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Velveteen vs. #1
Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots
Velveteen: How dare you? I never asked for you to hunt me down!
No, Velma Martinez hadn't. But when you had once been Velveteen, child super-heroine and one of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division, you were never going to be free, even if your only power was to bring toys to life. The Marketing Department would be sure of that.
So it all came down to this. One young woman and an army of misfit toys vs. the assembled might of the nine members of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division who had come to take her down.
They never had a chance.
Velveteen lives in a world of super-heroes and magic, where men can fly and where young girls can be abducted to the Autumn Land to save Halloween. Velma lives from paycheck to paycheck and copes with her broken-down car as she tries to escape from her old life.
It's all the same world. It's all real. And figuring out how to be both Velveteen and Velma is the biggest challenge of her life, because being super-human means you’re still human in the end.
Join us as award-winning author Seanan McGuire takes us through the first volume of Velveteen's — and Velma's — adventure.
No, Velma Martinez hadn't. But when you had once been Velveteen, child super-heroine and one of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division, you were never going to be free, even if your only power was to bring toys to life. The Marketing Department would be sure of that.
So it all came down to this. One young woman and an army of misfit toys vs. the assembled might of the nine members of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division who had come to take her down.
They never had a chance.
Velveteen lives in a world of super-heroes and magic, where men can fly and where young girls can be abducted to the Autumn Land to save Halloween. Velma lives from paycheck to paycheck and copes with her broken-down car as she tries to escape from her old life.
It's all the same world. It's all real. And figuring out how to be both Velveteen and Velma is the biggest challenge of her life, because being super-human means you’re still human in the end.
Join us as award-winning author Seanan McGuire takes us through the first volume of Velveteen's — and Velma's — adventure.
204 pages, Hardcover
First published November 9, 2012
16 people are currently reading
1820 people want to read
About the author
Seanan McGuire
510 books17.1k followersHi! I'm Seanan McGuire, author of the Toby Daye series (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses), as well as a lot of other things. I'm also Mira Grant (www.miragrant.com), author of Feed and Deadline.
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
September 5, 2013
Velveteen is a has-been junior superhero, sort of like a Disney child star, buffed and marketed, and now she's an adult who's held down a bunch of jobs (barista, cleaner--minimum wage, minimum reward). Right now she's got a golden opportunity in Portland, if only she can nurse her beat-up car from southern California across the northern border in time. Unfortunately, there are roadblocks, many of them in the form of old comrades now turned adult star heroes who believe that she, like other washouts, has turned supervillain.
All Velveteen wants is a real life away from the Super Patriots and their Junior arm. Even more importantly, she wants to get away from their Marketing branch, which took her from her grateful parents, taught her and plenty of other youngsters and tested them, costumed them, then presented them on a national "contest" show which had them performing various tasks against one another until the best liked and the best winners--and somehow they are always the same--are given a chance as junior superheroes.
Is this starting to sound familiar? Satirical? Subversive?
Welcome to Seanan McGuire-land.
I could not put it down, and I wailed because it was a skinny book. *Wailed,* I tell you.
All Velveteen wants is a real life away from the Super Patriots and their Junior arm. Even more importantly, she wants to get away from their Marketing branch, which took her from her grateful parents, taught her and plenty of other youngsters and tested them, costumed them, then presented them on a national "contest" show which had them performing various tasks against one another until the best liked and the best winners--and somehow they are always the same--are given a chance as junior superheroes.
Is this starting to sound familiar? Satirical? Subversive?
Welcome to Seanan McGuire-land.
I could not put it down, and I wailed because it was a skinny book. *Wailed,* I tell you.
April 4, 2014
A fun and snarky 3.5 Stars
What do you mix the power to animate cloth representations (i.e. doll and teddy bears) of humans and animals with a sarcastic and reluctant super-hero? You get Velveteen, the hero of this fiercely imaginative and entertaining book.
I could say this was a full on 4 star book for a few simple reasons. While the story was entertaining, it was disjointed and lacked some focus. This may be a bit unfair as I have learned that these were stories the author had posted on her website and ultimately put together into a book. This explains the holes in the story. That aside, the characters are very entertaining and the superpowers are very specific (an entertaining) with power rankings.
My favorite part of this book was the satirical nature of the stories. As a reluctant superhero, most of what our MC says is a riff on Comic books and superheroes. Neither Velveteen or the author takes herself very serious. Entertaining all around. I recommend this book.
What do you mix the power to animate cloth representations (i.e. doll and teddy bears) of humans and animals with a sarcastic and reluctant super-hero? You get Velveteen, the hero of this fiercely imaginative and entertaining book.
I could say this was a full on 4 star book for a few simple reasons. While the story was entertaining, it was disjointed and lacked some focus. This may be a bit unfair as I have learned that these were stories the author had posted on her website and ultimately put together into a book. This explains the holes in the story. That aside, the characters are very entertaining and the superpowers are very specific (an entertaining) with power rankings.
My favorite part of this book was the satirical nature of the stories. As a reluctant superhero, most of what our MC says is a riff on Comic books and superheroes. Neither Velveteen or the author takes herself very serious. Entertaining all around. I recommend this book.
March 6, 2018
VELVETEEN VERSUS is a series which I first became acquainted with due to the crossover done with GRRL POWER and WEARING THE CAPE. The premise is Velma Martinez is a retired superhero (except she was a teenage superhero so it was doubly traumatic) who was exploited and abused by a marketing company that didn't care whether she lived or died.
The fact she was a toyetic adorable heroine who had the power to animate toys made her doubly valuable to the company, though, and they're pursuing her in order to try to force her back into their mega-publicity marketing machine.
VELVETEEN VERSUS THE JUNIOR SUPER PATRIOTS is a collection of short stories following Velma as she struggles to cross from California to Oregon. Along the way, she encounters her former teammates and deals with her conflicted feelings regarding them. I really recommend these stories for being fun, dark, and meaningful all at once.
It should be noted that ebooks are currently unavailable for this book but Seanan Maguire has posted the stories in this book online: http://seananmcguire.com/velhome.php
9/10
The fact she was a toyetic adorable heroine who had the power to animate toys made her doubly valuable to the company, though, and they're pursuing her in order to try to force her back into their mega-publicity marketing machine.
VELVETEEN VERSUS THE JUNIOR SUPER PATRIOTS is a collection of short stories following Velma as she struggles to cross from California to Oregon. Along the way, she encounters her former teammates and deals with her conflicted feelings regarding them. I really recommend these stories for being fun, dark, and meaningful all at once.
It should be noted that ebooks are currently unavailable for this book but Seanan Maguire has posted the stories in this book online: http://seananmcguire.com/velhome.php
9/10
July 25, 2025
Velveteen vs ALL THE BOOKS!
