Review: We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen
Author: Mike Chen
Edition: audiobook
Publisher: Harlequin Audio (January 26, 2020)
Genre: Science-Fiction
Synopsis
Jamie woke up in an empty apartment with no memory and only a few clues to his identity, but with the ability to read and erase other people’s memories—a power he uses to hold up banks to buy coffee, cat food and books.
Zoe is also searching for her past, and using her abilities of speed and strength…to deliver fast food. And she’ll occasionally put on a cool suit and beat up bad guys, if she feels like it.
When the archrivals meet in a memory-loss support group, they realize the only way to reveal their hidden pasts might be through each other. As they uncover an ongoing threat, suddenly much more is at stake than their fragile friendship. With countless people at risk, Zoe and Jamie will have to recognize that sometimes being a hero starts with trusting someone else—and yourself.
My Review of We Could Be Heroes
I’ll say it now, We Could Be Heroes is one of my new favourite books. It was exactly what I needed and I haven’t stopped screaming about how much I loved it since I finished it, it’s just that good. Mike Chen perfectly balances the mundane and the bizarre aspects of superhero life in a way that felt genuinely refreshing. I’ve described We Could Be Heroes to friends as “platonic superpowered unlikely buddies solving a mystery, basically” and if that doesn’t make you want to read this book, I don’t know what will. This book brought me the serotonin I desperately needed. Please do yourself a favour and read it so we can scream about it together.
Action-Packed And Full Of Superpowered Heart
In the grand scheme of things, We Could Be Heroes is a mystery and adventure story. Jamie and Zoe are trying to figure out what is causing power outages in the city and it turns out that it’s very much connected to who they used to be and where their powers came from. Especially Zoe struggles a lot with not knowing who she was “before” and tries to find some sort of purpose in who she is supposed to be as the Throwing Star.
One of my favourite aspects was Jamie and Zoe’s superpowers. They’re so cool! Seeing them develop over the course of the book and being used to solve various problems was incredibly satisfying. Most importantly, they also felt real and grounded, neither Jamie nor Zoe felt overpowered!
I fell in love with the vibe and atmosphere of this book on page one. Something about it just felt very calming. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this comforted by a story with some objectively pretty stressful situations. Basically, We Could Be Heroes is just this…very chill story about these two normal people with superpowers trying to find their place in the world. It asks whether we’re the sum of our past or what we do in the moment. To me, We Could Be Heroes strikes a perfect balance of existential questions and relatable mundane life.
And while the mystery aspect of the story was a blast, I think where this book truly shines is its characters.
A Friendship You’ll Want to Join
I loved Zoe’s and Jamie’s friendship in its different versions over the course of the plot. In some ways, We Could Be Heroes is an enemies to friends story, which I adore! What can I say, I’m a sucker for stories that centre friendship and platonic relationships in general, and I am so glad I get to add another one to my list of favourites! There is a lot of inherent tension in their relationship, considering Jamie is basically a criminal and Zoe has taken it upon herself to be the city’s hero. But over time, they bond over their similarities and a shared goal: helping people and finding out what happened to them.
Additionally, I loved their little quirks. Zoe uses her powers to deliver fast food, loves trashy horror movies and drinks a little too much. Jamie loves his cat named Normal and dreams of moving to an island. The American accent he puts on for his performance of the Mindrobber is terrible. I repeat, a cat named Normal! Come on, how could I not fall in love with these characters?! I would sell my soul to be friends with them (even though I hate horror movies).
Mike Chen manages to create these wonderfully loveable characters that are full of flaws and pain and hope. Their differences help illustrate the different ways we can approach identity and a sense of purpose. And of course, Jamie and Zoe are also just very, very cool people.
Overall…
…We Could Be Heroes is a funny and heartfelt story about friendship, purpose, and deciding who you want to be. It just also happens to include superheroes and evil schemes that have to be stopped. Jamie and Zoe stole my heart and I’m sure they’ll steal yours, too.
This book is for you if…
…you are looking for a soft, character-driven sci-fi story with a mystery element
…you enjoy books that centre strong and unlikely friendships over romance
…you’ve wondered what superheroes with day jobs would be like
…you like books that have cats with fun names (I for one would like to read more of those!)
7 Comments
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback: