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sab_reads14's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
DISCLAIMER: I received a digital review copy of Game Over via Edelweiss Above the Treeline in exchange for an honest review
I really, really wanted to like this, y’all. I was so excited when I got it and I was all prepared to move books around on my favorites list and annotate it with all my favorite things.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any favorite things.
Well, that’s a little harsh—and kind of untrue—so here’s a list of things I did like:
- I loved that opening chapter from HIVE. It struck me in such a false-utopia way and I love those stories
- I think the concept is really cool and had a lot of potential
- I liked the disabled and poc rep
- I think Jason and Kara’s banter was funny
- I liked the Victorian-era-vibes in Mind Your Manors
- There were a few plot twists that did make me gasp
Okay. Now…*sigh* the stuff I didn’t like so much:
- About halfway through, I came to the conclusion that this book felt like if someone rewrote Spy Kids 3 in the style of a 2013 Tumblr post. Maybe a little harsh, but it was the best analogy my sleep deprived brain could come up with as I was reading this.
- I’m so sorry, but Gus had the personality of unseasoned chicken (bringing back THAT comparison from my early review days). He seemed…fine?? I guess?? Sweet enough, but very, very, very bland.
- Although…Kara wasn’t much better. She had a defined personality, sure, but she so often struck me in an “I’m-not-like-other-girls” way and I was tired of that trope in 2015. (Although! I do like that she was friends with Sammi—so, a step above the “I’m-not-like-other-girls” trope.)
- I was lost through about 75% of this book. Maybe I’m just extremely uncultured when it comes to all things video games (I am—for sure) but I could not follow most of what was happening here.
There’s more, but it’s mainly nit-picky stuff that doesn’t *really* add anything.
I think I was just very, very much not the target audience for this (although, I’m not the target audience for most things I read) and I can definitely see kids enjoying this book.
Good for fans of Ready Player One, Spy Kids 3, and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
I really, really wanted to like this, y’all. I was so excited when I got it and I was all prepared to move books around on my favorites list and annotate it with all my favorite things.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any favorite things.
Well, that’s a little harsh—and kind of untrue—so here’s a list of things I did like:
- I loved that opening chapter from HIVE. It struck me in such a false-utopia way and I love those stories
- I think the concept is really cool and had a lot of potential
- I liked the disabled and poc rep
- I think Jason and Kara’s banter was funny
- I liked the Victorian-era-vibes in Mind Your Manors
- There were a few plot twists that did make me gasp
Okay. Now…*sigh* the stuff I didn’t like so much:
- About halfway through, I came to the conclusion that this book felt like if someone rewrote Spy Kids 3 in the style of a 2013 Tumblr post. Maybe a little harsh, but it was the best analogy my sleep deprived brain could come up with as I was reading this.
- I’m so sorry, but Gus had the personality of unseasoned chicken (bringing back THAT comparison from my early review days). He seemed…fine?? I guess?? Sweet enough, but very, very, very bland.
- Although…Kara wasn’t much better. She had a defined personality, sure, but she so often struck me in an “I’m-not-like-other-girls” way and I was tired of that trope in 2015. (Although! I do like that she was friends with Sammi—so, a step above the “I’m-not-like-other-girls” trope.)
- I was lost through about 75% of this book. Maybe I’m just extremely uncultured when it comes to all things video games (I am—for sure) but I could not follow most of what was happening here.
There’s more, but it’s mainly nit-picky stuff that doesn’t *really* add anything.
I think I was just very, very much not the target audience for this (although, I’m not the target audience for most things I read) and I can definitely see kids enjoying this book.
Good for fans of Ready Player One, Spy Kids 3, and Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Bullying
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