I had somewhat mixed feelings when it came to writing this review; not because I didn't enjoy the book (I really did; more on that in a minute), but because the actual creation of particular imprint makes me a little uneasy. As a fan of both comic books and chicklit, I'm of course delighted by Marvel's decision to publish these fun books based around their female superheroes; but I'm also aware that it's often very difficult for women to be taken seriously as comic book fans, and the creation of a special series for female readers in which the characters worry about shoes and boyfriends is not really the way to further make them part of this world. A lot of female comic book fans that I know expressed anger when I told them that I was reading this book, and inclusivity does not come from singling out female fans of comics, then giving them a frothy, specifically girly novel to read. So while I'm now going to talk about how much I enjoyed The She-Hulk Diaries, and how excited I am about embarking on the other book from this imprint - Rogue Touch - I wanted to show an awareness that this is a complicated area, and I'm not completely comfortable with this idea of female-oriented superhero chicklit.Having said all that, this book is utterly delightful. It's fun, it's likeable, it's periodically laugh-out-loud funny, it has action, mystery and lots of romance. I'll admit here that my knowledge of Jennifer Walters and her big, green alter-ego is somewhat limited - although this book has made me order her more recent comics series, so that's about to change - but whether you're a casual film watcher/comics reader or a more hardcore fan, I think there's something here for both; lots of specific knowledge isn't required for reading enjoyment, but there are fun nods in there for people who know more. And, well, while Tony Stark doesn't ever actually appear in this book, references to him often manage to be wonderfully scene-stealing!
The content is a superhero novel mashed with a chicklit novel, keeping the best tropes of both. Jennifer wants the usual things - a job, an apartment, a boyfriend, to periodically get out of the house and do something that isn't work-related - but she's also got to contend with She-Hulk, her superheroic alter-ego who makes it virtually impossible to keep any of the above things! On top of all this, the Avengers have relegated her to the sidelines, the press are hounding She-Hulk's exploits, and her nemesis is being just a little too quiet... If you're looking for non-stop action, this takes a while to get going, but the different aspects of the plot are woven excellently together and come together for a brilliant climax with a few things I didn't quite see coming! There's also a brilliant scene at a fashion show that I won't spoil for you, but I'll never look at Karl Lagerfeld the same way again.
So maybe it is a little sexist, with a plot that centres around boyfriends, fashion, smoothies and self-actualisation. But the writing is good, the characters are strong, and I think the trick here is not to take it too seriously! I've given this book five stars because it was absolutely everything I wanted out of superhero chicklit: fun, nerdy, exciting, and almost ridiculously enjoyable. I'm now going to run to the other book in this imprint, and I can't wait!
