Muerte de un superhéroe

by Anthony McCarten, Damià Alou (Translator)

Donald F. Delpe es un adolescente atormentado. No sólo tiene la terrible rebeldía propia de la edad y está obsesionado por el sexo, la música, los videojuegos y las drogas como el resto de su pandilla, sino que además padece una forma de leucemia de enorme gravedad, lo cual le convierte en un joven difícil tanto para los profesores como para los padres, cuyas esperanzas echa por tierra una y otra vez al negarse a afrontar los problemas del mundo real y refugiarse en el mundo ficticio de los superhéroes inmortales, los villanos implacables y sensuales mujeres fatales. La llama de la esperanza se reaviva cuando los progenitores contratan al Dr. King, un famoso psicólogo, pero éste rompe las reglas, traiciona la confianza de los padres y se lo juega todo para ayudar a Donald a cumplir su mayor deseo. ¿O es Donald quien salva al médico?

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Coming Of Age, School, Roman, Novels

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Anthony McCarten’s debut novel, Spinners, won international acclaim, and was followed by The English Harem and the award winning Death of a Superhero, and Show of Hands, all four books being translated into fourteen languages. McCarten has also written twelve stage plays, including the worldwide success Ladies’ Night, which won France’s Molière Prize, the Meilleure Pièce Comique, in 2001, and Via Satellite, which he adapted into a feature film and directed, premiered at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. Also a filmmaker, he has thrice adapted his own plays or novels into feature films, most recently Death Of A Superhero (2011) which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Anthony divides his time between London and Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein Roman, der in Zeile 8 schon anfängt mit "Wut ist seine Standardeinstellung. Wehmut auch", kann ja nur ein Meisterwerk sein, und mit dieser Einschätzung habe ich mich bis zur letzten Zeile nicht getäuscht.

Don ist 14, schwerstens pubertierend, notgeil auf der Suche nach Liebe und krebskrank. Sein Psychiater versucht ihm auf unkonventionelle Weise Freude und Lebenswillen zu vermitteln. Ihr meint hier sei der perfekte Mix für einen todtraurigen, tränendrüsendrückenden, empathischen, besonders wertvollen Schmachtfetzen von einem Jugendroman gelegt? Da liegt ihr völlig falsch, aber wer mich kennt, weiss ja ganz genau, dass ich gegen Kitsch allergisch bin.

Noch nie habe ich eine einerseits so witzige und andererseits so realistische Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema Krebs, Liebe, Freundschaft und Sterben gelesen. Alleine die bildhaften Beschreibungen, was Krankheit und Chemo im Körper anrichten, suchen ihresgleichen. Weiters habe ich Tränen gelacht ob der Situationskomik, und gerade weil das Buch so witzig ist, ist es todernst. Und das Ende......herrlich ein Triumph - jeder bekommt was er verdient - so aber jetzt hör ich auch schon zu spoilern auf :-)

Abschliessend möchte ich mich noch bei einem Mitarbeiter des Diogenes Verlags bedanken, der mehrere meiner Reviews gelesen hat und darauf basierend das mir völlig unbekannte Werk ans Herz gelegt hat. Punktgenau meinen Geschmack getroffen - versenkt!

Fazit lesenswert für alle!

[Asu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not crying. There's something in my eye...

Just finished this wonderful piece of literature on the train and shamelessly dissolved into tears in public. I should've seen this coming. As far as cancer stories go the end is always near but I didn't expect it to still move me so deeply to the core.

That's the plot actually. Teenager with leukemia who has already given up and lost himself in his comic alter ego, MiracleMan - suitably named after his unique trait: indestructibility - finds something worth fighting for and then dies. This is not a spoiler, you should expect nothing else from a cancer story and the title: DEATH of a Superhero.

But that doesn't necessarily mean it's not worth the ride because trust me it is. By comparing the protagonist to the comic alter ego the author manages to tell the story with such creativity and ease that just for a moment, or rather a frame, you will forget the gravity of the situation. And you will enjoy Donald's last journey very much.

I watched the movie before I read this book. Something I sometimes do to ensure that I will appreciate both takes on the story individually and I wasn't disappointed. The movie is different of course but definitely worthwhile, not only because it gives your faces to the character you're gonna fall in love with.

But back to the book. It is divided into three acts like a playbook and written in third person narrative. But the narrator doesn't stick to Donald's POV but follows other characters as well, such as the parents, the brother or the psychiatrist assigned to stop Donald's angry attempts at setting his own deadline to his life.

Donald: Meet Donald Delpe. Your typical 14-year-old boy. Sarcastic attitude, know-it-all, sex-obsessed, comic book fan - with extreme anger at the injustice put on him and suicidal tendencies. But there's more to his character than meets the eye. For one he's an artist and started his own comic series about his comic alter ego MiracleMan who is in contrast to him invincible. Plus, he has not turned to stone but still has human feelings inside of him. Feelings like fear and the need to experience something mind-blowing before he checks out.

