Priscilla the Great

  I grew up learning about superheroes. My older brother was a very avid DC and Marvel fan during his junior high, high school, and college school years. We would go out and see the latest superhero adaptation in the theaters and then talk about the movie compared to the comics. I instantly loved Batman and the Xmen comics and cartoons. We already made plans to see Thor, which just so happens to fall on my birthday. Like many children, I wondered how cool it would be to have a superpower and what superpower I would have to fight evil. I wanted to be someone like Rogue from the Xmen who was strong yet vulnerable and human. Reading Sybil Nelson's Priscilla the Great, reminded me of that childhood moment. Note: I was given a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.

Description (from author's website): Hey, I’m Priscilla and all I want is to be a normal seventh grader. That’s hard enough with an older brother annoyingly obsessed with Christina Aguilera, mischievous baby twin brothers who could scare the sin off of Satan, and parents more puzzling than a Rubik’s cube in the Bermuda triangle. But when psycho, genetically enhanced assassins start trying to kill me and my family, being normal is downright impossible.

Review: Priscilla the Great is a delightful family adventure, and coming of age story that is purely an escaptist read and that many who are fond of superheroes will really enjoy. In the first chapter, we are immediately thrown into action. Priscilla is kidnapped by an unknown organization who wants her dead. Like her, the reader is confused by what is happening but the present situation is put on pause while Priscilla fills us in with pertient background information about her past and how she got into her current predicament. I loved reading the beginning of the book and it immediately caught my attention, however, the middle part of the book seemed a bit slow and underdeveloped for me. I would have liked more information about Priscilla's mom and her story as well as Priscilla to be more conflicted about her powers like her brother Josh rather than immediately embrace it and be okay.  Fortunately, the book picks up its speed once the villians are revealed and the events that lead to an epic battle.
  Priscilla is a spunky and strong heroine who I liked from the start. At first she seems to be your typical middle schooler who loves playing video games, competiting with her peers, chats with her best friend, and experiences bullying, confusing crushes, and all the stress that comes along with being in middle school. What sets Priscilla apart is her family history and of course her powers, which include shooting fire out of her fingers. After getting to know Priscilla, I couldn't help but root for her.
  Nelson does a good job in creating an authentic tween voice and great characters. Priscilla's twin baby brothers had me laughing out loud with their antics. Despite the predictable "Oh my God, I have superpowers", I was quite impressed by the story as a whole. Avid comic book heroes will make allusions and connections to famous superheroes. A fast plot and great cast of characters, would make this a good candidate for reluctant readers. I would recommend it to fans of upper middle grade and lower young adult readers, especially those who enjoy a good science fiction or superhero story.
Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: The violence in the book is borderline PG-13. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try:  The Kiss of Life by Sybil Nelson (Priscilla the Great #2), Wolverine: Worst Day Ever or Archvillan by Barry Lyga