Review of Magnificent by Novae Caelum
Magnificent by Novae Caelum (2020) is a wonderful novella of a young non-binary superhero discovering their powers, recognizing their identity, and figuring out how those two aspects of their life inform each other.
The main character, whose original name is not identified until late in the book, is part of a family of superheroes who all use “Magnificent” as part of their hero names. The main character has not discovered their powers when the book opens, but after they discover those powers, they begin fighting crime with their family under the name “Magnificent Lass.” But the name doesn’t suit them, and when they realize why that is, their family tries to be supportive. But they only truly grow into their own when they go to South America to help another superhero fight off a nanite incursion and truly realize the scope of their powers. Through their realizations there and on returning to their home city, they develop a superhero identity that makes them comfortable.
Magnificent is a young adult novella, but it’s also appropriate for tweens or younger, which makes it a great way to introduce non-binary identity to a younger audience. It’s a delightful and quick read, and I hope the author will write other stories featuring Magnificent and their world!
The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for review consideration.
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