BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE: DC ICONS SERIES (audiobook) by Alexandra Monir
Published in 2020 by Listening Library.
Read by Kathleen McInerney.
Duration: 8 hours, 29 minutes.
Unabridged.
Synopsis:
The DC ICONS series tells alternate origin stories for DC superheroes, focusing on them in their high school years. This is the fourth in this YA series that I have listened to as an audiobook. My previous ones were the "big three" of the DC Comics Universe - Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. This time I listened to an often overlooked character, Black Canary.
To be clear, this book focuses on Dinah Lance, the daughter of the original Black Canary. Black Canary was talented at martial arts but her main power was the ability to use her singing voice as a weapon.
The book is set in a dystopian future Gotham City. Think Gotham City meets The Handmaid's Tale. It is a generation after Batman and Commissioner Gordon have passed away.
Based on a single comment from one of the characters, women's rights have been rolled back across the country. That being said, Gotham City is the most regressive city. Women have to wear approved types of clothing. Girls have only recently been allowed to go back to school, but they have a limited curriculum and will not go on to college. Women are not allowed to speak out in public, create art, or perform. All records of women in any sort of leadership position or performing musically have been expunged from all public records.
Gotham City is controlled by a group descended from some of the original founding families of Gotham City called The Court of Owls. Their leader is Mayor Cobblepot. DC Fans may remember that Cobblepot is the family name of The Penguin. It turns out that Mayor Cobblepot took some of The Penguin's research to create a chemical that robs women of their power to sing. Of course, this ended the power of the original Black Canary.
Dinah Drake is unhappy. She is a senior in high school and she feels restricted by the She knows that women used to be leaders, used to wear what they wanted and used to sing. She discovered a hidden treasure trove of old magazines and has seen photos of women singing on stage.
And now a new boy named Oliver Queen has moved to Gotham City...
My Review:
The first 90% of this audiobook was the most compelling of the 4 books I have read in this series.
***********Spoiler Alert************
The book had the makings of the beginning of a series with Dinah Drake pushing back against the totalitarian rule of the Court of Owls. I was imagining a reverse of the traditional Batman role. Black Canary and Green Arrow would not be the enforcer of laws, instead this team would make sure unjust laws were not enforced.
Instead, the book very neatly clears out the totalitarian rulers and everything is fixed ( the rest of the country was too?) Too bad - this could have been a great series. I am removing 1 star for ruining a great series.
***********End Spoilers**************
I rate this audiobook 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE: DC ICONS SERIES by Alexandra Monir.
Read by Kathleen McInerney.
Duration: 8 hours, 29 minutes.
Unabridged.
Synopsis:
The DC ICONS series tells alternate origin stories for DC superheroes, focusing on them in their high school years. This is the fourth in this YA series that I have listened to as an audiobook. My previous ones were the "big three" of the DC Comics Universe - Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. This time I listened to an often overlooked character, Black Canary.
To be clear, this book focuses on Dinah Lance, the daughter of the original Black Canary. Black Canary was talented at martial arts but her main power was the ability to use her singing voice as a weapon.
The book is set in a dystopian future Gotham City. Think Gotham City meets The Handmaid's Tale. It is a generation after Batman and Commissioner Gordon have passed away.
Based on a single comment from one of the characters, women's rights have been rolled back across the country. That being said, Gotham City is the most regressive city. Women have to wear approved types of clothing. Girls have only recently been allowed to go back to school, but they have a limited curriculum and will not go on to college. Women are not allowed to speak out in public, create art, or perform. All records of women in any sort of leadership position or performing musically have been expunged from all public records.
Gotham City is controlled by a group descended from some of the original founding families of Gotham City called The Court of Owls. Their leader is Mayor Cobblepot. DC Fans may remember that Cobblepot is the family name of The Penguin. It turns out that Mayor Cobblepot took some of The Penguin's research to create a chemical that robs women of their power to sing. Of course, this ended the power of the original Black Canary.
Dinah Drake is unhappy. She is a senior in high school and she feels restricted by the She knows that women used to be leaders, used to wear what they wanted and used to sing. She discovered a hidden treasure trove of old magazines and has seen photos of women singing on stage.
And now a new boy named Oliver Queen has moved to Gotham City...
My Review:
The first 90% of this audiobook was the most compelling of the 4 books I have read in this series.
***********Spoiler Alert************
The book had the makings of the beginning of a series with Dinah Drake pushing back against the totalitarian rule of the Court of Owls. I was imagining a reverse of the traditional Batman role. Black Canary and Green Arrow would not be the enforcer of laws, instead this team would make sure unjust laws were not enforced.
Instead, the book very neatly clears out the totalitarian rulers and everything is fixed ( the rest of the country was too?) Too bad - this could have been a great series. I am removing 1 star for ruining a great series.
***********End Spoilers**************
I rate this audiobook 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: BLACK CANARY: BREAKING SILENCE: DC ICONS SERIES by Alexandra Monir.
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