What do you think?
Rate this book
Superpowerless
David is sixteen. A pretty ordinary boy, in most ways - he just wants to hang out in his bedroom, reading his dad's old comics. Comics that are full of his heroes - those figures whose lives are charmed, special, unique.
Life hasn't been easy recently for David, though. His father died just a couple of years ago, he has a fractious relationship with his mum, and he has fallen out with his best friend. But, David has a secret, which he hasn't told anyone. He has superpowers. He can soar through the air, he has superhearing, he feels and hears everything super-keenly. So life should be easier, then, shouldn't it? But somehow it's not - and when David gets involved with the girl next door, gorgeous Holly Hunter, he begins to realise just how very complicated it can get.
David's harbouring another secret, a deeper darker one, and on this journey from boyhood to manhood, will he have the courage to face up to it?
Life hasn't been easy recently for David, though. His father died just a couple of years ago, he has a fractious relationship with his mum, and he has fallen out with his best friend. But, David has a secret, which he hasn't told anyone. He has superpowers. He can soar through the air, he has superhearing, he feels and hears everything super-keenly. So life should be easier, then, shouldn't it? But somehow it's not - and when David gets involved with the girl next door, gorgeous Holly Hunter, he begins to realise just how very complicated it can get.
David's harbouring another secret, a deeper darker one, and on this journey from boyhood to manhood, will he have the courage to face up to it?
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Chris Priestley
58 books398 followersHis father was in the army and so he moved around a lot as a child and lived in Wales. He was an avid reader of American comics as a child, and when he was eight or nine, and living in Gibraltar, he won a prize in a newspaper story-writing competition. He decided then “that my ambition was to write and illustrate my own book”.
He spent his teens in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before moving to Manchester, London and then Norfolk. He now lives in Cambridge with his wife and son where he writes, draws, paints, dreams and doodles (not necessarily in that order). Chris worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for twenty years, working mainly for magazines & newspapers (these include The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal) before becoming a writer. He currently has a weekly strip cartoon called 'Payne's Grey' in the New Statesman.
Chris has been a published author since 2000. He has written several books for children & young-adults, both fiction and non-fiction, and
has been nominated for many awards including the Edgar Awards, the UKLA Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. In recent years he has predominantly been writing horror.
Ever since he was a teenager Chris has loved unsettling and creepy stories, with fond memories of buying comics like 'Strange Tales' and 'House of Mystery', watching classic BBC TV adaptations of M R James ghost stories every Christmas and reading assorted weirdness by everyone from Edgar Allen Poe to Ray Bradbury. He hopes Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror will haunt his readers in the way those writers have haunted him.
He spent his teens in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before moving to Manchester, London and then Norfolk. He now lives in Cambridge with his wife and son where he writes, draws, paints, dreams and doodles (not necessarily in that order). Chris worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for twenty years, working mainly for magazines & newspapers (these include The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal) before becoming a writer. He currently has a weekly strip cartoon called 'Payne's Grey' in the New Statesman.
Chris has been a published author since 2000. He has written several books for children & young-adults, both fiction and non-fiction, and
has been nominated for many awards including the Edgar Awards, the UKLA Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. In recent years he has predominantly been writing horror.
Ever since he was a teenager Chris has loved unsettling and creepy stories, with fond memories of buying comics like 'Strange Tales' and 'House of Mystery', watching classic BBC TV adaptations of M R James ghost stories every Christmas and reading assorted weirdness by everyone from Edgar Allen Poe to Ray Bradbury. He hopes Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror will haunt his readers in the way those writers have haunted him.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 6, 2017
Originally posted at: https://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/...
From the title alone I knew that this was going to be a poignant read. Superpowerless. Kinda makes you think, doesn't it? Of course, when I got to the synopsis I knew I had to read this one. Emotions be damned, and all that. Well, I finally sat down with this one and devoured it in a few hours. Mental illness is a big topic addressed in this book, and I thought (not having experienced it myself, but having seen others struggle with it*) that Superpowerless tackled it pretty well. Priestley's book was a moving and a very (yes, I'm really going in for this pun) powerful read.