When I picked up Laughter at the Academy, I thought that my project of reading everything Seanan McGuire has published was about to come to its end. Alas, the introduction of Laughter at the Academy mentioned McGuire's Velveteen stories, which I had never heard of. What are they? Well, here's the description from McGuire's website,
Velveteen's superpower is the ability to animate stuffed animals, toy soldiers, action figures, etc.
Goodreads lists four Velveeteen books: Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots, Velveteen vs. The Multiverse, Velveteen vs. The Seasons, and Velveteen vs. Everything. I'm guessing, in the absence of contrary information that the last is just a collection of all the Velveteen stories. The first two books, Junior Super Patriots and Multiverse, are available as audiobooks from Audible. McGuire also says on her website, "The stories remain free to read online."
That is true at least of Junior Super Patriots. Here, for your convenience, are links to the nine stories that constitute Junior Super Patriots:
Velveteen vs. The Isley Crayfish Festival
Velveteen vs. The Coffee Freaks
Velveteen vs. The Flashback Sequence
Velveteen vs. The Old Flame
Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division
Velveteen vs. The Eternal Halloween
Velveteen vs. The Ordinary Day
Velveteen vs. Patrol
Velveteen vs. The Blind Date
A bunch more Velveteen stories can be found on McGuire's LiveJournal in inconvenient reverse publication order. When I move on to Multiverse and Seasons I will use those links, and I will attempt, in my later reviews, to round them up as I did here.
OK, with all that out of the way, here's the actual review! Well, this was a lot of fun. The stories are written with McGuire's characteristic sarcasm. As you might suspect from the fact that the stories are all named "Velveteen vs [something]", Velma is a typical McGuirian malcontent, always banging her head against some wall, occasionally with somewhat positive results. Mostly the wall she's pounding on is her corporate antagonist, The Super-Patriots, Inc, the umbrella conglomerate that, in Velma's world, exists to control and profit from superheroes. (This is rather similar in concept to Vought International of the TV series "The Boys", but The Super-Patriots is much less sinister. In Velveteen's world, there is always plenty of incompetence to go around.) And of course the price is right. All the stories can be read free online.
Blog review.
When I picked up Laughter at the Academy, I thought that my project of reading everything Seanan McGuire has published was about to come to its end. Alas, the introduction of Laughter at the Academy mentioned McGuire's Velveteen stories, which I had never heard of. What are they? Well, here's the description from McGuire's website,
The Velveteen stories began in 2008 as an open-ended series about a superhero universe where cosmic powers not only came with great responsibility, they came with great legislation, merchandising, and focus group oversight. Many young heroes were effectively "adopted" by a corporate entity known as The Super Patriots, Inc., which promised to teach them how to best control their amazing gifts.
Some of those junior heroes wanted out. Few of them got it.
Velma "Velveteen" Martinez was one of the young heroes "adopted" by The Super Patriots, Inc. Sweet, smart, and totally marketable, with a power that lent itself well to the kiddie market, she seemed destined to be one of the company's most enduring properties...right up until the day she walked out on the hero world, choosing to return to a civilian life. The reasons are still coming out. More importantly, the Marketing Department is still trying to get her back.
Velveteen's superpower is the ability to animate stuffed animals, toy soldiers, action figures, etc.
Goodreads lists four Velveeteen books: Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots, Velveteen vs. The Multiverse, Velveteen vs. The Seasons, and Velveteen vs. Everything. I'm guessing, in the absence of contrary information that the last is just a collection of all the Velveteen stories. The first two books, Junior Super Patriots and Multiverse, are available as audiobooks from Audible. McGuire also says on her website, "The stories remain free to read online."
That is true at least of Junior Super Patriots. Here, for your convenience, are links to the nine stories that constitute Junior Super Patriots:
Velveteen vs. The Isley Crayfish Festival
Velveteen vs. The Coffee Freaks
Velveteen vs. The Flashback Sequence
Velveteen vs. The Old Flame
Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division
Velveteen vs. The Eternal Halloween
Velveteen vs. The Ordinary Day
Velveteen vs. Patrol
Velveteen vs. The Blind Date
A bunch more Velveteen stories can be found on McGuire's LiveJournal in inconvenient reverse publication order. When I move on to Multiverse and Seasons I will use those links, and I will attempt, in my later reviews, to round them up as I did here.
OK, with all that out of the way, here's the actual review! Well, this was a lot of fun. The stories are written with McGuire's characteristic sarcasm. As you might suspect from the fact that the stories are all named "Velveteen vs [something]", Velma is a typical McGuirian malcontent, always banging her head against some wall, occasionally with somewhat positive results. Mostly the wall she's pounding on is her corporate antagonist, The Super-Patriots, Inc, the umbrella conglomerate that, in Velma's world, exists to control and profit from superheroes. (This is rather similar in concept to Vought International of the TV series "The Boys", but The Super-Patriots is much less sinister. In Velveteen's world, there is always plenty of incompetence to go around.) And of course the price is right. All the stories can be read free online.
Blog review.
June 6, 2017
Seanan McGuire is my 'new' to me favorite author, just record the second book by her in the last few days and loved them both.
This was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes super heroes and hates corporate marketing. My favorite scenes are the seasonal themed superhero sequences, and the "Princess" and Hailey Ween my favorite characters along with Vel being a thoughtful protagonist. Oh and a character introduced late in the book quotes "Buffy" so I'm already to read book 2!
This was a great read and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes super heroes and hates corporate marketing. My favorite scenes are the seasonal themed superhero sequences, and the "Princess" and Hailey Ween my favorite characters along with Vel being a thoughtful protagonist. Oh and a character introduced late in the book quotes "Buffy" so I'm already to read book 2!
November 25, 2024
Entertaining but weird. It’s a collection of shorties so a little disjointed but fun overall. :)
June 28, 2022
Mini blurb: A 24 y.o. former child-superheroine finds herself targeted by the corporate entity who used to own her (and other kids with powers) until she walked out on them at 18, and does her best to keep them at bay - with the aid of the toys she animates and a few unlikely allies - while saving (corners of) the world in the process.
***
Rated 4.5 really.
An imaginative, fond yet subversive take on superheroes, in which children with powers (and their adult counterparts, if they make it that far) are corporation property, groomed to sell merchandising and to be exploited in multiple other ways. We meet Velma "Velveteen" Martinez in the present, six year after quitting her superheroine gig, when a small "mistake" puts her former guardians on her tail while she's trying to survive dead-end jobs and general bad luck. From here, McGuire intersperses Velma's new adventures with flashbacks of her child-superheroine past, weaving a world full of entertaining, epically humorous adventures and very human feelings and woes. Oh, and did I mention that the other superheroes (and magical creatures from other dimensions...like Halloween - ahem, Autumn - Land, because of course, that's McGuire for you 😂) are a riot?
Note: definitive review (due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series. Which these are, but not one that I started reviewing back when I used to write a full review for every book...).
***
Rated 4.5 really.