Dr. Adrian King: Adrian is the 6th psychiatrist assigned to Donald after he tries another suicide attempt. Definitely not an easy task, trying to ignite the will to live in such a miserable and angry young man who sees only black and white. And it's not like Adrian doesn't have his own baggage which is a complicated wife who claims to love him but also her freedom very much. That might be the reason he is so carefree with Donald, letting him ignore him, insult him, yell at him... However, Adrian is very much a pole to Donald with his unnerving patience and understanding. As far as shrinks go, Adrian is the type of guy, I'd want to be working on if I needed a shrink.

Over the course of the time they spent together Donald and Adrian first develop mutual understanding and respect for each other and then a deep friendship that even goes that far that Adrians agrees to help Donald to his greatest wish, go out with a bang - literally.

This book will make you laugh and cry all the same. There's a slight act two drag like in most stories but you just have to push past that and keep on reading till the very end which will be everything you expected and then some.

b>What I love most about this story is that it not only tells a story, no, it also teaches you about so many fundermental things. Like youth, friendship, love, need, thirst for life. And it puts things into perspective. I definitely recommend this to anyone out there. May you be healthy or sick, happy or miserable. Go read this book, you will not be disappointed.

[kiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars.

WOW what an incredible book !

*review ish*

I literally have no words. It was flipping brilliant. Death of a Superhero is not at all what I expected it to be. I remember I put a photo of it up on my snapchat and my friend Isaiah said "but superheroes can't die?" and I was like EXACTLLLYYYY! I love the irony. Anyways.
Death of a Superhero was not written in a novel-like format but rather a movie script. This gave you so much insight on how the protagonist sees the world. This book is divided into three parts (or acts), and within act 1 we're introduced to our protagonist, Donald, who is diagnosed with leukemia. He hates himself, wants to die, and feels very hopeless. But wait! It's not exactly like that. Anthony McCarten literally rips your heart out. We meet Donald when he's at his peak of madness. He refuses to acknowledge his parents - especially his mother - and escapes through music and his comics. Donald creates a superhero alter-ego named MiracleMan who he low-key lives through (it took me awhile to realise that MiracleMan's stories was literally what had just happened to Donald). We also have the perspective of Dr Adrian King, Donald's psychologist. This gives the readers an insight on a completely different view of a person in a completely different situation which I think is bloody incredible. We see that Donald uses his diagnoses to his advantage at times, for example, cutting in line. He also tried it again when he wanted to enter an 18+ movie (if I remember correctly).
In act 2 of the novel Donald actually begins to express his feelings more vulnerably, confessing that he's "so f*cking scared" to his mum. His level of vulnerability continues when he later loses his only friends Michael and Raff (who are dicks by the way, so I personally don't think it was such a loss, but bby Donald needs all the support he could get amirit).
Something that Donald wants to experience before he departs this world is sexual intercourse. The problem, though, is that he always pictures girls with horns and a pitchfork if they're "hot". So imagine my feelings when he finally found someone and "don't see a pitchfork in sight". Anywho, Adrian decided to try to hook him up with a hooker and well you gotta read to find out because oh my gosh those few chapters like his decision to be a good boy and have morals like I can't. Oops, this isn't even a review anymore I'm sorry.
I just need to say that act 1 was extremely slow and I didn't fly through like I did with act 2 and 3. But it's okay because act 2 and 3 were so worth the read. Donald's parents annoyed the bajizzles out of me at the end of the book but what can you do, they're grieving (that's not a spoiler because y'all should have expected this).
I think by now everyone who reads my reviews should know that character development is what I live for. So, basically, Donald's character development is A++ and I'm so proud of him. I'm even proud of Adrian King, like what?

I highly recommend this book to those of you contemplating or have it sitting in your tbr list. It's not your typical sad cancer story. It is so much more.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nach Jahren endlich gelesen und für gut befunden. Kleinere Probleme gab es mit den Comicstellen, aber wir haben uns mit der Zeit arrangiert.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

La historia como tal está bien, pero no sé si ha sido la manera de escribirla o la de traducirla que se me ha quedado demasiado artificial :/

El final sí me ha gustado más he de decir

[laurenalesemaus · Rating 1 out of 5]

finde das buch echt problematisch, solche denkweisen sollten nicht normalisiert werden
frau≠sexobjekt???!!
das einzig gute war der letzte akt, der hat mich bissi berührt

[Sternenstaubsucherin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So ein wundervolles Buch! Lebensbejahend, traurig und witzig! Einfach nur toll!

[Buchstabenträumerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

JA, DER JUNGE AUF DER BRÜCKE VERGLEICHT SICH MIT VERGLÜHENDEN STERNEN, WÄHREND ER DARAUF WARTET, DASS DIE EINZELNEN ELEMENTE SEINES TODESWUNSCHES – EKEL, WUT, SCHMERZ, ÜBELKEIT, SCHWÄCHE, FRUSTRATION, UNGERECHTIGKEIT, NEID, EINSAMKEIT, REUE – SICH ZU EINER KRAFT VERBINDEN, DIE AUSREICHT, IHN IN DIE TIEFE ZU STOSSEN. (SEITE 38)

Auf der diesjährigen LitBlog Convention hatte ich das Glück, der Lektorin Anna von Planta lauschen zu können, die von ihren Begegnungen mit Anthony McCarten und seinen Werken sprach. Sie erzählte auch von ihrem ersten Eindruck von „Superhero“ und ihrem Erstaunen über dieses ungewöhnliche Manuskript. Der Roman ist in Teilen wie ein Theaterstück, wie ein Comic, wie ein Drehbuch geschrieben – ein Sammelsurium der verschiedenen Möglichkeiten, eine Geschichte zu erzählen. Doch nicht allein das macht „Superhero“ zu dem, was es ist: zu einem besonderen Werk.