-->*Obviously, since I have not experienced any form of mental illness, I cannot vouch for how accurate it is, and this is based solely on my experience through hearing other testaments, reading or seeing other depictions, and knowing people who have gone through it.
I love illustrations in a book, but not too many young adult books actually have them unfortunately. It was definitely fitting for this book though, with David's love for comic books and super heroes, so I'm glad they were featured! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and I'm in awe of Priestley's artistic depictions of his story. The comic-book style drawings usually showcase parts of whatever's going on, and it generally has to do with a flashback, or David's imaginings. I thought it was such a cool visual portrayal of synecdoche, as we see parts or close-ups of images that contribute to a whole.
❝'Talking for us isn't a truth game, is it?'
David scowls. What is this?
'Why?'
'Because we're both liars, David,' says Holly. 'Don't you see? Wouldn't it be interesting to tell the truth. Just for once. Just us. Liar to liar.'❞
–p. 253, paperback
Other than me geeking out over the illustrations, the characters were so well fleshed out–even the secondary ones. You could really get a grip on the characters interact with one another, how David perceives them and how they perceive David. The writing style is a little different than the usual first-person or third-person perspective because it describes the actions (and I hope I'm describing this correctly) as if a narrator would. "David is reading a comic book in his attic" is sort of the way the prose is written, and while it mainly focuses on David's character, we come to know of other character's thoughts and feelings every now and then. It's a pretty unique way of storytelling, in combination with the drawings, and it absolutely lead to an interesting reading experience.
I'm gonna address the elephant in the synopsis: the spying on Holly as she sunbathes bit. Yeah...obviously I was not okay with that part, because 1) it's creepy and 2) why are guys like that, buttttt as much as I hated it, it 1) seems like a pretty realistic portrayal, because I mean teenagers are just hormonal in general (there's no denying that fact) and 2) it added to David's character. Definitely not saying that the spying okay, because it most certainly is not, but the constant thoughts about girls and all that hits the nail in creating a realistic teenager. But I do love the relationship that develops between Holly and David. Not gonna say what kind of relationship it is exactly, but it was wonderfully played out throughout the book, and provided some moments of relief as well from the sad storyline.
Raw and compelling with these fantastic (I seriously can't get enough of them) illustrations woven in, Superpowerless is a touching story about a boy who tries to move on from tragedy, but is held back by a secret. With fantastic and complex characters tied into an enthralling narrative, Chris Priestley's latest novel is remarkable.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
From the title alone I knew that this was going to be a poignant read. Superpowerless. Kinda makes you think, doesn't it? Of course, when I got to the synopsis I knew I had to read this one. Emotions be damned, and all that. Well, I finally sat down with this one and devoured it in a few hours. Mental illness is a big topic addressed in this book, and I thought (not having experienced it myself, but having seen others struggle with it*) that Superpowerless tackled it pretty well. Priestley's book was a moving and a very (yes, I'm really going in for this pun) powerful read.
-->*Obviously, since I have not experienced any form of mental illness, I cannot vouch for how accurate it is, and this is based solely on my experience through hearing other testaments, reading or seeing other depictions, and knowing people who have gone through it.
I love illustrations in a book, but not too many young adult books actually have them unfortunately. It was definitely fitting for this book though, with David's love for comic books and super heroes, so I'm glad they were featured! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, and I'm in awe of Priestley's artistic depictions of his story. The comic-book style drawings usually showcase parts of whatever's going on, and it generally has to do with a flashback, or David's imaginings. I thought it was such a cool visual portrayal of synecdoche, as we see parts or close-ups of images that contribute to a whole.
❝'Talking for us isn't a truth game, is it?'
David scowls. What is this?
'Why?'