An imaginative, fond yet subversive take on superheroes, in which children with powers (and their adult counterparts, if they make it that far) are corporation property, groomed to sell merchandising and to be exploited in multiple other ways. We meet Velma "Velveteen" Martinez in the present, six year after quitting her superheroine gig, when a small "mistake" puts her former guardians on her tail while she's trying to survive dead-end jobs and general bad luck. From here, McGuire intersperses Velma's new adventures with flashbacks of her child-superheroine past, weaving a world full of entertaining, epically humorous adventures and very human feelings and woes. Oh, and did I mention that the other superheroes (and magical creatures from other dimensions...like Halloween - ahem, Autumn - Land, because of course, that's McGuire for you 😂) are a riot?
Note: definitive review (due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series. Which these are, but not one that I started reviewing back when I used to write a full review for every book...).
December 29, 2024
This unusual collection of stories started out as a loose serial collection on Seanan McGuire's Livejournal back in the day, and I'm glad that I finally got around to them. On one hand, the serial format is somewhat rough, with the stories whipping around through action scenes and new characters in a way that sometimes drains the momentum from the pacing; on the other, there are enough good moments here that I'm considering going on to the next volume in the new year. The best stories in this collection are weighted toward the second half, which is a promising sign for the next installments. The hook of "what if child superheroes were managed like child actors, but more so?" is compelling, and it's the kind of thing I'd love to see McGuire explore at full novel length in the present day, with social media in the mix. RTC.
December 18, 2018
This was pretty fun especially as audiobook. I never got around to reading these stories on her website so it was good to have them collected. You can kinda tell this is earlier Seanan and her later works have more developed characters. I really did enjoy it and am looking forward to listening to the sequel at some point.
January 13, 2015
I'm rating this three stars because it seems like it's only half a book.
It's not really a "novel" it's an "open ended series of short stories"- which is not what I expected. I expected a story with a beginning, middle and end, like Superfolks or Soon I Will Be Invincible, instead it reads like a comic series, with each prose chapter similar to a self contained comic book issue with ongoing subplots. The story is very meandering.
She fights the "Junior Super Patriots" in chapter 5, and I expected a followup on the repercussions of their battle, leading to a climactic final fight by the end of the book, but instead it's followed by Velveteen vs. The Eternal Halloween, and the author is doing a Nightmare Before Christmas riff, then Velveteen vs. The Ordinary day, and she's going drinking with some Disney Princess type characters, and I'm like "What about the Junior Super Patriots?"
I'm actually surprised this book has so many good reviews on Amazon. It's not bad, and it's filled with nice character moments and satirical ideas, but it's very anticlimactic.
There's only one other book- so I guess I could buy book 2 to maybe get the equivalent of a complete novel. (review updated after reading book 2 to note: book 2 does bring the story to a finish, so if you read both novels, you do get a satisfying story with a beginning, middle and end.)
It's not really a "novel" it's an "open ended series of short stories"- which is not what I expected. I expected a story with a beginning, middle and end, like Superfolks or Soon I Will Be Invincible, instead it reads like a comic series, with each prose chapter similar to a self contained comic book issue with ongoing subplots. The story is very meandering.
She fights the "Junior Super Patriots" in chapter 5, and I expected a followup on the repercussions of their battle, leading to a climactic final fight by the end of the book, but instead it's followed by Velveteen vs. The Eternal Halloween, and the author is doing a Nightmare Before Christmas riff, then Velveteen vs. The Ordinary day, and she's going drinking with some Disney Princess type characters, and I'm like "What about the Junior Super Patriots?"
I'm actually surprised this book has so many good reviews on Amazon. It's not bad, and it's filled with nice character moments and satirical ideas, but it's very anticlimactic.
There's only one other book- so I guess I could buy book 2 to maybe get the equivalent of a complete novel. (review updated after reading book 2 to note: book 2 does bring the story to a finish, so if you read both novels, you do get a satisfying story with a beginning, middle and end.)
December 15, 2012
Blearily surfing TV Tropes for inspiration, I stumbled upon the Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots entry, chased the link to Amazon and read the Look Inside pages, then bought the Kindle edition and read it in four hours. Velveteen is as amazing as her world, and I wish I'd thought of her myself. In the Velveteen Vs. stories, Seanan McGuire gives us a superhero world where the heroes, while real enough and heroic enough, are mostly under the control of a publicly benign and secretly ruthless corporation that "recruits" them, trains and conditions them, packages and markets them, and uses them for its own possibly nefarious ends. Velveteen is a child-hero who grew up and tried to get out of the superhero game, only to find that "they" are reluctant to let her go.
For fans of superhero stories, V vs. JSP works on every level: Velveteen is human and relateable and her power is just hugely cool and not the standard superpower package at all; her world, while epic and grand, is also grittely realistic enough to hang a dramatic and very human story on; and McGuire's skewed sense of humor keeps it from getting too heavy.
If you have enjoyed stories like Confessions of a D-List Supervillain, Wearing the Cape, and In Hero Years... I'm Dead Deluxe Edition, you will enjoy Velveteen's adventures and wait impatiently for McGuire's next foray into her Patriot-Verse.
For fans of superhero stories, V vs. JSP works on every level: Velveteen is human and relateable and her power is just hugely cool and not the standard superpower package at all; her world, while epic and grand, is also grittely realistic enough to hang a dramatic and very human story on; and McGuire's skewed sense of humor keeps it from getting too heavy.
If you have enjoyed stories like Confessions of a D-List Supervillain, Wearing the Cape, and In Hero Years... I'm Dead Deluxe Edition, you will enjoy Velveteen's adventures and wait impatiently for McGuire's next foray into her Patriot-Verse.
January 11, 2024
Wow! This was really good! I don;t mean to sound surprised, given that I love Seanan McGuire's October Daye series. It just the title seemed, well, a little fluffy. Do NOT be fooled. This is a great series of vignettes that make for one SUPER story!
Audible is good
Audible is good
March 20, 2014
I am a definite fan of Velveteen and her battle against Marketing, especially after having been on a marketing team in the past. (Kidding -- mostly :D)
May 10, 2016
A good idea for a story but the execution......anyway it was a ok book.
February 4, 2018
Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots by Seanan McGuire is the first collection of the Velveteen vs stories. It's out of print in ebook so I wasn't actually able to get the book, but the stories themselves are all available to read on the author's website, so I'm counting it as having read the book. Because of how I've been reading and posting mini-reviews of short stories, you might have already seen my comments on some of the stories, but I still think it's nice to collect them all in one place.
The stories in this collection are set in a world with superheroes and, more importantly, organisations managing the licensing and public appearances of superheroes. It's also set in the US, which gives it a pretty different vibe to Girl Reporter and the preceding stories by Tansy Rayner Roberts, even while it deals with some of the same themes. (For the record, I like the Roberts series more, mainly for its Australian-ness and humour, but that's not to say I'm disliking the McGuire which, as I said, is a very different take.)
The Velveteen stories deal with Vel's life as an adult after having been a child hero and after quitting the life before turning eighteen and hence avoiding some legal troubles. However, as an adult, she's not allowed to be a superhero without going back to the organisation she's escaped and wants nothing to do with. Her only hope in escaping them is to make it to Oregon, which has different state laws and where she can be safe. Meanwhile, she's been working minimum-wage jobs and living pay-check to pay-check, so life hasn't been super fun. The stories in this collection follow her journey and eventual arrival in Oregon with a few detours for world-saving and flashbacks.
Overall these stories had a bit of bleakness to them, especially when the Junior Super Patriots were juxtaposed with Vel's adult life. Some of the stories felt more like chapters or instalments in a bigger story, which was fine since I was reading them in order (although not all in a row). For others looking to dip into the series, many of the stories work fine out of order, but some don't quite stand alone, in my opinion (as noted below). In general, I recommend these stories and this collection to fans of superheroes, especially more cynical takes on the superhero genre.
And now the stories:
Velveteen vs the Isley Crayfish Festival — A quick, fun introduction to a retired (for now?) superheroine, who features in several more stories. Recommended for fans of Tansy Rayner Roberts superhero stories and vice versa.
Velveteen vs. The Coffee Freaks — A fun superhero story about a retired child hero that just wants to get to her job interview in Portland.
Velveteen vs the Flashback Sequence — More of a chapter establishing character than a properly stand-alone story in its own right. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read.
Velveteen vs the Old Flame — A less fun read that dredges up some unfortunate back story from Velma’s time as a junior superhero. As with the previous story in this sequence, it feels a bit more like a chapter than a self-contained short story.
Velveteen vs the Junior Super Patriots West Coast Division — The plot thickens as Velma, our retired superheroine, faces off against the new generation of her former child hero team. New characters with interesting back stories are introduced and Velma’s road trip comes to an end.
Velveteen vs the Eternal Halloween — A story set entirely during Velveteen’s teenage years and featuring a Groundhog Day-like Halloween and the world of Halloween. A solid story. It inadvertently had me wondering how the world of Halloween would fit in with the Wayward Children, but this story was, of course, written much earlier. It was also kind of more fun (less cynical) than adult Velveteen.
Velveteen vs the Ordinary Day — Another chapter in adult Velveteen’s life. Having made it to Oregon, Velma reunites with some friends. An entertaining read.
Velveteen vs Patrol — A first look at Velma’s new life superheroing for Oregon. Mostly a pleasant read about her working out her new life, with and additional dollop of foreshadowing doom thrown in.
Velveteen vs the Blind Date — Velveteen is set up on a blind date with another freelance superhero. It seems like a terrible idea at first, but they have complementary powers and hit it off. Another entertaining read.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
The stories in this collection are set in a world with superheroes and, more importantly, organisations managing the licensing and public appearances of superheroes. It's also set in the US, which gives it a pretty different vibe to Girl Reporter and the preceding stories by Tansy Rayner Roberts, even while it deals with some of the same themes. (For the record, I like the Roberts series more, mainly for its Australian-ness and humour, but that's not to say I'm disliking the McGuire which, as I said, is a very different take.)
The Velveteen stories deal with Vel's life as an adult after having been a child hero and after quitting the life before turning eighteen and hence avoiding some legal troubles. However, as an adult, she's not allowed to be a superhero without going back to the organisation she's escaped and wants nothing to do with. Her only hope in escaping them is to make it to Oregon, which has different state laws and where she can be safe. Meanwhile, she's been working minimum-wage jobs and living pay-check to pay-check, so life hasn't been super fun. The stories in this collection follow her journey and eventual arrival in Oregon with a few detours for world-saving and flashbacks.
Overall these stories had a bit of bleakness to them, especially when the Junior Super Patriots were juxtaposed with Vel's adult life. Some of the stories felt more like chapters or instalments in a bigger story, which was fine since I was reading them in order (although not all in a row). For others looking to dip into the series, many of the stories work fine out of order, but some don't quite stand alone, in my opinion (as noted below). In general, I recommend these stories and this collection to fans of superheroes, especially more cynical takes on the superhero genre.
And now the stories:
Velveteen vs the Isley Crayfish Festival — A quick, fun introduction to a retired (for now?) superheroine, who features in several more stories. Recommended for fans of Tansy Rayner Roberts superhero stories and vice versa.
Velveteen vs. The Coffee Freaks — A fun superhero story about a retired child hero that just wants to get to her job interview in Portland.
Velveteen vs the Flashback Sequence — More of a chapter establishing character than a properly stand-alone story in its own right. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read.
Velveteen vs the Old Flame — A less fun read that dredges up some unfortunate back story from Velma’s time as a junior superhero. As with the previous story in this sequence, it feels a bit more like a chapter than a self-contained short story.
Velveteen vs the Junior Super Patriots West Coast Division — The plot thickens as Velma, our retired superheroine, faces off against the new generation of her former child hero team. New characters with interesting back stories are introduced and Velma’s road trip comes to an end.
Velveteen vs the Eternal Halloween — A story set entirely during Velveteen’s teenage years and featuring a Groundhog Day-like Halloween and the world of Halloween. A solid story. It inadvertently had me wondering how the world of Halloween would fit in with the Wayward Children, but this story was, of course, written much earlier. It was also kind of more fun (less cynical) than adult Velveteen.
Velveteen vs the Ordinary Day — Another chapter in adult Velveteen’s life. Having made it to Oregon, Velma reunites with some friends. An entertaining read.
Velveteen vs Patrol — A first look at Velma’s new life superheroing for Oregon. Mostly a pleasant read about her working out her new life, with and additional dollop of foreshadowing doom thrown in.
Velveteen vs the Blind Date — Velveteen is set up on a blind date with another freelance superhero. It seems like a terrible idea at first, but they have complementary powers and hit it off. Another entertaining read.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
November 18, 2024
What do you do when you are a teen superhero and your life has been controlled by a megalithic business enterprise until you turn 18? In the case of our protagonist, known to the world as Velveteen Rabbit, you quit, try to work temp jobs until the corporation tries to drag you back in (for the rest of your likely shortened lifespan) and you need to flee for your life! This was an entertaining, imaginative , what-if look at what could happen if superhero’s with powers existed and saving the world was privatized as a business to be marketed and merchandised. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ecopy in exchange for and honest review.
June 21, 2022
Take the boys and give it a massive makeover with heavy doses of sweetness and humor.
March 13, 2016
4.5/5
Well that was a bloody awesome book. So damn awesome. Velma is kickass and so human. I'm not a fan of superheroes and suchlike, usually running for the hills when people start foaming at the mouth for Superman, Spiderman and other heroic dickheads (sns). However I'm in love with anti heroes or heroes who didn't particularly want the job they landed with (Deadpool) and Velma is beautifully relatable. Seanan McGuire you got yourself a new fan.
