random19379's review
- 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
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: Medical trauma, Cancer, Blood, Pregnancy, Medical content, Vomit, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexism and Racism
rachelmarie220's review
- 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
Graphic: Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Violence, Pregnancy, Drug use, Vomit, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Racism, Alcohol, Abortion, Blood, and Eating disorder
aseel_reads's review
- 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
Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Cancer, Murder, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Car accident, Dementia, and Homophobia
abbie_'s review against another edition
5.0
Jennifer Kim is also a brilliant narrator, her voice is lovely to listen to!
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical content, Death, Hate crime, and Medical trauma
meredith_williams_'s review
- 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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Death of parent, Sexual content, Grief, and Cursing
Moderate: Homophobia, Cancer, Pregnancy, Car accident, Infidelity, Abortion, Blood, and Sexism
Minor: Vomit
prynne31's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Chronic illness, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Violence, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Vomit, Gun violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abortion, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Drug use, and Cultural appropriation
deetabz's review
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Car accident, Death, Violence, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Antisemitism, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Ableism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Cancer, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Vomit, and Cultural appropriation
penofpossibilities's review
5.0
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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Car accident, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Vomit, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Sexism, Suicide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Blood, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Antisemitism, Dementia, and Abortion
Internalized ableism, trauma (ptsd)hannalizzy's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Gun violence, Death of parent, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Injury/injury detail, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Hate crime, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Sexism
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Abortion, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Emotional abuse
literarylion's review
- 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
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!
Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Car accident, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Blood, Death, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Violence, and Vomit