Sadly this was a DNF for me, it just didn’t feel like a young Harley or Ivy to me. I’m a huge fan of the two characters so this felt kind of like a let down. It felt just like two generic teenagers. I’m sure I’m in the minority and others will be more likely to enjoy this one. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of an arc in return for a honest review.

A fitting take on a Harley Quinn origin story inspired by literature classic Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. When Quinzel family is forced to move out of Gotham, Harleen finds herself cut off from gymnastics, job opportunities, and girlfriend Pamela Isley. There's also the issue with Harleen's probation and her face plastered all over the news all because some guy she went on a couple of dates with murdered some people and she he did it for her. Harleen didn't ask for the murders - she's innocent - but her and her family are still suffering the consequences. To make some quick cash to return to the gym, Harleen enrolls in medical trials for anxiety drugs, and in solidarity, Pamela participates in a different drug trial which gives her a new sense of control. Harleen sheds her anxiety and embraces life, chaos and her new self: Harley Quinn.

Would love to see this series continue and explore Harley & Ivy's relationship, powers, and connections with criminal networks run by funny guys like Jack Napier. Unfortunately, the downside to many of these reimagined origin stories is that the story stops there. It's tiring for DC lovers to see so many origin stories go nowhere, and it's discouraging for young readers to fall in love with characters and then only get origin stories over and over again. Hopefully, Melissa Marr has a vision for the next chapter of this series, and *fingers crossed* that DC will invest in continuing it.

I am both the most critical person when it comes to Harley Quinn stories and also the easiest to please. I loved this. What a fun backstory for her and Ivy! I think we could've used more info on Bernie and how they got together / why he did what he did? It feels like a pretty important piece of lore that they just jumped right over. But I think the green haired guy (potential Joker influence?) Could be a really interesting path to follow about maybe him influencing her to lean more into her Harleen side.
Ultimately, I loved this!

I LOVED this! It was so incredibly good, and I really liked the angle of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"! Harley is one of my favorites, and this was just full of fun. It was diverse, as well, and brings a very interesting take on the Harley and Ivy story!

DC Comics provided an early galley for review.

Since her debut on Batman: The Animated Series in September of 1992, Harley Quinn has been a fan-favorite character and one I enjoy quite a bit. Over three decades, she's been adapted and reinterpreted across many forms of media and even a variety of ways in the comics. I was interested to see what approach this creative team would take with this iconic character.

The approach here recasts Harleen and Pam in teen roles (Marr's wheelhouse as a young adult author), both coming from dysfunctional families. The story takes a sharp turn when Harleen experiences a reaction to the clinical trial, letting her other side out to play. There are quotes from Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde throughout, so that is also a source the creators went to when crafting this story. We also get a reimagined Jack Napier here (he who, in some continuities, is the before-the-Joker identity).

The art by St-Onge is very cute and will definitely appeal to young adult readers. The themes are a bit more mature, so definitely geared more towards young adult to adults.

Overall, the story was okay. While the names and general attributes were there, I felt like these could have been any two teens and all would still have worked out the same. Not enough of the elements of the main character continuity were there for me; in some ways using established names and elements actually distracted me from the story they were telling.

I liked how the story played out. I do think that Harlan's mom had double standards when she knows her husband and son are committing crimes, but Harleen is falsely accused of helping to commit murder and ends up on probation and she comes down hard on her. Let's not forget the fact that all Harleen told her ex-boyfriend that she was being bullied by some girls and he was the one that committed the murder and her mom doesn't even believe her. She wasn't even known to cause trouble. All she did was gymnastics and get good grades.

I liked the idea of Harleen having another personality inside her: Harley.

This is an alternate history story of how Harleen Quinzel and Pamela Isley became Harley and Ivy. And it's kind of goofy.

If the adorable art by Jenn St. Onge and the title don't clue you in, this is also a cutesy retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. At least, it is visually, but the content is decidedly not cutesy. Animal testing, morally bankrupt pharmaceutical companies, the imperfect justice system, mental illness, and domestic violence are just some of the heavy topics that Marr covers in her comic, with varying degrees of finesse... at times the content was delivered in a way that was kind of cringe, honestly, but overall it's not badly done I think.

This one is def for the Harley/Ivy shippers out there btw, as they, and their relationship, are a main focus of the story.

I feel weird ending on 'it's all cute', because the content is quite serious and upsetting, but there is somehow still a lot of cuteness. 3.5 stars.