Velma, the once child hero Velveteen, has long since left the bright lights and contractual tight leash of The Super Junior Patriots Inc.
Before her 18th birthday she escapes the plastic smiling facade of The Super Junior Patriots Inc. to lead a normal life.
Now 24, anonymous and broke, she's on the road for one last ditch attempt to attain a lasting job and possibly a stable life. She doesn't expect to be pulled back into the middle of the fun fest of heroism and the obligatory supervillains who cross her path. As she fights her way past evil crustacean uprisings and coffee cults, the Super Junior Patriots Inc. are on her trail once more, determined that if she wont be a hero for their marketing team, she'll be a hero for no one, but branded a villain.
The story is written in different timelines and flashbacks so we see Velveteen's present day, her experiences of her finding her powers, being sold off and trained within the Super Patriots and her relationships etc.
Things I loved:
The many quotable funny ass lines and sarcasm. Exactly my humour.
The characters, all unique, and not one dimensional. The really random ass heroes/supervillains for one. I mean the Bedbug? Trick or Treat? The Claw? Love it all.
Velveteen of course, she's classic underdog. And her very sweet unconscious relationship with her fluffy companions. Also the fact that she can easily make said fluffy companions kick ass, draw blood and complete household chores is a big fat bonus.
The abstract ideas about how the superhumans came to be. Like the ones for seasons. Its like a fairytale sci fi fun fest.
The way Seanan portrayed the real world here while smoothly intertwining the scifi /fantasy notions of superheroes under a controlled corporate body.
Jim C. Hines says it better than me about why I love this book so much:
Things I wasn't too happy with (and some of them could be due to the fact I was reading the ebook which didn't prepare me for the fact I was near the end and also the formatting near the end might have been messed up):
The Halloween kidnap flashback, while cool, was almost a confusing tangent to the story..it didn't really provide much insight to the overall plot. It felt like it was lumped right in the middle.
There were so many things that weren't explored like where are her parents, I mean if she still pays them blackmail money and all where are they? HOW did she become friends with Jackie Frost and The Princess? What the hell happened to Yelena to make her such a bitch? I JUST NEED MORE OK.
The (personally for myself) abrupt ending which left me feeling dashed off a cliff. (And the sudden weird add-on of I <3 Superheroes by Carrie Vaugn insert followed by the fact files/documents of the Marketing Team and then an intro for the next book, THEN the ending.) Someone get me a new ebook copy pls. OK I'm exaggerating a tad, but I was expecting a continuation! I guess its all gonna kickoff in the multiverse..but still. Boohooo.
The Velveteen vs Multiverse HAD BETTER BE KILLIN IT. I have it on my tobereadnext list.
So yeah overall this book rocked. Excellent. I just want more.
Well that was a bloody awesome book. So damn awesome. Velma is kickass and so human. I'm not a fan of superheroes and suchlike, usually running for the hills when people start foaming at the mouth for Superman, Spiderman and other heroic dickheads (sns). However I'm in love with anti heroes or heroes who didn't particularly want the job they landed with (Deadpool) and Velma is beautifully relatable. Seanan McGuire you got yourself a new fan.
Velma, the once child hero Velveteen, has long since left the bright lights and contractual tight leash of The Super Junior Patriots Inc.
Her powers: "Semi-autonomous animation of totemic representations of persons and animals."
(In layman's terms: the ability to animate inanimate objects representing living beings, mainly toys and control at will)
Before her 18th birthday she escapes the plastic smiling facade of The Super Junior Patriots Inc. to lead a normal life.
Now 24, anonymous and broke, she's on the road for one last ditch attempt to attain a lasting job and possibly a stable life. She doesn't expect to be pulled back into the middle of the fun fest of heroism and the obligatory supervillains who cross her path. As she fights her way past evil crustacean uprisings and coffee cults, the Super Junior Patriots Inc. are on her trail once more, determined that if she wont be a hero for their marketing team, she'll be a hero for no one, but branded a villain.
The story is written in different timelines and flashbacks so we see Velveteen's present day, her experiences of her finding her powers, being sold off and trained within the Super Patriots and her relationships etc.
Things I loved:
The many quotable funny ass lines and sarcasm. Exactly my humour.
The characters, all unique, and not one dimensional. The really random ass heroes/supervillains for one. I mean the Bedbug? Trick or Treat? The Claw? Love it all.
Velveteen of course, she's classic underdog. And her very sweet unconscious relationship with her fluffy companions. Also the fact that she can easily make said fluffy companions kick ass, draw blood and complete household chores is a big fat bonus.
The abstract ideas about how the superhumans came to be. Like the ones for seasons. Its like a fairytale sci fi fun fest.
The way Seanan portrayed the real world here while smoothly intertwining the scifi /fantasy notions of superheroes under a controlled corporate body.
Jim C. Hines says it better than me about why I love this book so much:
"She used that sense of fun and whimsy to do something far more powerful. She told the truth.
About our world. About evil and villainy. Not just red-clawed supervillains, but the much more mundane and human variety. Enter The Super Patriots, Inc., the organization behind the heroes. If you think their marketing division is implausible, think about any pre-teen Hollywood star. Think about child labor laws, which have existed for less than a century in the United States."
Things I wasn't too happy with (and some of them could be due to the fact I was reading the ebook which didn't prepare me for the fact I was near the end and also the formatting near the end might have been messed up):
The Halloween kidnap flashback, while cool, was almost a confusing tangent to the story..it didn't really provide much insight to the overall plot. It felt like it was lumped right in the middle.
There were so many things that weren't explored like where are her parents, I mean if she still pays them blackmail money and all where are they? HOW did she become friends with Jackie Frost and The Princess? What the hell happened to Yelena to make her such a bitch? I JUST NEED MORE OK.
The (personally for myself) abrupt ending which left me feeling dashed off a cliff. (And the sudden weird add-on of I <3 Superheroes by Carrie Vaugn insert followed by the fact files/documents of the Marketing Team and then an intro for the next book, THEN the ending.) Someone get me a new ebook copy pls. OK I'm exaggerating a tad, but I was expecting a continuation! I guess its all gonna kickoff in the multiverse..but still. Boohooo.
The Velveteen vs Multiverse HAD BETTER BE KILLIN IT. I have it on my tobereadnext list.
So yeah overall this book rocked. Excellent. I just want more.
January 19, 2013
I started reading this series of linked short stories for free online (all of the stories in this book are available for free at Seanan McGuire's website, and all the sequel stories can be read on her Livejournal) but after a while I started enjoying them so very much that I decided I had really ought to support the author by buying a copy of the collected Velveteen stories, so I did. Two in fact: a kindle version for me & one of the hardbacks to give as a gift to an SFF buff for his birthday. So yeah, I really loved this book!
