Yzabel

(I got a copy from the publisher, as part of the review tour, in exchange for an honest review.)

I read the first installment of this series, Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm A Supervillain, last year, and thought it was a pretty good novel. So, of course, I couldn't pass up on the invitation to read the second one.

I found it weaker, though I still liked it. It contains a lot of good ideas and concepts, and it's perfect if looking for a wild adventure in space, with alien technology and bio-weapons, lost space stations hidden on asteroids, and a steampunkish flavour to boot. Those parts were highly amusing, in terms of Weird Science, and Penny's power developed in a way that clearly forced her to rethink a few things and decide whether she wanted to go (too) far or stop while it was still time. Archimedes, for instance, was both fascinating and creepy in its uses and in the possibilities it introduced.

Remmy's character, too, was an interesting counterpoint to Penny: two girls with similar powers, with a basis for strong friendship, but also for jealousy and competition. I could se where Remmy came from, why she eacted the way she did, out of stubborness more thananything else, probably... but then, she's also only eleven. I'd certainly like to see her appear again later in the series, if only for a chance to see how that relationship could develop if given more time and more distance.

On the other hand, the fast-paced plot sometimes left me dangling, as I wondered "wait, when did this character walk into the room?" or "why aren't they paying more attention to the fct that [character X] has basically done a huge mistake?" It made me feel like the story carried the characters where they needed to be, but not always with a clear reason.

Two things I regret:
- The somewhat lackluster presence of Claire and Ray. Their antics are funny, and they make good sidekicks. However, at the end of the first novel, we had been given more to see about Ray, in particular, and I had hoped this arc, among others, would be explored. However, apart from playing sidekicks, those two didn't really get much development.

- The very feeble involvement of Penny's parents and other adults (although I laughed at the Audit's interpretation of the situation, because... it did make sense, in a "I'm a parent who cannot imagine my daughter is evil, so I'll unconsciously find another solution"). In the first book, I really liked the "please don't tell my parents..." concept, and how the Inscrutable Machine had to go to various ends to hide their identity, make people think they weren't Penelope, Claire and Ray. Here, since most of the story unfolds in space, the pressure of not being discovered was much less a problem (even though Penny's realisation at the end—how to make a Hero appear—gives me good hopes for the next installment's potential plot).

In general, it is still a pleasant story to read, though its predecessor will remain higher on my list.