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A review by bookcheshirecat
Out of Character by Jenna Miller
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
➽ Out of Character is just the kind of YA Contemporary I love!! It's all about fandom and follows Cass Williams, who loves the Tide Wars books and is in an online roleplaying server. Back in high school, I loved RPG forums, as I got to write with other like-minded people in the worlds I loved. Therefore, this was such a special and nostalgic book for me. I loved seeing Cass' close bond with her online friends, they are all on the same server and have become friends through their mutual love for the Tide Wars books. Her closest friend is Rowan, who is also her main roleplaying partner ... but there might be some feelings growing between them!
➽ Cass is struggling to unite her online and offline worlds! I liked that the story explored Internet Addiction, as it's not something I see represented very often. Cass had a dangerously obsessive phase with roleplaying, so she's hiding her involvement in the Tide Wars server from her family. She's doing better but knows that her parents would worry and maybe forbid her from her hobby. I understood the solace Cass finds in roleplaying and escaping to the online world, even though it begins to take a toll on her personal life. Cass should be happy as she's dating Taylor, a cool girl from her school. But she can't help but feel unsure how to bring up her hobby without being misunderstood. My least favorite thing was the emotional cheating, as Cass is pining for Rowan despite trying to deny it. It was just sad to see Taylor being much more involved in the relationship. With time it just became clear that they didn't work together at all!
➽ Cass is struggling to unite her online and offline worlds! I liked that the story explored Internet Addiction, as it's not something I see represented very often. Cass had a dangerously obsessive phase with roleplaying, so she's hiding her involvement in the Tide Wars server from her family. She's doing better but knows that her parents would worry and maybe forbid her from her hobby. I understood the solace Cass finds in roleplaying and escaping to the online world, even though it begins to take a toll on her personal life. Cass should be happy as she's dating Taylor, a cool girl from her school. But she can't help but feel unsure how to bring up her hobby without being misunderstood. My least favorite thing was the emotional cheating, as Cass is pining for Rowan despite trying to deny it. It was just sad to see Taylor being much more involved in the relationship. With time it just became clear that they didn't work together at all!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, and Fatphobia
Minor: Infidelity