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A review by dhrish
SLAY by Brittney Morris
5.0
C/W: Violence, abuse, racism, casual racism, microaggressions, character death, grieving, stalking, transphobia, misogyny, doxxing
This is the easiest five stars I have ever given a book. I can't speak for the Black diaspora in terms of representation. However, I will speak on the points of online inclusivity and diversity.
I finished this book in three hours. Brittney Morris' pacing is excellent and my reactions would have been more fit for a FIFA final game than my bedroom.
I didn't think "Slay" was going to be something I was interested in. I don't game, I don't really understand why my friends who do game dedicate time to it and up until recently I've kind of dismissed the scene altogether because of the problematic nature of the community that the media perpetuates. So I definitely owe more than a few people very real apologies.
However "Slay" makes me want to reach out to my online friends and send them a virtual hug. To tell them I love them because what "Slay" has shown me is that these pockets of community that uplift us and get us through rough moments are real even if we have never really met before.
Kiera creates a community like this, fights for the upliftment of the community and has it violently attacked under the grounds of "discrimination". "Slay" is more than a video-game story, it is about the nuances and interaction between our online and real-life lives and finding a place where people can be themselves without fear of casual hatred or discrimination.
This story is diverse both in its story-telling and character use. I love how it didn't shy away from placing boundaries, how an individual should never be consulted as representing the whole diaspora. The talk of existence at the intersection and how one must always be ready to do the research when they don't know. "Slay" doesn't expect people to get everything right and acknowledges the messiness that comes with existing.
While I don't think this story is perfectly realistic, it does firmly ground itself in reality. Also, this story may not be for everyone and that's ok.
Did I wish the climax and antagonist of this story was different? Yes. That is definitely my only criticism of this work. While it didn't take away from my reading experience, I did wonder if it may have perpetuated a harmful stereotype more than combated it. Malcolm had the potential to be used in such a different way and I think his use as a character did more harm than good, considering the message I got from this book.
I have read quite a few good books this year and this is probably my favourite.
This is the easiest five stars I have ever given a book. I can't speak for the Black diaspora in terms of representation. However, I will speak on the points of online inclusivity and diversity.
I finished this book in three hours. Brittney Morris' pacing is excellent and my reactions would have been more fit for a FIFA final game than my bedroom.
I didn't think "Slay" was going to be something I was interested in. I don't game, I don't really understand why my friends who do game dedicate time to it and up until recently I've kind of dismissed the scene altogether because of the problematic nature of the community that the media perpetuates. So I definitely owe more than a few people very real apologies.
However "Slay" makes me want to reach out to my online friends and send them a virtual hug. To tell them I love them because what "Slay" has shown me is that these pockets of community that uplift us and get us through rough moments are real even if we have never really met before.
Kiera creates a community like this, fights for the upliftment of the community and has it violently attacked under the grounds of "discrimination". "Slay" is more than a video-game story, it is about the nuances and interaction between our online and real-life lives and finding a place where people can be themselves without fear of casual hatred or discrimination.
This story is diverse both in its story-telling and character use. I love how it didn't shy away from placing boundaries, how an individual should never be consulted as representing the whole diaspora. The talk of existence at the intersection and how one must always be ready to do the research when they don't know. "Slay" doesn't expect people to get everything right and acknowledges the messiness that comes with existing.
While I don't think this story is perfectly realistic, it does firmly ground itself in reality. Also, this story may not be for everyone and that's ok.
Did I wish the climax and antagonist of this story was different? Yes. That is definitely my only criticism of this work. While it didn't take away from my reading experience, I did wonder if it may have perpetuated a harmful stereotype more than combated it. Malcolm had the potential to be used in such a different way and I think his use as a character did more harm than good, considering the message I got from this book.
I have read quite a few good books this year and this is probably my favourite.