Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed – Laurie Halse Anderson

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson is a great coming of age graphic novel that explores who Diana is before she is truly Wonder Woman. The character and story bring a lot of humanity to a superhero that, while beloved, might be a little intimidating. This version of Diana is a teenager. She is experiencing changes in herself and feels bereft, as there is no one to talk to on Themyscira. No one who understands what she is going through. All she can hope is that when she turns 16, everything will settle and she can know herself again. Instead, life becomes even more difficult when she finds herself torn from everything and everyone that she has ever known when she becomes trapped in the outside world.

I loved how relatable the author made Diana by bringing her back into her teenage years and exploring what it means to grow up. Diving into feeling different from your peers, even if on the surface an island of female warriors seems different from the middle school or high school experience. Ultimately, it is still a group of people that you once felt you belonged in and now find that everything is different. She has to learn about the world as we know it, with war, poverty, conflict, love, compassion, and power.

Wonder Woman is always a feminist, she always fights for those who cannot fight for themselves, and this iteration of Diana is no different. She speaks up for refugees, helps hungry children, and doesn’t let the power-hungry push her around. This Diana is a relatable role model for a new generation who I hope will inspire people to stand up for what they believe in and do what is right, whether or not they have superpowers.

This title, like many others in the DC Ink label, are graphic novels that will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers regardless of whether they’re typically fans of superhero stories. They’re all about the struggles of growing up, coming of age, learning about yourself, fighting for what is right, and never letting people who are in the wrong push you into doing something you don’t believe in. They all have such great messages packed into enjoyable graphic novels (with lovely art).

The digital version of this graphic novel was provided to me by DC Ink, but that does not affect my review.

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