Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride by SJ Whitby | ARC Review

Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride (Cute Mutants Vol 1) by SJ Whitby

• Publisher: Self-Published, July 27th 2020
• Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, LGBTQ+
• Format: Paperback (eARC)
• Page Count: 414 pages
• My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

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Content warnings: transphobia, homophobia, hate crime, racism, sexual assault (one off-page nonconsensual m/f kiss), bullying, violence, blood, death of… prominent object, death of minor characters, dismembering, earthquakes

Sometimes, I try to match the tone of my review to the voice of the book so that they give off similar vibes, but I could never achieve the level of joy this story brings. Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride is a very queer (reps: lesbian, pansexual, transgender, etc.) and very racially diverse (reps: Korean, Kiwi-Chinese, etc.) version of X-men that is incredibly funny, quirky, and ridiculously good. If you want an exciting and fun read, definitely check this out.

Dylan Taylor (~17, pansexual, grey-ace? kind of genderqueer?) is a loner at Brookside Girls’ High. She discovers her ability of talking to objects after kissing tech wiz Emma Hall (17, Kiwi-Chinese, demisexual?) at the latter’s seventeenth birthday party because of a game app, much to the displeasure of her boyfriend Lou Patterson (~17, trans). After encountering a freaked out Alyse Sefo (17, Pasifika) in the bathroom, a safe haven really, the pair decides to find the others Emma had also kissed that day, including Bianca Powell (~17). Together, they form Cute Mutants, a reminiscent of New Mutants in the X-Men comics Dylan loves so much. But there is still this powerful, hot ice queen Dani Kim (~17, Korean) who refuses to participate in their shenanigans. And also, an evil force (22) is on the loose, because what is a superhero drama without a villain?

First off, I love the snarky tone and the incorporation of internet slang in the narrative. They bring so much character to Dylan. Told in her first-person point of view, there are a lot of random inner dialogues that are oh-so-relatable, including her questioning whether she is merely hallucinating when conversing with objects. Despite the superhero aspect, many things in Mutant Pride are very realistic yet often not dealt with in books, and I love every bit of them. I love that Dylan’s “Parent” is shortened to Pear; I appreciate the unfortunate fact that Lou is a transguy stuck in a girls’ school, because this happens in real life when parents aren’t supportive. Throughout the story, some of the characters try to figure out their sexualities and gender identities, but these were never the focal points. There are a few comments about how Dylan feels that her body isn’t right and Emma trying to understand if she is ace. I think these will be explored more in the sequels. I also love how all their superpowers are basically the embodiments of their insecurities but powerful.

Mutant Pride also deals with a lot of in-group jealousy and the kind of hurtful language teenagers throw around. Most of the members are sort of morally gray and that makes the story even more thrilling. With an almost 100% queer cast, there is also at least one sapphic relationship blossoming in addition to an established one. The main developing romance is a sweet ice-queen, almost hate-to-love one and another is a potentially budding romance I inferred from context. I hope to see more of these sapphic lovers as well as well-handled relationship changes.

Since Dylan can talk to objects, her power also brings out her appreciation for previously inanimate things. These feelings are not explored in depth but play an important part in the story. The Cute Mutants are essentially a bunch of high school teens seeking belonging while fighting for justice, and apart from Pear, most of their parents seem to be highly negligent if not abusive toward their children. The gang is their found family, and who doesn’t love a wonderful found family story?

If you don’t like vulgar slang mixed in your book, this one isn’t for you, but you are definitely missing out. This book has its fair share of it and it works like charm. Everything is random and weird and so good. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed or grinned so much while reading. Ever.

Whether or not you are familiar with X-Men, Cute Mutants Vol 1: Mutant Pride is nerdy, hilarious, and incredibly entertaining. It ends on a slightly sketchy note but not exactly a cliffhanger. I will definitely be reading Cute Mutants Vol 2: Young, Gifted & Queer, and I cannot wait. [10 Oct 2020]

I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.