Seanan McGuire is madly talented, and I've been getting around to reading pretty much everything she has written. Some of it I've struggled with, as her taste for writing about darkness far exceeds my own capacity to enjoy reading about it, but she is such a good writer that she's been dragging me (struggling & whimpering if not exactly kicking and screaming) into reading stories of a kind that I usually wouldn't enjoy. I even bought her ZOMBIE NOVEL, and I don't care much for gore. But I do care very much for good writing, interesting ideas & well told stories so there you go. She's been expanding my horizons and that is a good thing. Velveteen is a case in point, I haven't cared much about Super Heroes since I was 6 or so, but here I am devouring stories about the struggles of Velveteen, who never asked for super powers and doesn't really know what to do with them and the complications they bring. All she wants is a decent life but the marketing division of the Junior Super Patriots, Inc. is making that almost impossible for her to achieve. Velveteen is a superhero for the 21st century and her struggles are struggles it is easy to identify with - go and read a few of the stories online and see if you fall in love with her too, it all starts at the crayfish festival...
Seanan McGuire is madly talented, and I've been getting around to reading pretty much everything she has written. Some of it I've struggled with, as her taste for writing about darkness far exceeds my own capacity to enjoy reading about it, but she is such a good writer that she's been dragging me (struggling & whimpering if not exactly kicking and screaming) into reading stories of a kind that I usually wouldn't enjoy. I even bought her ZOMBIE NOVEL, and I don't care much for gore. But I do care very much for good writing, interesting ideas & well told stories so there you go. She's been expanding my horizons and that is a good thing. Velveteen is a case in point, I haven't cared much about Super Heroes since I was 6 or so, but here I am devouring stories about the struggles of Velveteen, who never asked for super powers and doesn't really know what to do with them and the complications they bring. All she wants is a decent life but the marketing division of the Junior Super Patriots, Inc. is making that almost impossible for her to achieve. Velveteen is a superhero for the 21st century and her struggles are struggles it is easy to identify with - go and read a few of the stories online and see if you fall in love with her too, it all starts at the crayfish festival...
May 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narration was perfect, and the pacing was good. I also really liked the story, and the way it manages to be fantastical and realistic all at the same time. (That is something I feel McGuire excels at, and this book is no exception.) I greatly look forward to reading more of Velveteen's adventures.
As to the story... the fantastical part mostly comes from the superheroes. There are all sorts of superheroes, and power types. It seemed Seanan let her imagination run wild on this front, and the result was a ton of fun. The realistic part comes from how the young heroes are handled. Think about it. What would a corporation in charge of training up superpowered kids do? Actually tell the truth? No way. They would take charge, and not really give anyone any choice in how their life went. I really enjoyed watching how the inevitable clash played out, and I'm sure it will develop even further in the next book.
As to the story... the fantastical part mostly comes from the superheroes. There are all sorts of superheroes, and power types. It seemed Seanan let her imagination run wild on this front, and the result was a ton of fun. The realistic part comes from how the young heroes are handled. Think about it. What would a corporation in charge of training up superpowered kids do? Actually tell the truth? No way. They would take charge, and not really give anyone any choice in how their life went. I really enjoyed watching how the inevitable clash played out, and I'm sure it will develop even further in the next book.
December 4, 2012
I bought Velveteen when I read mention of it on Seanan McGuire's blog. I decided to read it next because I was in the mood for something light. What if I hadn't? What if I had read something else, letting Velveteen languish on my shelves? I would have missed so much!
Velveteen is filled with heart, social commentary, action, humor, and all the best things about everyday people. This superhero's tale is an allegory for all the rest of us out there, and it's done spectacularly well! I know that Velveteen will never be the mainstream fare that flies off the shelves, Ms. McGuire's bread and butter. But I hope there will always be an indie press and indie readers to keep her story alive. Loved it!
Velveteen is filled with heart, social commentary, action, humor, and all the best things about everyday people. This superhero's tale is an allegory for all the rest of us out there, and it's done spectacularly well! I know that Velveteen will never be the mainstream fare that flies off the shelves, Ms. McGuire's bread and butter. But I hope there will always be an indie press and indie readers to keep her story alive. Loved it!
April 9, 2015
This isn't a 5 only because I read the rest of the stories on the website after I bought this compilation and loved them even more.
These are wonderful. If you like superhero stories -- a sadly underserved genre for novels -- you really should love these.
These are wonderful. If you like superhero stories -- a sadly underserved genre for novels -- you really should love these.
February 4, 2017
A very enjoyable if darkly comic take on what it would really mean to have grown up a teen superheroine whose handlers were more interested in PR than saving the day. It does suffer slightly in that it's a series of short stories gathered together in a volume, but not hugely.
January 9, 2024
I needed a refresh before starting the long awaited sequel. Seanan's writing is just as compelling and resonant the second time around.
July 2, 2016
This book was so much fun! I'm so glad I stumbled upon it. Velveteen is my new favorite super heroine.
June 21, 2017
More like a 3.5 but definitely more than 3 stars.
Shame it's such a short story.
Shame it's such a short story.
November 22, 2017
Very sweet, very girly nice take on superheroes.
I enjoyed it a lot.
It was published as short storied, but it's basically a chapterized long story
I enjoyed it a lot.
It was published as short storied, but it's basically a chapterized long story
January 10, 2023
Velma Martinez erscheint einem wie eine ganz normale junge Frau - sie fährt ein uraltes Auto, ist immer auf der Suche nach dem nächsten Job und führt ein unauffälliges Leben. Doch in Velmas Welt gibt es Superhelden und in ihrer Jugend war sie Teil der Junior Super Patriots - in etwa die Junior-Ausgabe der Avengers. Velma war bekannt als - ratet mal - Velveteen und ihre Superkraft ist es, Kuscheltiere lebendig werden zu lassen. Irgendwann war es jedoch vorbei mit der Kuschelei und Velma beschloss, erwachsen zu werden und sich von den Patriots abzuwenden, ihr eigenen Leben zu erleben. Doch das gefällt dem Marketing gar nicht und so jagen sie Velma...
Spannend, ziemlich gaga und sehr kreativ tobt sich Seanan als Vollnerd aus - herrlich! Die Rückblick-Passagen zwischendurch hätten etwas kürzer sein können, sind aber natürlich wichtiger Teil der Gesamtgeschichte.
Wie gesagt, bestehen Velveteens Abenteuer aus Kurzgeschichten, die alle Geschichten kostenlos im LiveJournal erschienen, wurden dann aber gesammelt in drei Bänden von ISFIC Press herausgebracht. Die sind nur noch schwer zu bekommen und lange ausverkauft, ich habe selbst einige Zeit gebraucht, um insbesondere den ersten Band aufzutreiben.
In diesem ersten Band findet ihr:
Velveteen vs. the Introduction (von Jim C. Hines)
1. Velveteen vs. the Isley Crawfish Festival (Velma ist auf der Reise zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch, als sie in Isley Pause macht. Dort entschließt sich aber gerade The Claw, Rache für seine krebsigen Freunde nehmen zu wollen - völlig gaga!)
