Scan barcode
A review by thenovelmaura
SLAY by Brittney Morris
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
SLAY is a book that I really wanted to read during #BlackHistoryMonth, and it ended up being one of my last reads in February! This is a great read if you like the excitement of sci-fi elements while preferring that the story be grounded in a contemporary world. SLAY is set in the (hopefully!) near future where virtual reality gaming is more commonplace.
This book reminded me of Warcross by Marie Lu, but as I mentioned earlier, it has a more contemporary setting and deals with present-day racial issues. One of the things I liked most about this book was that the characters had different ways of expressing their Blackness and often discussed their perspectives with one another. Kiera and her sister were one of the best examples of this, and seeing them accept and support each other showed how strong their relationship was.
The amazing descriptions of SLAY made me wish I could play a VR RPG right now, and Morris did a great job making the game feel real! I appreciated how the stakes felt high for Kiera and the other players, without the typical sci-fi threat of "the end of the world." Their virtual world was being threatened, and that was enough to keep me invested. This was a really timely and fun YA novel, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
This book reminded me of Warcross by Marie Lu, but as I mentioned earlier, it has a more contemporary setting and deals with present-day racial issues. One of the things I liked most about this book was that the characters had different ways of expressing their Blackness and often discussed their perspectives with one another. Kiera and her sister were one of the best examples of this, and seeing them accept and support each other showed how strong their relationship was.
The amazing descriptions of SLAY made me wish I could play a VR RPG right now, and Morris did a great job making the game feel real! I appreciated how the stakes felt high for Kiera and the other players, without the typical sci-fi threat of "the end of the world." Their virtual world was being threatened, and that was enough to keep me invested. This was a really timely and fun YA novel, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Toxic relationship