'Because we're both liars, David,' says Holly. 'Don't you see? Wouldn't it be interesting to tell the truth. Just for once. Just us. Liar to liar.'❞
–p. 253, paperback
Other than me geeking out over the illustrations, the characters were so well fleshed out–even the secondary ones. You could really get a grip on the characters interact with one another, how David perceives them and how they perceive David. The writing style is a little different than the usual first-person or third-person perspective because it describes the actions (and I hope I'm describing this correctly) as if a narrator would. "David is reading a comic book in his attic" is sort of the way the prose is written, and while it mainly focuses on David's character, we come to know of other character's thoughts and feelings every now and then. It's a pretty unique way of storytelling, in combination with the drawings, and it absolutely lead to an interesting reading experience.
I'm gonna address the elephant in the synopsis: the spying on Holly as she sunbathes bit. Yeah...obviously I was not okay with that part, because 1) it's creepy and 2) why are guys like that, buttttt as much as I hated it, it 1) seems like a pretty realistic portrayal, because I mean teenagers are just hormonal in general (there's no denying that fact) and 2) it added to David's character. Definitely not saying that the spying okay, because it most certainly is not, but the constant thoughts about girls and all that hits the nail in creating a realistic teenager. But I do love the relationship that develops between Holly and David. Not gonna say what kind of relationship it is exactly, but it was wonderfully played out throughout the book, and provided some moments of relief as well from the sad storyline.
Raw and compelling with these fantastic (I seriously can't get enough of them) illustrations woven in, Superpowerless is a touching story about a boy who tries to move on from tragedy, but is held back by a secret. With fantastic and complex characters tied into an enthralling narrative, Chris Priestley's latest novel is remarkable.
▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪
September 10, 2017
We all want to feel special, don’t we? And David is one boy who takes this thought to the max, after his dad dies, in Priestley’s beautifully, enigmatically written book, Superpowerless.
Playing on what seems, at first, to be the superhero movie trend, Superpowerless quickly stamps its foot down as you read it. And it is the loud, moody, sexually explicit, angry foot of one teenager finding a way through the grief of losing his comic book-loving dad.
You see, David has superpowers. Or, at least, he believes he has. Powers that might be able to save people, just like he wished he could have saved his dad. And these visions of grandeur, written as though casually real-life experiences by Priestley, occur whilst David is up in his room, clearly going through the torture of puberty, as he lusts after his hot neighbour, Holly.
And David has seen other things from his window – secrets that make him feel bitter, twisted and unsure what to do. He tries to make sense of them, of growing up and of fancying beautiful girls he believes he’s not good enough to attract (and the fact his father can’t help him with this…all he has left of him are his dad’s comic book collection to escape to when he needs to become superpowered).
The plot itself is coming-of-age meets grief and teen boy hormones, but the layers of emotions depicted through David’s experience of his world are so multi-layered I often felt I was totally immersed in the story, as in I really did feel like David (it helped I used to read comic books and fantasise about having super-saving powers, and having sex with hot girls…yes, that’s right, teen geek boys are like this!). It really is a captivating story, and a very emotional one at the end too. I cried and I never cry at books.
One thing I would stress, though, for parents reading this: Superpowerless does have A LOT of swear words and sexually explicit content in it, so this book really is for older readers.
However, saying that, what I really love about this book the most – aside from the awkward, “fighty” and funny way David’s friendship with Holly blossoms – is that the reader can decide as the story moves onwards whether David’s superpowered visions are a form of grieving psychosis, delusions, or are – in fact – real. I’ll let you decide…
Whatever your decision, do not miss reading this book. It’s superpowered!
Playing on what seems, at first, to be the superhero movie trend, Superpowerless quickly stamps its foot down as you read it. And it is the loud, moody, sexually explicit, angry foot of one teenager finding a way through the grief of losing his comic book-loving dad.
You see, David has superpowers. Or, at least, he believes he has. Powers that might be able to save people, just like he wished he could have saved his dad. And these visions of grandeur, written as though casually real-life experiences by Priestley, occur whilst David is up in his room, clearly going through the torture of puberty, as he lusts after his hot neighbour, Holly.