Denn unabhängig vom Erzählstil hat Anthony McCarten eine äußerst feinfühlige Geschichte über einen todkranken Jungen geschrieben, die gleichzeitig traurig, überraschend witzig und vielschichtig ist. Der Autor nimmt das Schicksal von Donald Delpe ernst, zeichnet es aber nicht nur Grau in Grau. Vielmehr strotzt „Superhero“ förmlich vor Farbe und Leben, nicht zuletzt wegen der Comic-Szenen, die man als Leser auf Anhieb vor Augen hat. Sie bringen Abwechslung ins Lesen, ebenso wie in Donald’s tristen Alltag zwischen Behandlungen und Therapie und die Zeit mit seiner Familie. Die Comic-Geschichten sind wunderbar überspitzt und im Grunde dreht sich alles nur um Superhelden und Schurken und Sex. Vor allem Letzterer ist omnipräsent in Donald’s Gedanken und gleichzeitig ein wichtiges Plotelement.

DANN UM DIE MITTAGSZEIT EIN KLEINER AUSFLUG ZUR RADIOLOGIE, EINE ART MITTAGSPAUSE AUF DEM ATOMWAFFENTESTGELÄNDE; NACH GENAU DER RICHTIGEN DOSIS GAMMA- UND RÖNTGENSTRAHLEN, MIRKO- UND ÜBERHAUPT ALLEM AUSSER DER LA-OLA-WELLE, WIRD ER ZURÜCK ZUM VERGNÜGUNGSDAMPFER GEFAHREN, STATION EINS, STADTKRANKENHAUS WATFORD, UND DA LIEGT ER, MIT GIFT VOLLGEPUMPT, EIN ZUCKENDER ZOMBIE. (SEITE 173)

Doch wer nun meint, dass es in „Superhero“ nur um einen hormongesteuerten Jugendlichen dreht, irrt sich. Klar geht es um Erfahrungen, doch anfangs kaum spürbar, später immer offenkundiger, gewinnt die Story an Tiefe und Emotionalität. Und auch Donald Delpe ist kein eindimensionaler Charakter. Mal fügt er sich desillusioniert in sein Schicksal, mal lehnt er sich geradezu heroisch dagegen auf. Aber ganz gleich, wie er sich gerade fühlt, er flieht regelmäßig in seine Comic-Welt. Sie ist sein Refugium, sein Safe-Space, sein alternatives Universum, in dem alles in Ordnung ist. Dort kann er alles sein und alles erleben, was ihm im echten Leben verwehrt bleibt.

OB GESUNDHEIT NICHT AUCH METASTASEN BILDEN KONNTE? […] WARUM SOLLTE MAN SICH NICHT MIT AKUTEM WOHLGEFÜHL ANSTECKEN KÖNNEN, EINER KRANKHEIT, ÜBER DIE DIE GESAMTE WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION STAUNEN WÜRDE, EINE EPIDEMIE, DIE SICH GNADENLOS AUSBREITET, DIE JEDEN ERWISCHEN KANN, UND JEDER, BEI DEM SIE AUSBRICHT, FÜHLT SICH…EINFACH WUNDERBAR. (SEITE 238/239)

Rund um Donald Delpe gibt es noch weitere Charaktere, deren Schicksal von nicht weniger großer Intensität ist. Da wären die Eltern von Donald sowie sein Bruder und sein Psychologe und dessen Ehefrau. Alle rotieren sie um Donald, mit ihren eigenen Sorgen, Wünschen und Hoffnungen im Gepäck. Dank ihnen rückt das Schicksal von Donald – so schwer zu tragen es auch ist – nicht zu sehr in den Vordergrund. Der Autor drückt dadurch nicht unentwegt und schon gar nicht zwanghaft auf die Tränendrüse, sondern achtet sorgsam darauf, dem Leser einen Ausgleich zu bieten und ein rundes Bild zu zeigen.

Fazit

„Superhero“ von Anthony McCarten ist eine sehr berührende Geschichte über den schwerkranken Donald Delpe, der seinen eigenen Helden erfindet und am Ende ganz anderen und realen Helden begegnet, die ihn auf seinem Weg begleiten. Diese Geschichte ist stilistisch äußerst vielseitig: Comic trifft auf Theater trifft auf Drehbuch. Doch der Mix funktioniert! Als Leser ist man unmittelbar Teil dieser manchmal etwas verrückten, aber immer liebenswerten Welt von Donald Delpe. Man lacht, man weint, aber nie wird man in diese Emotionen gedrückt – was das Thema nahe legen könnte -, sie kommen unaufdringlich und echt. Ein tolles Buch!

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zum Blog: Tintentick

Donald, 14 Jahre jung, hat keine Zeit mehr. Er liebt Comics wie andere Jungs in seinem Alter, aber eines unterscheidet ihn doch von vielen: Er hat Leukämie und hat keine Hoffnung mehr. Donald wollte noch so viel erleben, unter anderem wie das so mit den Mädchen und dem Sex ist. Wie soll das klappen, wenn er schwerkrank ist?

Um mit seiner Wut über das Leben umzugehen, zeichnet er MiracleMan, einen Comichelden und seinen AlterEgo. MiracleMan kämpft gegen den Krebs, etwas das Donald nicht mehr kann. Doch Hilfe im richtigen Leben findet sich für Donald in dem sympathischen Psychologen Dr. Adrian King, der nicht nur das Vertrauen des Jugendlichen gewinnt, sondern auch den verlorenen Mut und Lebenswillen zu wecken versucht.

Anthony McCarten entwickelt in „Superhero“ ein ungewöhnliches Setting, das facettenreicher nicht sein könnte. Wir werden mit Verzweiflung, Hilflosigkeit, zerplatzten Träumen und der Vergänglichkeit des Lebens konfrontiert. Doch neben dem schweren, betrüben Ton, bringt dieses Buch noch eine andere Grundstimmung mit - Eile, Stress und Nase-voll. Das liegt daran, dass Donald genervt ist. Von allem. Und das stellt der Autor sehr gut dar, verdeutlicht wie Donald fühlt und wie ihm die Zeit davon zu laufen scheint.

Daneben ist aber auch der Stil des Buchs ungewöhnlich. McCarten schreibt im Drehbuch-Stil mit Comicelementen. Manchmal sind wir Leser in Donalds Comictraum mit MiracleMan unterwegs und dann wieder in der Realität - das ist erfrischend neu, aber erfordert doch etwas Gewöhnung. Ich habe mich mit zunehemender Seitenzahl allerdings gefragt, ob ich einen Roman über einen krebskranken Jungen oder ein Hollywood-Kinofilmskript in der Hand halte. Vom Lesegefühl her tendierte ich eher zu Letzterem.

Dieses Lesegefühl ist auch der Grund, weshalb ich trotz der berührenden Thematik die Figuren bis zum Schluss nicht gänzlich ins Herz schließen konnte und mir der Zugang zu ihnen nicht immer gelungen ist. In der Konsequenz verzeihe ich dann auch die Schwachpunkte in der Handlung nicht: Manchmal war mir die ein oder andere Situation zu konstruiert und mit zu viel überzogenem Drama gewürzt. Genauso empfand ich auch bei Donalds pubertären Sexgedanken, die ich nach kurzer Zeit als übertrieben und störend empfunden habe.

Fazit
„Superhero“ ist ungewöhnlich, intensiv und bringt uns Leser trotz der Tragik zum Grinsen. Das ist eine gelungene Mischung, die sich jedoch manchmal mehr nach Hollywood-Kinofilm anfühlt, denn als realistische, authentische Geschichte über einen krebskranken Jungen, der einfach nur sein Leben leben will. Trotzdem kann ich dieses Buch allen empfehlen, die gerne ein Drama mit einer Prise Humor lesen und dem Drehbuch-Stil nicht abgeneigt sind.

[Fantastiškų KŽL]

Niekaip nevertinsiu, nes nebaigiau. Tokia intriguojanti pradžia, o paskui nebesupratau, apie ką ir visai praradau norą skaityt, deja.

[antonia.eleven · Rating 1 out of 5]

danke für gar nichts.
zeitverschwendung.
das ende fand ich dann doch ganz rührend, also als er gestorben ist.

[Georg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Einerseits: Der Junge, der es so gar nicht darauf anlegt, sympathisch zu wirken, wächst einem doch ganz schön ans Herz. Auch an den Psychologen, mit all seinen Macken, gewöhnt man sich irgendwie. Da gilt auch gerade noch für den Pfleger, von dem man schon bei der ersten Beschreibung (hässlich, undiszipliniert und schlecht gekleidet) ahnt, dass der sein Herz am rechten Fleck…. uahhhh.

Alle anderen, die nichtsnutze Pferdeflüsterin, die überforderten Eltern, die zwei Klischeeheiligen (die heilige Hure Tanya und die heilige Unschuld Shelly), und schließlich der doofe Bruder und die albernen Freunde, sind Abziehbilder übelster Sorte.

Natürlich darf Don kein schlechter Zeichner sein. Natürlich schläft er nicht mit der Prostituierten, sondern mit seiner großen Liebe. Natürlich wehrt sich Adrian nicht gegen die gegen ihn erhobenen Vorwürfe. Die Heiligen bleiben eben heilig, und die Edlen müssen leiden. Alles wie gehabt.

Es hat sich gezeigt, dass man in der Regel aus einem guten Buch keinen Film machen soll, aus einem Film keine Serie, aus einem Roman kein Theaterstück etc. Was man jetzt noch weiß: Man soll aus einem Comic keinen Roman machen und in einem Roman keinen Comic erzählen. Haut einfach nicht hin.

