Black Widow: Forever Red

I’m a big fan of Marvel comics (and the MCU). When I saw that they were venturing into the YA prose genre, I decided to give it a try. I chose Forever Red because I enjoyed the author’s work on the Beautiful Creatures series. Though I should have expected it considering the intended audience, I was taken aback that the main character is not actually Black Widow. This may disappoint some Marvel fans, but it worked for the story being told and allowed for more surprises – and a new hero. The protagonist is Ava, who was saved by Natasha on one of her missions. It took a while for me to get into the book because the beginning has a lot of angst from Ava who resents Natasha for leaving her in SHIELD custody for years. Ava has run away, but her path is about to cross Natasha’s again when the enemy they thought dead resurfaces. It took some time, but Ava grew on me mainly because the mystery was so good. Her character grows and develops over the course of the novel, and the story was exciting. Since this is a spy story, it makes sense that the Avengers aren’t just called in to handle the situation – though Tony Stark does make a brief appearance. The mystery is directly tied into Black Widow’s past with the Red Room, and it makes sense that she would not only handle it on her own but would choose to do so. The start of each chapter has part of a transcript of a hearing that Black Widow and Phil Coulson are testifying at about the events currently unfolding in the book. This was a great device to help frame the story. The further I got into the book, the more I enjoyed it. There is a lot of action, but also a solid underlying plot. But, the ending really knocked it out of the park. Everything wasn’t tied up in a bow and the characters faced serious, far reaching consequences. I am truly looking forward to the sequel.

The Marvel Universe has expanded into the YA book genre with Margaret Stohl's "Black Widow: Forever Red." The story does a masterful job of delving into the mysterious history of everyone's favorite assassin turned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Natasha Romanoff. After a mission to stop the man who broke, trained and turned her into a weapon ends with a young girl saved and the man supposedly killed, Natasha finds herself inexplicably connected to the young girl she rescued. However, because she was trained to be an agent and not an open person who makes personal relationships, Black Widow disappears from young Ava Orlova's life, leaving her in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. Years later, Ava is trying to fit in as a normal teenager in Brooklyn, but her experiences and connections to her past has left her unable to let people past her own barriers. Soon however, life get's complicated for Ava. Children across Easter Europe have gone missing, and when Red Room technology is rumored to be involved in the abductions, Black Widow fears her old teacher and tormentor may have survived their last encounter, and Ava might be the only one who can stop him. Reemerging into the teen's life, Black Widow and Ava must unravel the mystery and their pasts that remain in the dark from even themselves, and will end up discovering a bigger mystery involving the dark-eyed teenage boy who walks through Ava's dreams, sporting an hourglass tattoo. The mystery of this book's story makes it one of the most thrilling political YA novels I've ever read. The way this book blends the thriller, Cold War-era political mystery and YA romance genres is brilliant, and getting to learn more about this bad ass and strong character Natasha Romanoff makes it addicting to read. Getting a chance to peel back the layers of the Black Widow's history and mixing it with the governmental politics of S.H.I.E.L.D. was a stellar storytelling technique, and fans of the Marvel universe will love the surprise characters involved in the story, and the intimate look at a brand new character like Ava Orlova. The novel is filled with tons of action, romance and a fast-paced plot that will leave you craving more by the last page. With a sequel in the works, Black Widow: Forever Red is a strong first entry in Margaret Stohl's Black Widow series, and Marvel has done an excellent job of entering the world of storytelling through novels. Pick up your copies today!

BLACK WIDOW: FOREVER RED is an exciting and electrifying and action-packed story that gives readers a peek into the life of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most mysterious and kick-ass agents, Natasha Romanov. It uncovers details of her past. It reveals chinks in her armor that suggest that she might not be as cold-hearted as she’d like everyone to believe. It introduces a new character, Ava Orlova, whose past and present are intertwined with the Black Widow’s. And it sends them both on a quest for answers and a mission to take down their mutual enemy. Ava Orlova would never forget the red-haired woman who rescued her from the clutches of Ivan Somodorov. She owed her life to this woman who’d called her sestrenka, little sister. This hero who promised she’d be there for her whenever she needed her. But after years spent locked up in one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s military bunkers with no answer to her many requests to see her and years spent on the streets of Brooklyn fighting for her survival, Ava wanted nothing to do with her. She might never be able to forget what the Black Widow had done for her, but she wasn’t going to forgive her for what she didn’t do. Natasha Romanov had no intention of coming back into Ava’s life. As long as she was safe there was no reason to. But when it appears that the man responsible for both of their tortured pasts is alive and going after Ava, she is forced to step in. Because if she wants answers as to why Ivan is coming for Ava after all these years, she’ll need to keep Ava alive. And, even if she won’t admit it, she cares whether Ava lives or dies. Author Margaret Stohl created a fantastic new addition to the Marvel Universe with her Black Widow story - a story that is just as much Ava’s story as it is Natasha’s. She expanded on the character that is the Black Widow, bringing more of her past and her family’s past into the light, allowing her to show just a tiny bit of humanity, and giving her another dangerous mission to complete, this time with two untrained civilians in tow. The author created two new key characters - Ava and Alex - whose connection to and with each other is fascinating, bewitching, and a bit of a mystery, and allowed for a touch of romance in this otherwise action-filled tale. And she paired them up with the Black Widow, but made no promises that the outcome would be a happy one. The story alternates between three of its most integral characters’ points of view - Natasha’s, Ava’s and Alex’s - allowing for a more expansive view of what’s going on. The start of most chapters begins with a S.H.I.E.L.D. Line-of-Duty Death Investigation transcript that teases information about what happened to the three of them and where things might have gone wrong. And throughout, it offers cameos of one of the most charming of the Avengers. BLACK WIDOW: FOREVER RED is a thrilling and riveting and heartbreaking read. It delivers two kick-ass heroines, one of whom is legendary, a surprising hero, a world that is both familiar and new, a villain who is beyond evil, a deadly mission, and some comic relief in the form of a much beloved Avenger. There will be surprises. There may even be a few tears. And it will be impossible to put this story down before the adventure ends.

I completed this book in 2 days. I give 3 stars because its more about ava then black widow which is unfair as the book titled BLACK WIDOW. I expected more BW then AVA , Disappointed. But story line is good. Some chapters seem boring which were of ava's and alex's life(their's so called conversation). Over all Ava got more attention then BW😣.I WAS EXPECTING THE PAST OF BW DURING HER RED ROOM ERA LIKE HOW SHE GOT THERE ? HOW SHE ESCAPED FROM THERE? HOW SHE BECAME A AGENT ? SO AND SO. but nothing answered my questions which is never expected from this book. Never going to buy the second sequal cause I had enough Ava for my life not needed more.

Storia indipendente sulla Vedova Nera degli Avengers.

Forever Red is insane! It takes Natasha Romanoff (the Black Widow), Ava Anatalya Orlova (known as Red Widow by the end of the book), and Alex Manor (actually Alexei Romanoff, Natasha's little brother) from people who barely know each other to best friends. Margaret Stohl has done an incredible job with the Black Widow and even showed that she is in fact human. She also described Ava's journey from test subject of Ivan Sodorov (a old Red Room general and Natasha's brutal trainer) to top of her class at SHIELD Academy and Alex's journey from from Montclair high school student with aggression issues to Alexei Romanoff.

I loved this book I found it a bit confusing for a start but it’s easy to understand after the first few chapters. It’s written very well and I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves black widow in the comics and in the movies. Overall a great read.

I was so upset when I saw the book the cover was damaged and the book is not new .. I tried to return it but no one came to pick it up