And David has seen other things from his window – secrets that make him feel bitter, twisted and unsure what to do. He tries to make sense of them, of growing up and of fancying beautiful girls he believes he’s not good enough to attract (and the fact his father can’t help him with this…all he has left of him are his dad’s comic book collection to escape to when he needs to become superpowered).
The plot itself is coming-of-age meets grief and teen boy hormones, but the layers of emotions depicted through David’s experience of his world are so multi-layered I often felt I was totally immersed in the story, as in I really did feel like David (it helped I used to read comic books and fantasise about having super-saving powers, and having sex with hot girls…yes, that’s right, teen geek boys are like this!). It really is a captivating story, and a very emotional one at the end too. I cried and I never cry at books.
One thing I would stress, though, for parents reading this: Superpowerless does have A LOT of swear words and sexually explicit content in it, so this book really is for older readers.
However, saying that, what I really love about this book the most – aside from the awkward, “fighty” and funny way David’s friendship with Holly blossoms – is that the reader can decide as the story moves onwards whether David’s superpowered visions are a form of grieving psychosis, delusions, or are – in fact – real. I’ll let you decide…
Whatever your decision, do not miss reading this book. It’s superpowered!
December 30, 2017
I loved this book and I think that it goes some way to addressing a gap in YA fiction that I've been concerned about for a while in that it is a YA novel about emotions, feelings, friends and family that I think teenage boys (as well as girls) will enjoy reading. As Priestley himself has said this is a book about "sex, death and comics", it's also about depression, grief, and the emotional reality of being 16 which (if you can remember it accurately) is a pretty hardcore period of your life to navigate! That said it made me laugh a lot (there are plenty of very British swear words used by David that I personally found hilarious to read in print) and it's not as 'heavy' as it might sound given the topic. David's difficulty in finding anyone to actually talk to openly about feelings is also a very important topic to address and David's experience is felt by too many young men I fear, as is reflected by the appalling level of depression and suicide in men under the age of 30 so this book is important in both appealing to young men but also discussing this emotional situation in a way that doesn't alienate them.
A more realistic depiction of sex in novels read by young people is also an issue that I strongly believe in and this book features some very honest and realistic scenes of a sexual nature that I can't help but feel would make a teenage reader feel less intimidated and perhaps better informed. David's creepy spying on a sunbathing neighbour is dodgy but is dealt with sensitively, his complete obsession with sex despite his lack of experience of it or understanding of it is also completely realistic, relatable and sensitively done. As a young person (long, long ago now!) I clearly remember bemoaning the huge reality split in what I felt I'd been led to believe sex and relationships were like and the messy, difficult reality of them which is why it's so great that books like this are finally being written for teens as well as the plethora of modern, accessible non-fiction titles.
A more realistic depiction of sex in novels read by young people is also an issue that I strongly believe in and this book features some very honest and realistic scenes of a sexual nature that I can't help but feel would make a teenage reader feel less intimidated and perhaps better informed. David's creepy spying on a sunbathing neighbour is dodgy but is dealt with sensitively, his complete obsession with sex despite his lack of experience of it or understanding of it is also completely realistic, relatable and sensitively done. As a young person (long, long ago now!) I clearly remember bemoaning the huge reality split in what I felt I'd been led to believe sex and relationships were like and the messy, difficult reality of them which is why it's so great that books like this are finally being written for teens as well as the plethora of modern, accessible non-fiction titles.
November 6, 2017
At first, I wasn't sure if I should be reading this book. It's a painful and sometimes embarrassing glimpse into the mind of a teenage boy who has some problems and isn't dealing with them very well. However, I persevered and got to know David, I cringed, I felt motherly towards him, I wished he had some better friends and made better decisions, ultimately, I cared about him and was glad to see his life progress.
It's a frank and painful book, but well worth reading. I hope it helps some young men deal with being a young man, never having been one, I found it insightful.
It's a frank and painful book, but well worth reading. I hope it helps some young men deal with being a young man, never having been one, I found it insightful.