2. Velveteen vs. the Midnight Coffee Society (Velma muss, um ihr Auto zu reparieren, einen Job als Kellnerin annehmen. Doch im dem Diner geht es nicht mit rechten Dingen zu...)
3. Velveteen vs. the Flashback Sequence (Velma steigt in einem Motel ab und in Rückblicken erfahren wir, wie sie zu den Junior Patriots kam.)
4. Velveteen vs. the Old Flame (Velmas Freund Aaron versucht sie zu überzeugen, wieder den Patriots beizutreten. Doch er ist auch ihr Ex...)
5. Velveteen vs. the Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division (Velma hat es fast über die Grenze nach Oregon geschafft, als sie von den Patriots entdeckt und aufgemischt wird. Das läuft aber nicht ganz so, wie Marketing das geplant hat...)
6. Velveteen vs. the Eternal Halloween (Die junge Vel wird durch ein Portal in die Herbstlande gesaugt und muss dort Halloween retten - man merkt, dass Halloween eins von Seanans Lieblingsthemen ist...)
7. Velveteen vs. the Ordinary Day (Vel erwacht in Oregon und wird von ihren Freundinnen in der Freiheit begrüßt. Süß!)
8. Velveteen vs. Patrol (Vel ist endlich sicher in Oregon und zu ihren Pflichten gehört das Patrouillieren durch die Straßen ihrer Stadt. Neben Verbrechern jagt sie zudem philosophische Paradoxa...)
9. Velveteen vs. the Blind Date (Wenn man sich heimisch und sicher fühlt, kann man sich auch auf andere Menschen einlassen. Eine Freundin hat für Vel ein Date arrangiert. Wie das läuft, erfahrt ihr hier...)
I <3 Superheroes (Nachwort von Carrie Vaughn)
Alle Velveteen-Geschichten wurden auf Seanans LiveJournal veröffentlicht, ihr könnt sie also dort nachlesen, ohne die ISFIC-Ausgaben jagen zu müssen!
Spannend, ziemlich gaga und sehr kreativ tobt sich Seanan als Vollnerd aus - herrlich! Die Rückblick-Passagen zwischendurch hätten etwas kürzer sein können, sind aber natürlich wichtiger Teil der Gesamtgeschichte.
Wie gesagt, bestehen Velveteens Abenteuer aus Kurzgeschichten, die alle Geschichten kostenlos im LiveJournal erschienen, wurden dann aber gesammelt in drei Bänden von ISFIC Press herausgebracht. Die sind nur noch schwer zu bekommen und lange ausverkauft, ich habe selbst einige Zeit gebraucht, um insbesondere den ersten Band aufzutreiben.
In diesem ersten Band findet ihr:
Velveteen vs. the Introduction (von Jim C. Hines)
1. Velveteen vs. the Isley Crawfish Festival (Velma ist auf der Reise zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch, als sie in Isley Pause macht. Dort entschließt sich aber gerade The Claw, Rache für seine krebsigen Freunde nehmen zu wollen - völlig gaga!)
2. Velveteen vs. the Midnight Coffee Society (Velma muss, um ihr Auto zu reparieren, einen Job als Kellnerin annehmen. Doch im dem Diner geht es nicht mit rechten Dingen zu...)
3. Velveteen vs. the Flashback Sequence (Velma steigt in einem Motel ab und in Rückblicken erfahren wir, wie sie zu den Junior Patriots kam.)
4. Velveteen vs. the Old Flame (Velmas Freund Aaron versucht sie zu überzeugen, wieder den Patriots beizutreten. Doch er ist auch ihr Ex...)
5. Velveteen vs. the Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division (Velma hat es fast über die Grenze nach Oregon geschafft, als sie von den Patriots entdeckt und aufgemischt wird. Das läuft aber nicht ganz so, wie Marketing das geplant hat...)
6. Velveteen vs. the Eternal Halloween (Die junge Vel wird durch ein Portal in die Herbstlande gesaugt und muss dort Halloween retten - man merkt, dass Halloween eins von Seanans Lieblingsthemen ist...)
7. Velveteen vs. the Ordinary Day (Vel erwacht in Oregon und wird von ihren Freundinnen in der Freiheit begrüßt. Süß!)
8. Velveteen vs. Patrol (Vel ist endlich sicher in Oregon und zu ihren Pflichten gehört das Patrouillieren durch die Straßen ihrer Stadt. Neben Verbrechern jagt sie zudem philosophische Paradoxa...)
9. Velveteen vs. the Blind Date (Wenn man sich heimisch und sicher fühlt, kann man sich auch auf andere Menschen einlassen. Eine Freundin hat für Vel ein Date arrangiert. Wie das läuft, erfahrt ihr hier...)
I <3 Superheroes (Nachwort von Carrie Vaughn)
Alle Velveteen-Geschichten wurden auf Seanans LiveJournal veröffentlicht, ihr könnt sie also dort nachlesen, ohne die ISFIC-Ausgaben jagen zu müssen!
October 2, 2021
Most superhero novels I've read have been an attempt to deconstruct the superhero genre, or at least attempt to make it more "realistic." And oftentimes in the process they drain the sense of wonder and fun from it. Seanan McGuire's "Velveteen vs. the Junior Super Patriots" falls into the deconstruction camp, as it doesn't shy away from some of the darker aspects of being a superhero... especially what happens when they're turned into a marketable commodity. But somehow she manages to maintain the fun and magic of a classic superhero romp, though the fact that her main character is great and relatable helps.
Velma Martinez was once Velveteen, a member of the Junior Super Patriots West Coast Division, a superhero with the power to bring toys to life. But she left the hero life when she was eighteen and is now seeking to eke out a living in a series of dead-end jobs, intent on leaving her Velveteen days far behind her. But just because she's done being a hero doesn't mean the world is done with her... and she finds herself running into a coffee-worshipping cult, an army of crayfish, a former teammate/crush, and the goons from the Super Patriots' marketing team, who will do anything possible to sweep Velma back into their roster of heroes...
Seanan McGuire gives us a delightful roster of superheroes, full of unique powersets and well-realized characters, as well as a world for them to inhabit that feels much like ours but different enough to be fun. And where so many superhero stories tend to feel like cheap knockoffs of Marvel and DC's worlds and character rosters, here McGuire's world and characters feel wholly their own. I loved visiting the world of Velveteen and her teammates/friends/foes, and hope to see more of it someday.
This book is more a collection of interconnected short stories than a coherent novel (apparently these are shorts that were originally posted online). But they're still entertaining to read, and it helps that Velma is a nicely snarky but well-meaning character, with a believable backstory and story arc and realistic-feeling reactions to fantastic situations. And while much of the actual superhero action takes place offscreen or is alluded to after the fact, what the author chooses to focus on -- the day-to-day life of a superhero/former superhero, and how insidious the marketing campaign behind them becomes -- ends up being just as fascinating and complex as any Marvel movie slugfest.
