Supernova (Renegades, Book 3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Published November 5, 2019
Page Count: 560
In the thrilling finale of the Renegades trilogy, loyalties are tested, secrets unravel, and the line between hero and villain grows dangerously thin. Nova Artino—known to villains as Nightmare and to the Renegades as Insomnia—continues to live a perilous double life. Meanwhile Adrian Everhart, secretly the masked vigilante Sentinel, grows closer to Nova as their relationship deepens into something neither of them expected.
But as their feelings intensify, so do the stakes. Hidden identities begin to crack, dangerous truths come to light, and the looming threat of Ace Anarchy pushes Gatlon City to the brink of chaos. With trust hanging by a thread, heroes and villains alike must confront their deepest fears in a climactic showdown that will decide the future of the city—and reveal once and for all who the real heroes truly are.
Reading Audience:
High School and Up
Stuff to be aware of:
Gore/Violence - You will find about the same level of violence in the third book, but there are a few more intense scenes. One character cuts parts of another character’s skin off. Then there is another brief scene where a tracker is implanted into a character’s shoulder and later painfully removed, but the author doesn’t go into too much gory detail.
Characters make threats during the book, but one that stood out to me was about stabbing someone in the eye.
Language -
A*s - 3 D*mn - 4 D*mning - 1 Hell - 9 Sh*t - 3
LGBTQ+ - As with the first two books in the series, Adrian has two fathers. These two men are married and are referred to as “his dads.”
Sexual - A character discusses how he was sexually molested as a child. This is brief, and he doesn’t go into details when telling his story.
A character says, “Isn’t crown jewels a euphemism for…” then the character says, “Never mind.” There is also a character that doesn’t feel “sexy” due to a loose-fitting outfit being worn.
A male character doctors a female character’s wounds. She has to take her pants off, but the male character tries to cover her up as he works.
Other - Wine is drunk by some characters, and “cheap beer” is mentioned. No underage characters drink.
Overall
Before diving into the characters and story itself, it’s worth mentioning that this final installment contains noticeably more mature content than the previous two books. The series has always included violence, but Supernova raises the stakes with more intense action and a higher body count. The language is also a bit stronger, and there are a few sexual jokes and comments sprinkled throughout. Compared to the first book, which felt closer to middle-school territory, this one clearly shifts toward an older teen audience—more in the high school range.
The Renegades series began with superhero tropes we’ve seen many times before, but over the course of three books, those familiar elements evolve into something more original. By the time Supernova reaches its endgame, the story has carved out a unique identity of its own. Along the way, we get plenty of origin stories and backstories—some of which will feel familiar—but the creative ways these origins connect to superpowers and the inventive use of those abilities make the journey an entertaining one. Still, this is a long book, and the story probably could have reached the same climax with a few fewer chapters.
My biggest frustration with the series continues here: the endless cycle of secrets. The characters spend so much time hiding the truth from each other that the tension sometimes feels artificially stretched. When certain secrets finally come to light, they’re often patched over or retconned before being revealed again later. While the dialogue and storytelling are stronger than in the earlier books, the constant lies and withheld information drag on for too long. Then, when everything is finally out in the open (for the final time), the resolution feels a little too quick and easy—almost like the characters simply shrug and say, “We should probably stop keeping secrets. and talk later”
I didn’t enjoy the first book very much, but the second installment was a noticeable improvement, and Supernova continues that upward trend. Still, I’m a bit torn overall. Some of the twists and major story beats are genuinely great, and Meyer’s creativity with superpowers is impressive. At the same time, the story feels longer than it needs to be. In the end, I found it entertaining and appreciated the imaginative world-building and plot turns—but it didn’t quite rise to the level of a favorite for me.
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