Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena Review

Title: Superman: Dawnbreaker

Author: Matt de la Pena

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Action/Adventure

Series: DC Icons, book four

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

      

          I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

                The DC Icons series has become one of my favorites within the last year, and I’ve been waiting to get my hands on the last one since last year. I reserved it at my library and didn’t have any more renewals on it, so I pushed it to the top of my stack as soon as I was finished with Love and Luck. DC is one of my favorite comic companies, and I was so excited when they announced a young adult series, focusing on some of DC’s brightest stars. This one was written by Matt de la Pena, and I’d like to note that I wasn’t aware of his sexual harassment allegations until after I borrowed the book. But Clark Kent is the focus of this story, and I loved the story of young Superman! It reminded me of why he is one of my favorite superheroes ever, and possibly one of the world’s. This one is probably my favorite of the whole bunch, aside from Catwoman. What a fantastic ending to one of my favorite series!

                Clark Kent has always known that he was different, and not just in a common adolescent way. He can run impossibly fast, heal from wounds almost instantly, and has the strength of several human men. But when he begins to hear rumors about people disappearing from Smallville, he and his best friend, Lana Lang, take it upon themselves to investigate. When a mysterious scientific experiment called Project Dawn comes to life, Clark must decide to turn away from his otherworldly powers, or embrace them, in hopes of saving those he loves…

                I really enjoyed this book! My personal opinion of Superman has changed throughout the years, but Dawnbreaker reminded me of how much I love Clark Kent. I loved the way that the author took the familiar superhero and gave him a brand-new spin. It felt like I was being introduced to him all over again. The pacing of this book was breakneck, and I was instantly spellbound. I also enjoyed the way the author used the narrative to address one of the hottest topics in our political climate right now: immigration! This book is probably my favorite of the series, aside from Soulstealer; it was so well-written and thoughtful. Clark’s journey from a misfit desperate to fit in to the boy who would become one of the world’s most iconic superheroes was fantastic! His character development was wonderful. I also enjoyed the little cameos that felt like Easter eggs for DC fans: Lex Luthor and Lana Lang! The Mankins family was also a great foil to the small-town folks of Smallville; I especially loved Bryan. I just wish that Lana had gotten more of a space in the narrative instead of a supporting role. And that ending! Oh, my goodness! It was amazing. This is bittersweet for me, because I had so much fun reading this series; I wish it wasn’t over! The bottom line: Thoughtful, action-packed, and bittersweet, I loved this take on a teenage Superman! Long live Clark Kent! Next on deck: Enchantee by Gita Trelease!