It's a shame that this book is out of print physically and unavailable on Kindle -- it deserves far more recognition. I'm glad it's available in Audible format, at least... and if audiobooks aren't your thing, the stories are available online as well. If you enjoy superhero stories and/or feisty heroines, give Velveteen's adventures a shot.
Velma Martinez was once Velveteen, a member of the Junior Super Patriots West Coast Division, a superhero with the power to bring toys to life. But she left the hero life when she was eighteen and is now seeking to eke out a living in a series of dead-end jobs, intent on leaving her Velveteen days far behind her. But just because she's done being a hero doesn't mean the world is done with her... and she finds herself running into a coffee-worshipping cult, an army of crayfish, a former teammate/crush, and the goons from the Super Patriots' marketing team, who will do anything possible to sweep Velma back into their roster of heroes...
Seanan McGuire gives us a delightful roster of superheroes, full of unique powersets and well-realized characters, as well as a world for them to inhabit that feels much like ours but different enough to be fun. And where so many superhero stories tend to feel like cheap knockoffs of Marvel and DC's worlds and character rosters, here McGuire's world and characters feel wholly their own. I loved visiting the world of Velveteen and her teammates/friends/foes, and hope to see more of it someday.
This book is more a collection of interconnected short stories than a coherent novel (apparently these are shorts that were originally posted online). But they're still entertaining to read, and it helps that Velma is a nicely snarky but well-meaning character, with a believable backstory and story arc and realistic-feeling reactions to fantastic situations. And while much of the actual superhero action takes place offscreen or is alluded to after the fact, what the author chooses to focus on -- the day-to-day life of a superhero/former superhero, and how insidious the marketing campaign behind them becomes -- ends up being just as fascinating and complex as any Marvel movie slugfest.
It's a shame that this book is out of print physically and unavailable on Kindle -- it deserves far more recognition. I'm glad it's available in Audible format, at least... and if audiobooks aren't your thing, the stories are available online as well. If you enjoy superhero stories and/or feisty heroines, give Velveteen's adventures a shot.
March 3, 2022
What it's about: The story of Velma Martinez, a.k.a. Velveteen, the (former) superhero who can animate and control toys.
Velma just wants to live her life. She isn't interested in being part of the Super Patriots, Inc., world, controlled by Marketing, for whom stopping crime and saving the world is a way to sell toys, movies, and comics about the superheroes in their stable. And it is a vast stable, controlling 97% of the superheroes in the world.
Velma is on her way to a job interview in Oregon, where she hopes to be able to leave behind the life she's been living - working minimum-wage jobs to pay off her parents so they won't rat her out to the tabloids in exchange for a pay-out.
But nothing quite goes Velma's way, and she finds herself being pulled back into the use of her powers against her will.
What's a super-powered girl to do?
What I thought: This was a fun, refreshing take on superheroes. Partly a satire on the superhero genre, partly a lovely and heartfelt story, this book is presented as an anthology of short (maybe comic book length?) installments about Velma's ongoing struggles.
What works so well in this book is that it's all about characters first, and superpowers second (or third, or fourth). It looks at who the characters are, which informs why they do what they do - to my mind, a much more compelling way to tell a story than to focus on the displays of superpowers.
Why my chosen shelves: There are a variety of fights and battles throughout the book, and though they tend to be sketched out rather than deeply described, they are integral to the story; the story ranges back and forth through time, starting with 25 years old Velma and skipping all over her earlier days with her powers, and what it was like to grow up as a ward of a giant corporation; Vel does end up having some very deep connections with some other superheroes; there are bits that are silly, like a kid whose dad spliced his genes with a lobster to create a kid with a human face and torso but lobster claws and scales (which is Pagliacci funny-sad as it is delved into); there are science-based powers and magic-based powers throughout the stories; there are a few loves and losses for Vel; this is the first book in a 3 book series (apparently); there are some weird-as-hell imaginings in here; I'd almost class this MG, despite a pretty constant one-f-word-per-chapter, but it's more focused on figuring out who you are as a young adult, and would probably appeal more to a slightly older audience. Trigger warning added for the mental abuse Vel's family subjects her to (directly telling her she's only good as a paycheck, selling her to a corporation, not even attempting to see her).
Why I rated it like I did: This was an enjoyable book that realistic fiction readers might really enjoy - it's a superhero story, but not in the traditional sense. The focus on character development might show those who turn up their nose at superhero stories that they CAN be engaging and have depth.
Velma just wants to live her life. She isn't interested in being part of the Super Patriots, Inc., world, controlled by Marketing, for whom stopping crime and saving the world is a way to sell toys, movies, and comics about the superheroes in their stable. And it is a vast stable, controlling 97% of the superheroes in the world.
Velma is on her way to a job interview in Oregon, where she hopes to be able to leave behind the life she's been living - working minimum-wage jobs to pay off her parents so they won't rat her out to the tabloids in exchange for a pay-out.
But nothing quite goes Velma's way, and she finds herself being pulled back into the use of her powers against her will.
What's a super-powered girl to do?
What I thought: This was a fun, refreshing take on superheroes. Partly a satire on the superhero genre, partly a lovely and heartfelt story, this book is presented as an anthology of short (maybe comic book length?) installments about Velma's ongoing struggles.
What works so well in this book is that it's all about characters first, and superpowers second (or third, or fourth). It looks at who the characters are, which informs why they do what they do - to my mind, a much more compelling way to tell a story than to focus on the displays of superpowers.
Why my chosen shelves: There are a variety of fights and battles throughout the book, and though they tend to be sketched out rather than deeply described, they are integral to the story; the story ranges back and forth through time, starting with 25 years old Velma and skipping all over her earlier days with her powers, and what it was like to grow up as a ward of a giant corporation; Vel does end up having some very deep connections with some other superheroes; there are bits that are silly, like a kid whose dad spliced his genes with a lobster to create a kid with a human face and torso but lobster claws and scales (which is Pagliacci funny-sad as it is delved into); there are science-based powers and magic-based powers throughout the stories; there are a few loves and losses for Vel; this is the first book in a 3 book series (apparently); there are some weird-as-hell imaginings in here; I'd almost class this MG, despite a pretty constant one-f-word-per-chapter, but it's more focused on figuring out who you are as a young adult, and would probably appeal more to a slightly older audience. Trigger warning added for the mental abuse Vel's family subjects her to (directly telling her she's only good as a paycheck, selling her to a corporation, not even attempting to see her).
Why I rated it like I did: This was an enjoyable book that realistic fiction readers might really enjoy - it's a superhero story, but not in the traditional sense. The focus on character development might show those who turn up their nose at superhero stories that they CAN be engaging and have depth.
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