April 4, 2020
Once again Chris Priestley proves why he is one of my favourite authors. Superpowerless is an engrossing, dreary read. A good dreary not a bad dreary, I just couldn't think of another word. I like dreary and gloomy, it keeps me interested. Anyway, Superpowerless is a moving book about a boy's, David, grief after the death of his father and how he copes with all the secrets he knows/has. Something that everyone should read as it has some important moments to do with mental health and how we as humans deal with trauma and just the daily stuff in life.
July 3, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. David is a unique and interesting character and his journey, for me, was an addictive one. The final chapter was a great conclusion as well. Hats off to Mr Priestley. I only hope that Holly went on to be a stronger woman and stopped letting guys lead her astray. It can be done. It takes years. But I'm proof, you can find your better self eventually. And grow wise to the siren call of hungry bad guys...
November 25, 2019
Beautifully written. Stunning imagery. You have to read this book!
May 2, 2019
I have heard such good things about this, and I have no idea why. It is absolutely atrocious. Firstly, the writing is terrible - bland and poorly formed and not even in a written-by-a-depressed-teenage-boy kind of way, because it tries to jump between characters (not that you can really tell who's thinking what). The drawings are equally bad. If they'd been good I think it would have really added to the book, but they aren't.
Mostly, though, I really struggled with the second chapter, which is literally a 16 year old boy perving at a young woman through a scope he has set up specifically for this purpose. I'm not normally that prudish, especially when it comes to stories featuring wayward hormonal teenagers, but this is utterly gratuitous and deeply, deeply creepy. Since it looked like the story may develop as the central character grew and confronted his grief, I held out, but the girl pops up again and it looks like there'll be absolutely no challenging of spying on your neighbours for sexual gratification at all. If this is what people are giving youths - a book with an otherwise great premise, and just-about-excusably poor writing, but that has no problems with going out of your way to spy on half naked women at length - then they need to seriously reconsider.
I'm very disappointed. I love the premise and was really looking forward to reading this, but there is no way I'm going to bother spending the hour or so to finish it. I'd rather read a cereal box for an hour.
Mostly, though, I really struggled with the second chapter, which is literally a 16 year old boy perving at a young woman through a scope he has set up specifically for this purpose. I'm not normally that prudish, especially when it comes to stories featuring wayward hormonal teenagers, but this is utterly gratuitous and deeply, deeply creepy. Since it looked like the story may develop as the central character grew and confronted his grief, I held out, but the girl pops up again and it looks like there'll be absolutely no challenging of spying on your neighbours for sexual gratification at all. If this is what people are giving youths - a book with an otherwise great premise, and just-about-excusably poor writing, but that has no problems with going out of your way to spy on half naked women at length - then they need to seriously reconsider.
I'm very disappointed. I love the premise and was really looking forward to reading this, but there is no way I'm going to bother spending the hour or so to finish it. I'd rather read a cereal box for an hour.
September 4, 2017
This book was rather slow. The main character is a teenage boy, a fact you are not able to forget since so much of the book is him fantasizing about two different girls. He also has visions of himself as a superhero trying to save his dad from his death. Mental illness plays a role in this book and I was happy with how the mother addressed it at the end. She admits anger but also anger at herself for being angry since she knows that mental illness was to blame.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2020
The reason why I'm being so harsh with my rating is mainly because I didn't like any of the characters, especially the main one. I thought he was a real creep to begin with and after finishing the book, I still didn't connect to or care about anyone.
It was also really confusing when he talked about his powers - I kept wondering whether he was being figurative or literal when describing them, but in the end I think David just imagines himself having these abilities. But no, definitely would not read again or recommend. Save yourself!
It was also really confusing when he talked about his powers - I kept wondering whether he was being figurative or literal when describing them, but in the end I think David just imagines himself having these abilities. But no, definitely would not read again or recommend. Save yourself!
November 19, 2018
Interesting title with pun: superpower-less and super-powerless.
I really enjoyed the embedded comic jargon and illustrations.
