Reviews with content warning for Murder - Ready Player One

Good book; the portrayals of Shoto and Daito are a little racist; the main character is a pick-me boy and while he does experience some growth, most of it is because of a woman (sexist) and that whole subplot is honestly ridiculous. Like it suits the character but christ it’s a little excessive and he never faces any repercussions for his obsessive nature. We also never see a developing care for the outside world which realllly makes the love interest feel like a moral hospital for a promising young man. The world building is exceptional and the characters are all believable. I think the theme of race really gets trampled on//doesn’t get enough attention in the novel. It felt like an after thought, like the character was made to develop Wade into his final form. He’s the hero but he also sucks a lot. Also, there’s a paradoxical idolization of the creators or OASIS (rich) who honestly do and did so little to help the real world despite their vast sums of money (the reason why some characters want to win the game in the first place — to save the world). idk. the whole thing felt half-baked in terms of ideology but very strong in terms of character personas but weak in terms of character development

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coryyalva's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring slow-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

3.75

Cline is definitely one for attention to detail and never missed an opportunity to describe the world of the OASIS in such detail that you genuinely felt like you were there, but that's exactly why I loved this book so much.

For a book that had dozens of references to movies and media that I knew nothing about and spent endless time discussing those references, I was STILL able to connect so well to the characters, their stories, their struggles, and their lives.

This book told a story made up of action, adventure, and fantasy so well, while also touching on the struggles that our society has now that technology has become such a prominent part of our day to day lives.

This book was beautifully crafted. Everyone should go pick up a copy and get to reading 🖤

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melle_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A fast, fun read for video game lovers, especially if listened to. Wade and his friends are endearing and have you rooting for them on their quest for the Egg. Wade’s teenage qualities are amusingly apparent in his strong confidence in his abilities, as well as how hard he falls for Art3mis and how down bad for her he becomes lol. It’s a simple tale that wraps up neatly at the end. Not sure if I’ll read the sequel as I feel satisfied by the first book, although more could be explored in the lead-up to Ready Player One’s events. 4.25 stars :)

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voldycat's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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dcorkus's review against another edition

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adventurous funny 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

4.75

I watched the movie a while ago and decided I should give the book a try. This story is much better than the movie. It is such a fun ride. There is a lot of nostalgia for the 80's, vintage videogames, and classic tabletop games. I also very much enjoyed the hearty scoop of post-apocalypse, dystopian adventure.

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