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'd at page 50. I was really looking forward to this book based on the reviews, the concept (dealing with a life-threatening illness as a teenager through superheroes), and the style of writing (mixed format of script and novel with some comic book-type elements). I found the writing to be really poetic and interesting. HOWEVER, I found its treatment of women to be disturbing. There are very casual mentions of (TW) rape and necrophilia within the first 50 pages. While the character is a hormonal teenager and these are painted as fantasy, that is not an excuse to me, as unfortunately, teenage boys can definitely sexually harass and attack teenage girls. So no, I'm good.

[Channah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I decide to finish this right before bed I'm going to cry myself to sleep 😭😭😭

[dlwlrmech]

zeitverschwendung

[Aistė Skaito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nepatinka man vertinti knygų žvaigždutėmis.
Knyga labai patiko, skaitysiu tikrai dar ne kartą ir rekomenduosiu kitiems, bet yra smulkmenėlių, kurio ne tiek kiek man nepatiko, bet buvo šiek tiek perspaustos (nešvankumas keturiolikmečio vaikino galvoje)
Bet ši knyga pribloškė savo gilumu ir išskirtinumu. Puiki dinamika tarp liūdnos ir linksmos tematikos, realaus pasaulio ir komiksų. Tiesiog wow

[Julie Sejbalová]

This is what I wrote as a review for school. It is long, but it might help. There might be spiolers!

BOOK REVIEW – DEATH OF A SUPERHERO – ANTHONY MCCARTEN

Donald F. Delpe is a fourteen-year-old boy. He is avid for music, videogames, sex and
comic books, just as any other teenage kid. Except for Donald is suffering from life-
threatening form of leukemia. He lives in his own world of comic superheroes he creates.
MiracleMan – desired reincarnation of Don – is indestructible, but he is in some ways as
usual as other people.
Donald’s parents are very desperate; they even turned to the God. Donald doesn’t fight
his disease because he finds it wretched, boring and hopeless, and that drives his
parents crazy. Don’s older brother Jeff is eighteen. He is of course saddened by his
brother’s disease, but never shows it. He is eighteen, trying to enjoy his life as much as
possible in that situation.
Dr. Adrian King is Donald’s psychologist, umpteenth. He is into art, books and all in all
peaceful life. He lives in a messy apartment with his cat Rufus. His wife, who he visits
only at weekends, lives on a remote farm. They have partner problems that Silvia –
Adrian’s wife – doesn’t care about and Adrian is too timid to solve. Adrian is doing his
best to help his patients, especially Don, with who he built up an extremely remarkable
friendship. He hesitates whether he should do his job and help Donald as a professional,
what he is paid for, or relieve his pain and fear of dying in an illegal way. He might be the
only one to look into Don’s cartoon life.
MiracleMan, an indestructible superhero. Donald’s alter ego. He longs for girls – a lot, but
he never can reach them. He always farts; that is Donald’ expression of an imperfection
he finds in himself. Still he is a superhero; he saves people and rectifies injustice in the
world. MiracleMan has 70 times more leukocytes that common people.
The Glove is MiracleMan’s dreadful enemy. He is wearing medical gloves all of the time.
He finds pleasure in harming MiracleMan. The Glove represents all of the doctors and
nurses, medicals and diseases that are ruining Donald’s life
The story is placed in a small sea-side town of Watford. It is in some ways a peaceful
place, but for Don it is like a prison. Most of the time Donald escapes in his cartoon-like
imagination with superheroes and sexy nurses, so that he has no clue of the real world.

Everyone is trying to overcome Donald’s illness and all of the mental problems that
come with it. Yet it is his life, his call. Maybe death does win, but at least he can decide
when.
_______________________
Donald is suffering from a life-threatening form of leukemia. It has been six months since
he has been going through radiotherapy, chemotherapy and many other types of cure
and even alternative medicine. He stopped going to school and visiting his friends. He is
supposed to study at home. What for? He is going to die anyway. These are Donald’s
thoughts about current situation. He does not care. MiracleMan is on his mind most of
the time. His cartoon-like world, full of superpower, sexy girls and nurses leading him to
certain death in The Glove’s hands, feels like the only save place to be. Because he surely
cannot die. He is MiracleMan. A superhero. And superheroes don’t die.
But inside this shell Donald is an ordinary fourteen-year-old boy. A teenager, who wants
to enjoy his life, have a girlfriend, try new thing and live long. He expresses all of these
desires he never can have into his drawings. He feels like no-one understands him and
his feeling. That he is all alone. The only one in the entire universe facing this dread.
Donald’s parents are despaired. Their son is dying. And there is no sigh of fighting the
disease that Donald would indicate. They have paid for so many therapists and
psychologists that they could buy a car if they had saved the money. They found another
one. People say he is the best, for sure.
For Adrian, Donald is just another patient. But a few weeks pass and he sees something
peculiar in Don. Adrian is into art and Don’s drawings are very, very interesting.
Showing him the inner Donald Delpe. He is probably the only one to know the story
depicted by the cartoons. Donald and he become something like friends. Neither too
close nor too distant. Adrian tells Donald about his personal life, his troubles with Sophia
and his cat. In return, Donald reveals his biggest fear. Not dying a virgin.
Adrian finds a pro woman for Donald. Adrian helps him realize their plan of getting Donald
out of the hospital and enjoying his night. He does enjoy his night but in a bit different
way.
Donald opens Adrian’s eyes and shows him how to see life, love, hopelessness and death.
Adrian deals with his personal-life problems in a way no-one would have expected.