The overall plot was very slowly paced and lacking substance. It was only until the end that I understood the superhero powers were a manifestation of David's imagination as a coping mechanism.
A first-person rather than omniscient third-person narration would have given readers more insight into David's irrational actions and create a stronger relatability.
I really enjoyed the embedded comic jargon and illustrations.
The overall plot was very slowly paced and lacking substance. It was only until the end that I understood the superhero powers were a manifestation of David's imagination as a coping mechanism.
A first-person rather than omniscient third-person narration would have given readers more insight into David's irrational actions and create a stronger relatability.
April 21, 2018
I didn't realise who this was by until I actually started reading it. Priestley's writing style works well for worldbuilding, like in Death and the Arrow, but it doesn't really fit in this novel. It feels a bit like everything is overdescribed.
June 30, 2017
Interesting, intense.
November 21, 2017
Teen-aged voyeur fantasises about being a super hero to cope with family secrets
May 28, 2018
Odd - creepy elements and lying/denial - not sure that the characters were people you’d warm to.
June 14, 2018
This book did a good job of holding my interest but the story is actually a little strange... 😂
July 23, 2022
Great novel touching on grief and mental health and the secrets we carry within us.
October 4, 2025
Complete shit 👎
December 28, 2019
I've quite liked Chris Priestley's work in the past, but this was... odd. It wasn't quite what I'd thought it was going to be. I appreciated the comic book references - David's coping mechanism, if you will, is his superpowered alter-ego. I liked David's character in this sense, and in several others, but I couldn't get past one main factor: he spies on girls from his bedroom window using his telescope. Okay, he does acknowledge that it's wrong, and it started out as an accident, and he even admits to the girl he watches that he watches her. But I still found it weird.
There's a lot going on in this book (besides David spying on Holly, his neighbour). David actually begins to care for Holly after learning about her personal life, and David himself is still grieving his father. He has some girl problems, too, and ends up falling out with his closest friend, Joe. Amongst all the semi-normal adolescent problems, David also finally comes to term with a huge reality that he already knew, but could never bring himself to accept. It's the reason he visualises himself as a superhero who can never quite save the car - or the people in it.
This was pretty unique in its own right, and touching, too. David's relationships are all quite strained, and it takes some effort to repair things - effort that David has been neglecting to give up until now. 3.5 stars.
There's a lot going on in this book (besides David spying on Holly, his neighbour). David actually begins to care for Holly after learning about her personal life, and David himself is still grieving his father. He has some girl problems, too, and ends up falling out with his closest friend, Joe. Amongst all the semi-normal adolescent problems, David also finally comes to term with a huge reality that he already knew, but could never bring himself to accept. It's the reason he visualises himself as a superhero who can never quite save the car - or the people in it.
This was pretty unique in its own right, and touching, too. David's relationships are all quite strained, and it takes some effort to repair things - effort that David has been neglecting to give up until now. 3.5 stars.
April 21, 2017
Synopsis
David is sixteen. A pretty ordinary boy, in most ways – he just wants to hang out in his bedroom, reading his dad’s old comics. Comics that are full of his heroes – those figures whose lives are charmed, special, unique.
Life hasn’t been easy recently for David, though. His father died just a couple of years ago, he has a fractious relationship with his mum, and he has fallen out with his best friend. But, David has a secret, which he hasn’t told anyone.
He has superpowers. He can soar through the air, he has superhearing, he feels and hears everything super-keenly. So life should be easier, then, shouldn’t it? But somehow it’s not – and when David gets involved with the girl next door, gorgeous Holly Hunter, he begins to realise just how very complicated it can get.
David’s harbouring another secret, a deeper darker one, and on this journey from boyhood to manhood, will he have the courage to face up to it?
Review
Well firstly, Thank you Mr Priestley! I finally finished reading Superpowerless at 5:17am. Luckily I wasn’t working that morning, otherwise i might have just cried at a 7am alarm….
