Recently Read: Back Widow: Forever Red

Author: Margartet Stohl
Genre: Young Adult/ Super Hero/ Comic Character
Release Date: 2015
Page Count: 400
Rating: 3.5/5

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Natasha Romanoff is one of S.H.I.E.L.D's biggest names and deadliest assets, going by the name of Black Widow. Trained in the art of fighting, survival, and espionage as an orphan child in Russia, Natasha has joined the Avengers in an attempt to protect the world. When she hears word that Ivan the Strange, the man who abused and trained her in the Red Room is still alive and looking for her and another girl she saved from the Red Room years ago, Natasha is forced to attempt to save the girl and the world from the destruction of Ivan the Strange.     

I love Black Widow and have been dying for a Black Widow movie just like the rest of the world. I won't get into the sexism that's very obvious in the Marvel movie franchise, but I thought this book would help to fill the void a little for me, and it did. I thought this book was a lot of fun; it was fast paced and set up exactly like a Marvel movie. The book fit in with the already existing movie timeline, which I thought was a nice touch, and the characters were pretty true to their movie and comic book personalities. 

This is not a novel about Natasha's origin and transition into the Black Widow, which is kind of a bummer, as I would have loved to read that. However, I did enjoy the other two main characters who are teens, Ava and Alex. I also really loved the parts of the novel set in Russia and it really made me want to do more research on Russia and their traditions and legends because I love the dark twist they always have.

I thought Stohl did a really great job of capturing Natasha's personality and hard exterior for the novel. There was lots of action and kicking butt, which made the pace quick and exciting. I'm really excited about the events that took place at the end of the novel to set up the sequel, and I will be picking it up for sure when it comes out. This book wasn't mind-blowing by any means, but it was a lot of fun to read and just what I was in the mood for after seeing Civil War. 

I plan to pick up some Black Widow graphic novels or comics next, so let me know if you have any recommendations. I'm really glad to see the large number of female comic book characters that are getting their own YA novels, as that means someone has finally recognized that there is a willing and excited audience for female superheros.