Donald’s leaving is a wound for everyone. But not for MiracleMan. He is indestructible.
Living forever. A Superhero cannot feel death. Everyone will remember how he used to
shine. Back then.
_______________________
- A sunflower in the rain.

Is the first sentence that catches your eye on the opening page. It somehow describes
Donald in a single expression. Imagine a single beautiful bright-yellow flower standing
strong against the raindrops, knowing she is going to fade and wither.

- Every beast is waiting for death. Ours.

Expresses the terrible truth behind all this. It is deadly true. And for Donald a nightmare
he gets every night.

- Life is a sexually transmitted disease. It’s spread by people having sex,
and in the end it kills you.
This is how Donald sees life. A pointless thing caused because of two people you would
rather wish not to know. A single person never can change the world, so why bother? He
sees no point in trying to beat Goliath when he is David. Leukemia can’t be annihilated
by a piece of stone. Not even in dreams. Dreams are often borrowed and you give them
back tomorrow. Minus the sorrow.

- (Life is a sexually transmitted disease.)
- (I want my money back, I didn’t understand a thing.)
- (Squeak, Squeak, Squeak.)
- (Swish.)
- (Gone, all net.)
- Even better: Here lies Donald F. Delpe. Go figure.

Don is thinking about his tombstone. What should be written on it so that people could
understand the story behind. His scepticism knows exactly. Go figure.

- Faster and faster the big man goes, a human monorail, until it looks
as if nothing is ever going to stop him. People at the bottom scatter
in advance. They see him coming. Pull each other out of the way. No
one wants to be hurt after all. People want a long, happy life.
- Nobody wants to be cursed by a flying executive. Freeze to frame.
- Fade to black. The End. Go figure.

These could bevthe final sentences of the whole book. Also a way how to deal with one’s
problems. Or maybe solved problems. But sometimes the freedom we wanted feels so
uncool. There are many things we would want to do again, but it turns out you only get
to do it once.
_______________________
I can find only one thing bugging me in this book. Many thoughts and expressions seem
too grown-up for a fourteen-year-old boy. But I can’t criticize. I am not a teenage boy,
never have been.
I very appreciate the way this book is written. Some parts are narrated, some expressed
as a film script and penetrations into cartoon world are shown just like that, only
without pictures.
What I value the most is the point of view a reader gets. Not a love-story novel with
a miserable main character. This book shows a boy’s life while facing a huge enemy. He
is angry. Both because he is ill and he is a teenager. He doesn’t find satisfaction in
anything. Though he wants to feel relieved sometimes. It might be easier for him to have
fun when he has nothing. Nothing much to manage. Now when he is damaged.
I also like the way other characters are shown. Remarkable, extraordinary and fulfilling
their part. But this book belongs to Donald. I like imagining the way these people are
affected by certain incidents. I think they will have been tight up in their history and
nothing will have seemed to be enough.
There is no specific sort of people I would recommend this book to. It is so different than
other books. There is none I can think of as balanced. The language is so specific, both
colloquial and prim; so many peculiar and unusual expressions. Once you lose your faith
if reading it, you find it again. After reading this book you will feel nothing but
misunderstood and misunderstanding.

[Rou Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my blog for the full review : http://rowreads.blogspot.com/2014/11/...

4.5/5 stars!!!

When i first read the book and the synopsis I kinda find the title ‘Death of a Superhero’ interesting yet ironic as being an avid comic book fan it usually means the end of a comic book and the hero… not trying to foreshadow anything… *tears!!!*

I picked up ‘Death of A Superhero’ after I found out one The Maze Runner actor was in the movie adaption of this book and like any book to movie rules I must read the book before I watch the movie.

A disclaimer i need to address, though I consider this a YA, it have some mature and graphic moments in the book.

The book follows Donald, a trouble 14-year-old who has Leukemia and has practically given up fighting. He draws comics to help ease the pain and anger of cancer and creates an alter ego called Miracle Man. Though a talented artist, the stuff he draws however is kinda disturbing which worries his parents hence one of the reasons why they send him to a psychiatrist Dr Adrian Kings.

With this they form an intresting Doctor-client relationship over over art, life and love eventhough their views is very two side of the same coin or youth vs experience. They also developed a deep friendship to a point that Donald open up about his fears and desires including his dying wish of him not wanting to die a virgin which Adrian going to some crazy extent of helping fulfill this wish.

Donald was Rebellious, angry and troublesome at first and but is also a very complex character. He was an okay character at start but by the end of the book I enjoyed and cared for his character along with the fact he has matured with the guidance of Adrian and also comes to his senses.

Dr Adrian King, a famous psychologist is sadly he is a lonely man with marriage problem and kinda have a boring life. Assigned to help Donald find strength and happiness along with the will to fight, he forms a unique bond with him and probably learn some things from Donald.

The writing style of the book was unique but a bit confusing at first as it not only follows Donald’s POV but Dr King and the side characters POV. Also I had to get used the way the book was written like a script book taking place in three acts. I love reading the comic book parts and kinda wish that there were some illustration in the book. The ‘deleted scene and outtakes’ was of my favorite part and cool way of an epilogue!