“I think about sex all the time. All the time. Well, sex and death and comics.” or so 16 year old David admits to the older, and certainly more streetwise Holly; his neighbour, and the object of his teenage fantasies. Strange circumstances make them friends as David comes to terms with his grief and feelings of helplessness at being unable to ‘save’ his father, his loneliness after withdrawing from friendships, his infatuation for Holly, and his uncertainty over girls, sex and relationships. Holly struggles with her own demons regarding selfworth, and failed and unhealthy relationships.
Obsessed with the comic books left behind by his father, David attempts to rationalise his feelings by constructing a superpowered alterego.
Torn between his loneliness and his belief that with the mantle of superhero comes a necessity to be alone and unknown, he spends his days watching the neighbourhood through his dad’s old telescope and imagining how it would feel to fly unseen and unhindered by the constraints of ‘normal life’.
Through his own loneliness, grief and uncertainty; he finds it increasingly difficult to reach out and connect with those around him.
Thoughts
Whilst unlike my usual choice of reading material, I very much enjoyed this book (probably made obvious by the aforementioned 5:17am fiasco!) and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA fiction. I particularly think it would resonate with teenagers struggling with their own perceptions of not fitting in, and/or those trying to come to terms with prior loss.
David is sixteen. A pretty ordinary boy, in most ways – he just wants to hang out in his bedroom, reading his dad’s old comics. Comics that are full of his heroes – those figures whose lives are charmed, special, unique.
Life hasn’t been easy recently for David, though. His father died just a couple of years ago, he has a fractious relationship with his mum, and he has fallen out with his best friend. But, David has a secret, which he hasn’t told anyone.
He has superpowers. He can soar through the air, he has superhearing, he feels and hears everything super-keenly. So life should be easier, then, shouldn’t it? But somehow it’s not – and when David gets involved with the girl next door, gorgeous Holly Hunter, he begins to realise just how very complicated it can get.
David’s harbouring another secret, a deeper darker one, and on this journey from boyhood to manhood, will he have the courage to face up to it?
Review
Well firstly, Thank you Mr Priestley! I finally finished reading Superpowerless at 5:17am. Luckily I wasn’t working that morning, otherwise i might have just cried at a 7am alarm….
“I think about sex all the time. All the time. Well, sex and death and comics.” or so 16 year old David admits to the older, and certainly more streetwise Holly; his neighbour, and the object of his teenage fantasies. Strange circumstances make them friends as David comes to terms with his grief and feelings of helplessness at being unable to ‘save’ his father, his loneliness after withdrawing from friendships, his infatuation for Holly, and his uncertainty over girls, sex and relationships. Holly struggles with her own demons regarding selfworth, and failed and unhealthy relationships.
Obsessed with the comic books left behind by his father, David attempts to rationalise his feelings by constructing a superpowered alterego.
Torn between his loneliness and his belief that with the mantle of superhero comes a necessity to be alone and unknown, he spends his days watching the neighbourhood through his dad’s old telescope and imagining how it would feel to fly unseen and unhindered by the constraints of ‘normal life’.
Through his own loneliness, grief and uncertainty; he finds it increasingly difficult to reach out and connect with those around him.
Thoughts
Whilst unlike my usual choice of reading material, I very much enjoyed this book (probably made obvious by the aforementioned 5:17am fiasco!) and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA fiction. I particularly think it would resonate with teenagers struggling with their own perceptions of not fitting in, and/or those trying to come to terms with prior loss.
May 21, 2018
Teenager David is a superhero and has superpowers unlike any other.
He is also spying on a girl he has a huge crush on named Holly.
As both of their secrets pile up, they are both forced into situations they never would have imagined.
This was an intriguing, different kind of novel.
I loved the fact it was an awkward male protagonist, it gave a different spin on the story.
5 stars!
He is also spying on a girl he has a huge crush on named Holly.
As both of their secrets pile up, they are both forced into situations they never would have imagined.
This was an intriguing, different kind of novel.
I loved the fact it was an awkward male protagonist, it gave a different spin on the story.
5 stars!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews