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bzliz's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This audiobook was pretty average in every way. I liked Divya’s narrator more than Aaron’s, who dialed up a pretty stereotypical “gay” voice for Aaron’s best friend Ryan. That wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t mind either character though they both made frustrating choices. Be real, Aaron, that guy is never going to pay you. Don’t do work for free! And Divya, if you have a cop investigating the harassment you’ve been facing, it would probably help to share the threatening emails you’ve been getting so they can (get a load of this…) investigate them.
As for the story itself, it’s a YA book so it really skims the surface on how deep these issues can go. It tries to take on topics like bullying, harassment, sexual assault, doxxing, racism, etc. without really saying much of anything. It feels like the author is a little out of touch with the online world.
If the book world was a restaurant, this book would be some chicken tenders off the kid’s menu: tastes okay but kind of bland and the portion is pretty small.
As for the story itself, it’s a YA book so it really skims the surface on how deep these issues can go. It tries to take on topics like bullying, harassment, sexual assault, doxxing, racism, etc. without really saying much of anything. It feels like the author is a little out of touch with the online world.
If the book world was a restaurant, this book would be some chicken tenders off the kid’s menu: tastes okay but kind of bland and the portion is pretty small.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Bullying, Cursing, Sexism, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault
dragongirl271's review
funny
lighthearted
tense
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? No
4.5
“They're just words. But then D1V flashes through my mind, reminding me of the way words hurt. The gaping wounds they leave behind.”
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
What a fantastic YA novel that's a book I think everyone who spends any amount of time online should read. The plot, to me, well encapsulates a conversation a lot of content creators have been having for years about how dangerous trolling can truly be.
This book follows two teens as they navigate some terrible online harassment together. Divya, aka “D1V”, is a popular streamer for a space exploration game and has worked har6d to build a safe community for her fans. Like any streamer, she deals with a lot of hate, but being a teen Arab girl on the internet definitely doesn't help keep the trolls away. She meets Aaron, an aspiring game designer, by chance in the game and they start to slowly form a friendship (and maybe more). Divya's also scheduled to make her first appearance at a gaming convention, but the hate is worse than ever. Her worst trolls have organized and are determined to make her leave streaming with constant harassment, threats of doxxing, and more than one physical confrontation.
There's a lot that happens in this book and I ate it all up. Some of the conversations between these two had me grinning and giggling cause they're so damn cute. Smith writes young female protagonists really well and definitely did his research about life in the gaming sphere. The characters and scenario felt very real and like something you could actually read about in the news tomorrow. I just wish the institutional support Divya received was more of the norm for people dealing with harassment online.
1st person POV from two main characters. Fast-paced. Tackles cyber harassment and the dangers of trolling taken too far. Extremely cute romance.
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
What a fantastic YA novel that's a book I think everyone who spends any amount of time online should read. The plot, to me, well encapsulates a conversation a lot of content creators have been having for years about how dangerous trolling can truly be.
This book follows two teens as they navigate some terrible online harassment together. Divya, aka “D1V”, is a popular streamer for a space exploration game and has worked har6d to build a safe community for her fans. Like any streamer, she deals with a lot of hate, but being a teen Arab girl on the internet definitely doesn't help keep the trolls away. She meets Aaron, an aspiring game designer, by chance in the game and they start to slowly form a friendship (and maybe more). Divya's also scheduled to make her first appearance at a gaming convention, but the hate is worse than ever. Her worst trolls have organized and are determined to make her leave streaming with constant harassment, threats of doxxing, and more than one physical confrontation.
There's a lot that happens in this book and I ate it all up. Some of the conversations between these two had me grinning and giggling cause they're so damn cute. Smith writes young female protagonists really well and definitely did his research about life in the gaming sphere. The characters and scenario felt very real and like something you could actually read about in the news tomorrow. I just wish the institutional support Divya received was more of the norm for people dealing with harassment online.
1st person POV from two main characters. Fast-paced. Tackles cyber harassment and the dangers of trolling taken too far. Extremely cute romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Sexism, Racism, and Sexual assault
_mariah_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Bullying
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Racism
Minor: Emotional abuse and Violence
heather077's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
fast-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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Racism, Sexism, and Stalking
erikaalexis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
kmcdonell's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
2.75
Relatively fun, but wildly unrealistic. Misogynistic trolls don't show up in person in pathetic t-shirts to identify themselves as harassers, and police certainly don't give a single shit about gender based online harassment, and would never stage a sting operation at a convention. Reads kind of like a 45 year old's idea of how twitch streaming and conventions work. If Div was big enough to be on one of the main banners on the convention website, they would have staff to meet her and not expect her to run the gauntlet of public entry lines. I liked her banter with Aaron, and his cute romantic gesture at the end. And that Jason got his comeuppance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Misogyny
kaseyrlili's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Sexism, Stalking, and Violence
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