Overall this book will make you both laugh and cry as well as grow with the characters. Its honest and realistic yet strange and provoking. Its a great coming of age story with really good plot twists as well as some good themes in the book like youth vs old, the darker side of Cancer or illness along with the struggles of being a teenager. Also its fun to imagine the parallel universe of superhero that Donald has created.

Read this book if you are a fan of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Side Effect May Very and of cause the lovely The Fault In Our Stars.

Also as mention if you are a Maze Runner fan, you might want to check out this book or the movie as Thomas Brodie Sangster ( Newt in TMR) plays Donald in the movie adaption!

[Kate Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5

First Impressions:
When I first picked up this book, the book cover looked very appealing to me; when I first saw the boy (Donald) on the cover, it made me feel like he was lost in his mind, because he is walking across a tall wall and he has no other people surrounding him. I also loved the colour scheme on the cover, it was very teenage-like, and it also gave a sense of creativity and art to it as there was graffiti on the wall (the superhero), which overall suggested to me that this boy was alone, lost, and was a kid who enjoyed comics and art.

Summary:
The author introduces the book to a character named Donald Delphe, who's a troubled 14 year old boy, and who always thinks of music, sex, superheroes, art, comics etc. But the sad thing about him is that he is suffering from a life-threatening leukemia, which he believes he will never survive. During the story, he meets up with a psychologist named Dr King (Adrian), who helps Donald whith his battles and his emotions. However, Adrian decides to secretly bring Donald to all sorts of journeys throughout the story, and even makes an effort to do one thing Donald has always wanted to do.

Info:
This book isn't written like a 'book'; it's written like a script. I did find it very confusing to follow at first, but once you get into it, you'll find that it's easy, and it's quite unique for the author to write it in that style, and it does help you out a lot as to where the place is now set in. The book is split into four sections: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, and Out-takes and Deleted scenes. There is a film created from this book, "Death of a Superhero" (starring Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Andy Serkis), so I believe all of the scenes is adapted into this books, however I haven't seen the film yet so I could be wrong.

My thoughts on this book:
I actually found this book very relatable in a lot of cases. There were many times when the characters had hilarious arguments, and there were many times when the characters felt something on the inside that would make you feel the same. In all honesty, I did feel a little bit confused with some parts of the book, and I did feel like the ending was rushed because there were a few questions that weren't answered until the 'Out-takes and Deleted scenes' part of the book. When I read that section at the end, I was very shocked. Like, REALLY shocked. Overall, I would definitely read this book again and I would highly recommend it to someone else.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

[Jule · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will make you emotional. No, scratch that: it will rip your heart out. The story of Don, sick with cancer, who is caught between a fake comic world with miracles and the harsh reality of his pending death is just so damn sad. First his resignation, than his fighting, than his parent’s fighting for him - so many emotions, so many tears.

I liked the layout of the book, which was written like a script - that did not distract from the story, it just made it easier to think like Don. There are even “outtakes and deleted scenes” at the end, which serve as a prologue. McCarten writes a fresh view on love and sex and about what is really desirable for young people, and he writes about death. The novel is funny, but of course also has dark sides. And I would call the humor very bizarre. It is certainly unusual, just like the whole book is.

With this, Anthony McCarten has definitely and unchangeably landed himself on my list of favorite authors. Bravo for this book. Even though you need half a box of tissues to get through it.

[Caroline Fosse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I have no words. This book was amazing, I cannot describe how much I loved this book.. I watched the movie before I read the book because Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays Donald. I read this book in one reading, I couldn't put it away. This book is 247 pages with perfection, the only reason why I didn't give this book five stars is because of the non-existing relationship between Shelly and Donald. I was looking forward to reading about it, about their little history. But other than that, a perfect piece of literature.

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely marvelous story that just took me completely by surprise. The main character Donald is suffering the dreaded teen ills that all teenagers suffer from, but he is also dying. The story revolves around his dealing with his mortality and how it also effects his family, friends and even his therapist.
A beautifully told story about rage, friendship and love. This one had me crying at the end, but it also filled me with joy.
This is a hardcore recommendation and it should be on your shelf.

[Birgit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, ich bin sprachlos. Dieses Buch ist so... echt, so realistisch. Es verschönert nichts, ist aber auch nicht übertrieben dramatisch. Es ist einfach wie aus dem Leben geschnitten und deshalb berührt es einen so sehr.

[Luján · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obra devastadoramente hermosa.

"Siempre es un error pensar que existe un lugar al que nunca regresarás. Adrian ahora lo comprende. El hecho es que en cuanto lo decides ya estás poniendo los cimientos para el regreso, azuzando al destino para que te demuestre su circularidad."

[Aran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich bleibe sprachlos zurück. So ein traurig schönes Buch habe ich lange nicht gelesen. Wow!

[gardienne_du_feu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donald F. Delpe ist vierzehn Jahre alt, liebt Actionhelden, regt sich aber gerne über unrealistische Entwicklungen in Actionfilmen auf und schreibt und zeichnet deswegen eifrig an seinem eigenen Superheldencomic mit einer Extraportion Realismus. Bei Miracle Mans Abenteuern kommt es schon mal vor, dass die nette Großmutter, die aus dem Hochhausfenster stürzt, tot unten aufschlägt, bevor der Held sie retten kann.

