random19379's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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rachelmarie220's review

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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aseel_reads's review

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emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

it took me two attempts to start this because the beginning was quite slow but once i pushed through the first 50 pages, it became very addictive. the story is raw, heartbreaking, and real. i think i will be thinking about this one for a long time 

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abbie_'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Sublime. An expansive novel spanning decades - my favourite kind - exploring some of my favourite themes, plus some new ones to me. You don't need to be a gamer to love this book, Zevin made me feel nostalgic for games I've never even played. Just gorgeous reflections on friendship, love, grief, disability, work, passion, and told with such creativity. 

Jennifer Kim is also a brilliant narrator, her voice is lovely to listen to!

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meredith_williams_'s review

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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prynne31's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The writing was great, but I disliked the characters immensely. PLEASE CHECK THE CWs!

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deetabz's review

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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penofpossibilities's review

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emotional

5.0

First off let's get this out of the way: Sam is modern day au Kaz Brekker. LISTEN. LISTENNNN. I know i'm right. I could write a comperative essay on them. But for the sake of keeping this review less chaotic I will not do it rn.

I was surprised by how much this is a story about theater; I knew it was about games and love but I haven't read any shakespeare apart from a midsummer night's dream and I do know, like, alot of the plots from alot of the plays, because its, you know, shakespeare. But I didn't recognize the title as a reference so it took me by pleasant surprise as a theatre girlie <3 !! I love to see love for the theatre explored in symbiosis with video games like this it was really inchresting to me and I enjoyed it alot so YEAH

(Sorry its 10pm and im so tired it feels like 1am and I need to sleep)

I LOVE the exploration of cronic pain and (medical) trauma and dissociation and escapism and internalised ableism like those things were very connected and felt so real 
And I could relate heavily to how characters in this book would step outside of their bodies either out of a desire not to be in them or involuntarily bcs of a traumatic experience like YEAH me TOO bro ✌
And like yea the author was definitely doing some of that "look how clever I am connecting these symbols I used earlier in the plot to this plot development later on" and it was also visible in word use which made me kinda feel like ok I know u are trying to be so clever rn and its a bit MUCH (very much in typical john green fashion so I guess thats why he loves it sm ???) BUt I dont really care like honestly fair enough if u write a spectacular novel like this ur allowed to be pretentious about it ,, i'd do the same thing fully so! It doesn't take away from my rating. This is a nitpicky thing either way like ,,, the book is SO beautiful like truly amazing-

I will come back to this review with favorite quotes!! I have lots

Oh ALSO ! Couldn't stop comparing sadie and sam to the mcs from mythic quest (my brain is tired im blanking on their names rn) but yk I think mythic quest characters are even more unlikable definitely preferred sadie and sam although ofc mythic quest is meant to be lighthearted and also there were very many overlapping themes especially about misogyny and interpersonal relationships between women in gaming and I think thats interesting !!!! 


Go read this !!!! And watch mythic quest !! 

I felt v much like this book would be a good one to recommend to fans of the seven husbands of evelyn hugo bcs this book crushed me in the same way that one did it just gives me simular vibes I cannot explain but trust me !!! Im right

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hannalizzy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book was so beautifully written. The story plays out like an actual life, full of its raging beauty and sharp ugliness. I read it at the recommendation of John Green, and I can see why he enjoyed it. It has a bit of his poetic flair, and the characters have their unique quirks like his do. The characters are richly complex, and somehow lovable despite their very apparent flaws.  

I wonder how I will feel about the ending after I’ve had more time to think about it. It felt like it lacked some of the finality I was hoping for in terms of Sadie and Sam’s relationship. I also felt like Sam and Sadie’s fights became a little too repetitive, but of course, c’est la vie. 

I always love stories of characters encountering grief, loss, and depression in its most potent form and still figuring out how to manage to continue on. I think those kinds of triumphs are so important to read about in an age where poor mental health feels like a largely universal experience.  

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literarylion's review

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I really really liked this. 

Pros:
  • Creative storytelling, well-paced; I haven't devoured a book like this for a long time
  • Incredible character development -- even minor characters are nuanced and three-dimensional
  • Innovative plot and setting -- a perspective we don't often see

Cons:
  • There was some pretty blatant borrowing from A Little Life, but I love that book, so! 

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