Harley Quinn - (DC Icons) by Rachael Allen (Paperback)

About the Book

Traces Harleen Quinzel's journey from precocious, revenge-obsessed teenage girl to a hardcore justice-seeker on her way to becoming supervillain, Harley Quinn.

Book Synopsis

Experience the origin story of a Super-Villain in this Harley Quinn backstory that fans have been waiting for--now available as a paperback.

When Harleen Quinzel scores an internship in a psych lab at Gotham University, she's desperate to make a Big Scientific Discovery that will land her a full-ride college scholarship and get her away from her abusive father. But when Harleen witnesses the way women are treated across STEM departments--and experiences harassment herself--she decides that revenge and justice are more important than her own dreams.

Harleen finds her place in an intoxicating vigilante girl gang called the Reckoning, which creates chaos to inspire change. And when Harleen falls for another girl in the gang, it finally seems like she's found her true passions. But what starts off as pranks and mischief quickly turns deadly as one of the gang members is found murdered--and a terrifying conspiracy is uncovered, putting the life Harleen has worked so hard for at stake. Will she choose her future--or will she choose revenge?

This refreshingly feminist spin on the story of our favorite villainess traces Harleen's journey from precocious, revenge-obsessed teenage girl to a hardcore justice-seeker on her way to becoming the most captivating Super-Villain of all time.

Review Quotes

A RISE Feminist Book Selection!

"An engaging, refreshing page-turner." -Kirkus Reviews

"Perfect for hard-core fans and new readers looking to fall in love with this smart, rebellious, iconic character." -Julian Winters, Award-winning author of As You Walk On By

"Maniacally plotted and diabolically feminist, Harley Quinn: Reckoning shreds misogyny with science and features a girl gang that readers won't be able to get enough of. Every girl who's ever been pushed aside, overlooked, or held back will root for Harleen and be clamoring for more."--Lisa Maxwell, author of the New York Times Bestselling The Last Magician series

"Harley Quinn: Reckoning is a powerhouse of a villain origin story that sizzles with tension and terror, humor and heart. Allen deftly weaves weighty themes, such as sexism, classism, the way our experiences shape who we become and the way we shatter expectations, into a gripping and witty whodunit. This version of Harley Quinn is my new fave supervillain-in-the-making and I can't wait to read more!"--Gilly Segal, New York Times bestselling author of I'm Not Dying With You Tonight

About the Author

Rachael Allen is a scientist by day and kidlit author by night. She is the winner of the 2019 Georgia Young Adult Author of the Year Award, and her books include 17 First Kisses, The Revenge Playbook, The Summer of Impossibilities, and A Taxonomy of Love, which was a Junior Library Guild selection and 2018 Georgia Center for the Book Books All Young Georgians Should Read selection. Rachael lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband, two kiddos, and two sled dogs.