Mit harter Realität kennt sich Donald aus, denn er hat es im wirklichen Leben mit einem üblen Feind zu tun: Krebs. Seit Monaten war er nicht in der Schule und pendelt zwischen Bestrahlungsterminen, Psychotherapiesitzungen und ein paar schwachen Würfen auf den Basketballkorb im elterlichen Hof. Lust, seine Freunde zu sehen, hat er nicht, Ängste quälen ihn. Vor allem treibt ihn eines um: Als Jungfrau zu sterben war eigentlich nicht seine Absicht, doch jetzt sieht alles ganz danach aus, denn wer soll sich jetzt schon in ihn verlieben?

Anfangs lässt das Buch befürchten, man müsse sich auf dreihundert Seiten Sexphantasien eines Teenagers im Hormonvollrausch einstellen - Melonenbrüste, pralle Hintern und sexy Comic-Kostüme beherrschen Donalds Gedanken ziemlich stark, wenn er nicht wegen seiner Krankheit zu trübsinnig gestimmt ist. Auch die Auszüge aus seinen Comicentwürfen, die man drehbuchartig zu lesen bekommt, tendieren in dieselbe Richtung.

Bei der Stange gehalten haben mich daher zunächst hauptsächlich die kurzen Einblicke, wie Donalds Eltern und sein Bruder die belastende Situation erleben, und Szenen aus der Sicht seines Psychiaters Adrian King, eines klassisch gebildeten Schöngeistes mit Eheproblemen, der Donalds Persönlichkeit diametral entgegengesetzt zu sein scheint und deshalb auch nur schwer Zugang zu dem Jungen findet.

Donalds großer Wunsch steht im weiteren Verlauf der Handlung zwar nach wie vor im Mittelpunkt, doch man beginnt, in Donald mehr zu sehen als einen testosteronverseuchten Teenager, der es im übrigen auch sonst ziemlich faustdick hinter den Ohren hat(te), und die Geschichte fängt an zu berühren. Die Verzweiflung und Hilflosigkeit der Eltern, Donalds eigene Gefühlsverwirrungen und die Unterstützung, die er plötzlich von ganz ungewohnter Stelle erfährt, beschreibt McCarten sehr einfühlsam. Er schafft es aber auch trotz des ernsten Themas, einen wohldosierten Humor einfließen zu lassen, und sorgt für die eine oder andere Überraschung im Plot.

Ungewöhnlich, aber passend ist der Aufbau des Buches in Form eines Filmskripts in drei Akten zuzüglich "Outtakes und gestrichenen Szenen". Das passt ausgezeichnet zu Donalds Hobbys als Actionfilmfan und Comicautor und ist richtig gut umgesetzt.

Trotz des für mich etwas schwierigen Starts also ein sehr lesenswertes Buch, das mich viel mehr bewegt hat, als ich zunächst angenommen hätte.

[Evitalecturitas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tiene una forma narrativa original pero la trama me ha parecido horrible. Me ha disgustado muchísimo este libro. Realmente sorprendida de las buenas puntuaciones que tiene.
Refleja una imagen de la mujer realmente perturbadora, sobre todo porque no tiene atisbo de crítica ni sátira.
Parece que trata sobre como un joven afronta un cáncer, pero lo que yo he visto es la historia de un grupo de hombres sexualmente frustrados, y un grupo de mujeres retratadas como entes castradores y, literalmente, demonios con cola.
Odio tener que hacer críticas tan negativas, pero pocas veces un libro me desagrada tanto.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una novela desgarradora y vital, que habla sin tapujos del cáncer. Y sin embargo, hay algo que te irrita sobremanera cuando la estás leyendo. Y no es solo el hecho de que esté escrito como si fuera un guión de cine, lo que, a mi parecer, le quita mucha profundidad y dramatismo a la historia.

La parte más original, las historias del cómic, hubiera ganado mucho, si aparte de describírnoslas, alguien nos las hubiera dibujado. Cosa que habría mejorado muchísimo la edición del libro.

Y aunque el final es totalmente predecible, te deja una sensación esperanzadora, lo que dada la naturaleza del libro es mucho.

[BookWormTeaParty · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖Anthony McCarten „Superherojaus mirtis" ★★★★☆ 📖
Knyga susiskaitė greitai, šiandien pradėjau, o jau rašau apžvalgą. Nors, tiesą sakant, vietomis buvo sunkoka suprasti staigius šuolius tarp veikėjų, bet pati istorija įtraukė.
Pagrindinis minusas, kuris pastoviai badė akis, buvo keturiolikmečio nešvankios mintys apie moteris, jų kūną ir mylėjimasi, ar tikrai berniukai tokie? 🤔
O šiaip knyga labai patiko. Įdomi jauno berniuko sergančio leukemija, jo šeimos ir naujojo draugo psichologo istorija. Vietomis prajuokina, vietomis nuliūdina arba priverčia apie dauk ką susimąstyti.
Rekomenduoju jaunimui. ☺️