Scan barcode
anniehatch's review against another edition
3.0
this was good. Definitely middle school geared- I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read it 6 or 7 years ago
kementari's review against another edition
4.0
Honestly, this book holds up.
I remember reading and loving this book when I was about the same age as the protagonist (14). I have been re-reading some of my favorite novels from my childhood lately, and this is still an enjoyable romp. It's super satisfying to see our main character get better at the game she's playing. Solid 4-star, enjoyable read, even as an adult.
(Spoiler that will only make sense if you have read the book: What do you MEAN other people give the ring to Sister Mary Ursula? How does that help??)
I remember reading and loving this book when I was about the same age as the protagonist (14). I have been re-reading some of my favorite novels from my childhood lately, and this is still an enjoyable romp. It's super satisfying to see our main character get better at the game she's playing. Solid 4-star, enjoyable read, even as an adult.
(Spoiler that will only make sense if you have read the book: What do you MEAN other people give the ring to Sister Mary Ursula? How does that help??)
listen_learn's review against another edition
2.0
I loved this book as a teen and I can still see some of the reasons why. The concept of is a really appealing premise for a girl who enjoys fantasy and simulation games.
However, on rereading, I was struck by the awful attitude of the MC. While she has compassion for strangers, her feelings of mercydo not extend to her real-life family or herself. She does almost no-perspective taking and is bittter and sarcastic. Some of the cliches here were fun, but some were just grating, and I was puzzled at how she messes up so many times at the beginning of the story, but when the plot needs her to do better "magically" she does.
If I ever recommended this to you, please disregard that recommendation. Go read something else.
Spoiler
a girl stuck in a fantasy-themed, virtual-reality video game, whose only chance of surviving is to win the gameHowever, on rereading, I was struck by the awful attitude of the MC. While she has compassion for strangers, her feelings of mercydo not extend to her real-life family or herself. She does almost no-perspective taking and is bittter and sarcastic. Some of the cliches here were fun, but some were just grating, and I was puzzled at how she messes up so many times at the beginning of the story, but when the plot needs her to do better "magically" she does.
If I ever recommended this to you, please disregard that recommendation. Go read something else.
remlezar's review against another edition
3.0
I feel a pros and cons list coming on...
PROS:
-YA SF/fantasy with a female lead is pretty rare (unless the female's primary objective is to get a boy to like her), so I really appreciate this book's very existence and wish that there were more like it.
-Easy to read but high interest, which is the ultimate combo when looking for books to recommend to struggling readers.
-I didn't read the first book in the series, but it wasn't much of a problem at all. I was able to jump in and understand what was happening.
CONS:
-Not the most original idea, which isn't a huge problem, but it does take away some of the novelty factor
-I wanted to know more about the main character outside of the realm of the game - the real world really didn't end up mattering very much in this book. It is part of a series, though, so that might get explored in another book.
-This is a personal preference, but it is very rare for me to enjoy fantasy writing, so this was a bit of a slog for me. Again, this isn't the book's problem, it's mine. I read this book because it came highly recommended by a student and I wanted to be able to talk about the book with him.
PROS:
-YA SF/fantasy with a female lead is pretty rare (unless the female's primary objective is to get a boy to like her), so I really appreciate this book's very existence and wish that there were more like it.
-Easy to read but high interest, which is the ultimate combo when looking for books to recommend to struggling readers.
-I didn't read the first book in the series, but it wasn't much of a problem at all. I was able to jump in and understand what was happening.
CONS:
-Not the most original idea, which isn't a huge problem, but it does take away some of the novelty factor
-I wanted to know more about the main character outside of the realm of the game - the real world really didn't end up mattering very much in this book. It is part of a series, though, so that might get explored in another book.
-This is a personal preference, but it is very rare for me to enjoy fantasy writing, so this was a bit of a slog for me. Again, this isn't the book's problem, it's mine. I read this book because it came highly recommended by a student and I wanted to be able to talk about the book with him.
kelsmiller's review against another edition
5.0
I was very skeptical when I picked this up, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. I loved every minute of it! A great book, I'll have to try somemore of Vande Velde's books.
kylie_how's review against another edition
5.0
I Stayed up untill around 2 in the morning to finish it. Its fast moving. But the detail is really good.
melyserm's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
hotsoup_han's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Read this book growing up a few times, and read it again recently. One of my all time favorites. 5/5.
alemonleafeon's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books, I have loved it since I was 11 years old! I'M GETTING PUMPED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. This was Edge of Tomorrow before Edge of Tomorrow was Edge of Tomorrow. You feel the frustration the main character feels. If you play video games as I do it is extremely relatable but with much higher stakes involved making it feel increasingly more urgent, giving it that exciting edge most good books need. 10/10 would recommend to a friend. Needed in all lives. If you are still reading this review, stop. What you need to read is Heir Apparent.