloved characters killed (a snapped neck, a stabbing, a shooting). Fighting is mostly a superpowered affair with telekinesis, stinging insects, chemical injections and burns, but guns also in the mix. There are also some raw descriptions of tattoos carved out with a knife and trackers injected in prisoners' backs. Like the others in the series, this book has constant talk of characters' traumatic pasts, especially parents killed. This time, there's also a man who deals with sexual abuse he suffered as a child. The rest of the content is fairly mild: some kissing, very little swearing ("damned," "badass," "half-assed," "dammit") and older characters drinking. The main characters, Adrian and Nova, reveal their deepest secrets when they have to in order to save loved ones. Love and family win out over the desire for power and revenge.
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What's the story?
In SUPERNOVA, the Renegades of Gatlon City are reeling after the attack on headquarters that left Max gravely injured and some superheroes stripped of their powers. The hunt is on for Nightmare, the masked instigator of the attack. As the evidence builds up, Adrian realizes it was an inside job. How else could an Anarchist get a hold of Agent N, the superpower neutralizing agent created by the Renegades, and the charm that made her immune to it? But it's not until Danna reappears after being trapped in butterfly form that they have a real lead. One of her swarm of butterflies had been following Nova when it was caught, and she's sure she followed her right to Anarchist headquarters. Adrian is crushed that his girlfriend could be the spy, but still runs out to her house to arrest her. It will take a new underground movement and whole lot of lying to get Nova sprung from prison and back on her quest to save her uncle, Ace Anarchy, the only one who can defeat the Renegades.
Is it any good?
Like the first two books in this trilogy, this superhero saga takes its time building, but eventually delivers a Marvel-movie-style explosive finish. But here the lines are a little murkier between good guy and bad, especially when a main character worth rooting for is on the wrong side of the law. Nova's trip to prison seems like the end for her, and readers will wonder through most of Supernova how she's going to escape a life sentence by the end. And eve, if you're really optimistic, how she's going to get Adrian back when he knows the truth and she knows his secrets and they are both supposed to be killing each other.
But how else could Supernova end, even if it's a bit far-fetched? Author Marissa Meyer could have dug deeper into her characters to make the romance more believable and compelling, but there are so many other characters and their fancy superpowers in play, there's little room for deeper roots to grow.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about what happens when Callum puts on Ace Anarchy's helmet in Supernova. What do the superheroes and villains experience? Does anyone's hopeful vision come to pass?
Who do you think is the biggest hero of the story? Why do you think this?
Who's the character narrating the Epilogue? What hint does she give that the series could continue? Would you read another trilogy about this character?
Book details
- Author: Marissa Meyer
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Superheroes, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Misfits and Underdogs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date: November 5, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 560
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: December 13, 2019
Themes & Topics
For kids who love superheroes
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