A review by bibliophilogy
Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi

4.0

Three-word description : future, internet, truth
My rating : 4 / 5 stars

I'm so in the mood of reading futuristic, sci-fi-ish books and this is right up my alley and I must say this did not disappoint! This book has all my heart, the premise is epic, it's exactly what I needed at the moment! Also, if you're getting Warcross vibe, you are not alone but honestly this is so different from Marie Lu's books and so distinct and unique too!

First, let's talk about the setting! It is set in a futuristic world, where technology plays a more integral part in our lives so I'd say maybe 30 to 50 years from now? It is still a very contemporary world, and the technology aspect in the book is probably one of my favorite things in the book! They have artificial intelligence, virtual reality and just so many fascinating things woven into the story that I cannot help but love!

Opal, our main character, has some serious growth and development in the novel. Give them fame and they will change, as they say and I have to say Opal is just one of the more realistic characters I've read about, so headstrong and makes mistakes, real and raw that I think everyone can relate in their own ways. Aside from the main character, I need to say the sidekicks in the novel are awesome! the squad is epic, in it Moyo is my favorite, ever-so-adorable and charming! Shane is also a close second, the nerdy, tech-guy who you can't help but love!

The plot. Hmm. The pacing is great throughout the novel, and suddenly it became so fast-paced that everything is revealed in that 30 pages, it is sometimes too much to take in! But as a standalone (which I'm pretty sure it is) novel, I can definitely see the rush but I just hope that it can be more evenly paced throughout the novel and this is probably the only minor issue I had with the book!

This book really challenges the theme on technology and how it is so game changing to the extent that it is taking over humans. It is super intriguing to explore the aspect, as it is fairly dealt with in the book. I love how there is a huge contrast between the ones who want technology to dominate their lives and the ones who despise it. This is also a reflection on how much technology is actually changing and affecting us, it is indeed a very thought-provoking read.

Also, truth is also heavily focused as a theme in the book. In the society, who is not lying? Whether it is to the public, or deep down, lying to themselves. This is also a very raw read, exposing the humanity deep inside of us, the thing that makes us humans. After all, humans have feelings and values to hold up to.

Oh, and also, it may be confusing if you go in the book thinking it will be somewhat similar to Warcross, I went in with the same mindset and hence it took me a while to really map everything out in my head so for Warcross fans, do not go in expecting another rip-off because this differs from it and is its own uniquely beautiful novel!

Overall, I loved this book so much that I will recommend it to anyone who wants a techy read, especially for fans of Warcross! If you want an amazing standalone, and great characters, with an epic and futuristic setting, do not pass this one out because it will most likely be on your favorites!

Thank you so much to Times Reads for sending me a copy of it to review, this book is available in all good bookstores and you should grab a copy!