Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This sweetly snarky, romantic YA novel follows Edan as she tries to gather the strength to be the hero in her own real life even as she connects with her dream boy at a costume competition.When Edan Kupferman dresses up like her favorite character, Gargantua, she feels tall and powerful. That's important right now, because her family is a mess, her best friend is gone for the summer, her crush is confusing, and Edan's feeling small and not sure which end is up. When Edan's cosplaying, she can be angry, loud, and not the good girl everyone thinks she is. And when she's at conventions, she feels like she's found her own Team Tomorrow. But when her personal life starts to spiral out of control, Edan has to figure out whether she needs a sidekick, or if she has the strength to be the hero of her own story.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

In this introspective drama, a young woman seeks refuge from her dysfunctional life by cosplaying as her favorite comic book character. As hero and occasional villain Gargantua, Edan Kupferman feels confident enough to handle anything, including her father's legal troubles. But as she immerses herself in costuming and conventions, she has to put up with toxic fandom and accusations of being a fake geek girl. Edan's boyfriend turns out to be a jerk, but her new friend Kirk seems to really get her-and she'll need all the help she can get as her father seems poised to go to jail. Castellucci (Stone in the Sky) infuses this story with a deep and abiding love of comics culture, while simultaneously addressing real sexism within the community. Interspersed passages detail the history of Gargantua's series, Team Tomorrow (Castellucci takes some minor liberties, giving her team an African-American hero years before Marvel's Black Panther showed up, for example), and the underlying themes of confidence, self-reliance, and feminism come through with a strength worthy of Gargantua herself. Ages 12-up. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up-Edan Kupferman, self-described nerd is thrilled that her favorite comic book, Team Tomorrow, is about to be turned into a movie. Unfortunately, her dad is dealing with a not-so-small legal problem and putting everyone on edge. Edan makes the best of the situation by donning a mask and learning how to cosplay, even starting a club at school with her lesbian best friend Kasumi. As she navigates the world of geekdom, she encounters male figures who put her down as fake or not nerdy enough. Castelluci writes that, "everyone is a nerd about something," because everyone has something they're passionate about. Edan looks to her favorite character Gargantua for empowerment, imagining herself, like her hero, growing in size in times of conflict. She hides behind her mask and struggles with her feelings, not just about her father but about two guys she is torn between. This contemporary coming-of-age novel appropriate for younger YA readers is filled with all things nerd: cosplay, comics, and conventions. Short chapters interspersed with information on Team Tomorrow make this a quick pick and good choice for reluctant readers. Characters are fully formed with unique identities and Edan undergoes tremendous growth. The plot is at times heavy-handed with obvious foreshadowing leading to an unsurprising but satisfying conclusion. For those who enjoyed Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde or Geekerella by Ashley Poston. VERDICT An entertaining selection filled with vivid characters; for general purchase where geek is chic.-Rebecca Greer, Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, FL © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

With her family life going to pieces, Edan needs something to occupy her time during summer and give her life a bit of direction. Her first, intoxicating dose of relief comes from attending her very first comic convention, dressed as Gargantua, her favorite character from Team Tomorrow. From there she resolves to learn how to sew so she can make an amazing costume that'll blow everyone else's out of the water at San Diego Comic-Con. While she's trying to do that, she's also dealing with feelings toward the nerdy boys around her, and channeling Gargantua more and more as she realizes she has the power of determination over her life. Castellucci is no stranger to nerdom, having grown up on comics and even recently cowriting a Star Wars story. While this story itself is fiction, it'll absolutely ring true for geeks and nerds everywhere, especially girls who endure mansplaining and are frequently challenged by their male peers in fandom. The good news is, once you find your people and learn to just do you, it's all good.--Pino, Kristina Copyright 2017 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Edan is a devotee of the (fictitious) comic series Team Tomorrow. Shes a special fan of Gargantua, a team member whose complicated backstory includes shifting loyalties and allegiances; when husband-and-wife co-creators Jeanne and Hal divorced, Gargantua, who was likely modeled after Jeanne, suddenly turned evil. Wearing a Gargantua mask makes Edan feel braver, and she starts a cosplay (thats costume play, for the uninitiated) club at school called SEW: Superheroes Everywhere. SEW brings its own drama, from sniping among club members to a love triangle to sexual objectification and fake geek girl accusations from the guys in the group, as well as a serious false accusation of theft. Meanwhile, theres turmoil at home as Edans father is being investigated for corporate wrongdoing. Edans frustrations at not having her passions taken seriously, and later at not being believed, should be relatable for many readers, and interactions among the casually diverse SEW crew (e.g., Edans best friend Kasumi likes girls and its no big deal) make for a mostly breezy, diverting read. Bits of background about Team Tomorrow end some chapters, with the creators own story echoing the sexism Edan herself experiences. shoshana flax (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.