“Sisters in battle, I am shield and blade to you. As I breathe, your enemies will know no sanctuary. While I live, your cause is mine.”
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: DC Icons (Book 1) (Don’t Need to Read in Order)
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Available at: Amazon // B&N // Book Depository // BAM // AbeBooks // Target // Walmart
To see my Non-Spoiler Review of Batman: Nightbringer by Marie Lu (DC Icons #2)
Wonder Woman was one of my favorite D.C characters (Second only to Aquaman, which is surprising considering I have a fear of fish?!) Leigh Bardugo has bought her usual flare to the iconic story that we all know and love. She bought the elements that she is known and love for that appear in her many different books.
We have the hidden inner strength, heartbreaking teary eyed moments that suddenly turn to tears of laughter, bad-ass girls who can stand toe to toe with any man as an equal, and the heart thumping adenine that courses though her well thought out action scenes.
While I did have some small issues with the story overall I highly recommend reading this book because the world needs more Amazons!
Wonder Woman: Warbringer is split between two different characters 3rd person POV’s.
We have of course Diana who is the Princess of Themyscria and daughter of the great Queen Hippolyta. Diana wasn’t “battle-born” like her sisters and yearns to prove herself to the others. She is kind of the black-sheep of the island and stands out among her Amazon sisters. She is usually the butt of their jokes in a way.
She lives on the isolate island where the immortal Amazon have lived in peace away from the land of man for centuries.
“Are there any men on this island?”
Diana shook her head “No.”
“None?”
“No.”
“Holy shit, are you guys some radical feminist cult?”
Diana frown “Not exactly?”
“Are you all lesbians?”
“Of course not.”
“It’s cool if you are. Nim’s gay. Maybe bi. She’s figuring it out.”
I enjoyed Diana’s confusion and excitement during this book because the poor girl has completely step away from everything she knows and in the world the new era of man.
A place she has only read about and let’s face it reading and actually experiencing it are two different things.
“What are you doing?” Jason said abruptly. He was seated across Diana, watching her closely.
“I did nothing.”
“You were smelling the car.” He turned to Alia. “She was smelling the car.”
She has such character growth though out the book that you feel her emotions seep off of the page and into your heart. Like the Amazons you feel her pain, struggle, and joy as if it was your own.
Alia Keralis is the second POV we get to experience in this book and I have to admit I didn’t enjoy most of her POV until the last 4 or 5 chapters. I love her character and the diversity of her but at times her POV frustrated me and at times was boring.
Anyways, Alia is the second child of two biologist who own a lab dedicated to basically genetics. There is a bigger word for what they do, but it basically boils down to genetics.
After a terrible car accident her parents are killed and Alia is left with only her loving and extremely protective brother Jason.
The family chemistry between these two was wonderful and at times made me want to throw stuff.
“You’re seventeen.”
“And you’re the guy who got drunk on eggnog last Christmas and dance to ‘Turn the Beat Around’ in Aunt Rachel’s wig, so stop acting like you’re in charge.”
“We agreed not to mention that ever again,” Jason whisper furiously.
Alia’s story is centered on her bloodline and the destiny that has come a knocking at her door. She is a descendent of Helen of Troy called the Warbringer and is the bringer of well war. Her power is to cause chaos, violence, and destruction to the world.
She has no idea of the dark power inside of her that’s beginning to awaken or what she really is. I did love Alia’s character’s wit, sarcasm, and at times strength. She did make an awesome partner to an immortal Amazon.
The secondary characters in this book was what gave heart and a light humor to this remarkable tell of hero’s. Nim and Theo showed that sometimes hero’s don’t have to be 6 foot tall immortal Amazons to be considered Hero’s. Sometimes you only have to be who you are always supposed to be: Yourself!
So wrapping things up I will say this Wonder Woman book has wrapped around my heart with the truth lasso.
Speaking of truth lasso I must tell the truth and say that even though at times I wished the book focused more on Diana’s P.O.V in some more of the chapters, and also the big plot twist toward the end was really shocking I pretty much guess it a quarter of the way through he book.
I will say that this was an amazing addition to the world of the D.C. Wonder Woman herself would be proud!
Favorite Quote from none other than sweet Theo because I feel the need to use this excuse one day:
“Can any of us even drive?”
“I drove,” said Theo. “Once.”
“That was a golf cart,” said Alia.
“So? It had for wheels and went vroom.”
“You crashed it into a tree.”
“I’ll have you know that tree had been drinking.”
4 out of 5 Jughead Hats!
What did you guys think of Wonder Woman?
Did it live up to the legends?
Did you want more of Diana too?
Let me know in the comments below!
Great review! This was one of my favorite books of 2018
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Aww I am glad you love this book. I just wish it had more Diana POV in it. I loved her confusion in the new world. Thank you so much 🙂
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I totally agree with you; I had a couple issues with the book but would still rec it! I love your review! 🙂
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Thank you! I think my main issue was it need more Diana Pov. I loved her confusion in the world of man lol.
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Me too! I went into the book expecting a lot more Diana and was a little disappointed.
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