A review by kazuchuu
Warcross by Marie Lu

5.0

"Every locked door has a key."

4.5/5

This review can also be found on my blog!

If you want to buy me a book, but you're not sure if I would like it-check for three things:

1. -a diverse cast


2. -one or more characters have to be hackers


3. -a virtual reality setting

Okay, getting a little specific there-but that's just it. If you want to buy me a book, buy me the sequel to Warcross, because I'm dying over here.

I'm so glad I discovered this book. In fact, these types of novels seem to be gaining a lot of popularity recently, because they're exactly the kind we can relate to. Yeah, this highly-advanced world seems to be repeated in a significant number of novels and other story-telling methods, but really-this is just the kind of world that we never seem to get bored of. It doesn't seem that far-fetched from our world, either. VR is already a thing-ten years, give or take, and it'll be the norm.

This is my first Marie Lu book, and this is one of the best first impressions an author has ever left on me. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out her Legend and The Young Elites trilogies.

Synopsis: Emika Chen, a Chinese-American hacker and bounty-hunter, is on the verge of homelessness. All she can count on to pay off her monthly rent are the cash rewards the police offer for catching criminals they can't spare time to trace. When Emika logs in to Warcross during the opening game of the Warcross Championships and spots an extremely valuable power-up, she attempts to use it as a way of making quick money, only to find herself glitched into the game instead. The next thing she knows, the game creator himself-the incredibly talented and exceptionally young Hideo Tanaka-is inviting her to Tokyo with a job offer in mind: to spy in on other players in order to eliminate a security threat.

Spoiler-free review!

Do you ever read a synopsis (that's not the actual one, by the way, I write those myself 😅) and just feel that a book is going to be worthwhile? Because that's how I felt when I first learnt about this novel.

Let's talk about Emika Chen for a bit.

Chinese-American. How many Chinese-American protagonists do you know? Or, more broadly, how many Asian protagonists do you know? (Well, I do know a couple-but they're not as popular, if you've noticed.) Brownie points for diversity! (More on that later!)

When introducing a main character, I love it when the author includes something unique about them. Be it physically, character-wise, or maybe an idiosyncrasy of sorts. In Emika's case, it's her rainbow-coloured hair. I love the boldness of it. I mean, it's not a huge thing, but it still made me really fond of her.

Morever-Emika's had her share of tragedy. She's been bullied, and she's suffered loss. She has her flaws, too: impulsiveness, an inability to stay put, poor judgement at times...she feels real; and she recognises her mistakes. She's not blinded by any romance, and definitely not dependent on anyone. Really, one of the best female characters I've come across. *claps*



Let's talk about Hideo Tanaka for a bit.

As you've probably guessed, he is Japanese. And at one point, he speaks Japanese in front of Emika. There are a lot of mentions of his Japanese upbringing and household as well, and I love that, because it shows you that Lu didn't make him Japanese just for the sake of it. There's details. Not an overload, but just enough for you to really see Hideo as Lu wants you to see him. Like Emika, he's had his share of tragedy, his share of loss. He has his flaws. He also feels very, very real.

Towards the end of the book, there's a major turning point involving him. I think it's at that point that people start to disagree over their opinions on Hideo. I won't reveal anything, but I can imagine why someone's love for him might dim a little. Mine remained more or less the same, though. I felt that it added more complexity to his character, and now poises as a new challenge in front of Emika. I'm definitely interested to see how things turn out.

Let's talk about the rest of the cast for a bit. 

Diversity. So. Much. Diversity.

And I love it!

I'm talking about diversity in nationality, sexuality, and there's even disability representation!

Asher "Ash" Wing - repping for Los Angeles; sits on a wheelchair as he is paralysed from the waist down.

Roshan Ahmadi - British; gay

Hamilton "Hammie" Jiménez - pretty sure she's Latin-American; her exact country is not specifically mentioned

Renoir "Ren" Thomas (a.k.a DJ Ren) - French.

You also have the brief appearances of Ziggy Frost, another player from Bamberg, Germany, and Yeubin, who's from Beijing.

Of course, in an international VR-game, diversity is a must, but I was still so darn excited when reading about these characters. Their love for each other as the Phoenix Riders is endearing to read (uh, even with...well, more than a few complications.) All in all, Ash is a darn good leader, Hammie is skilled and strong and fiercely loyal, Roshan is sweet and caring, and Ren is quite the complex character that I'm definitely really interested about.

(Of course, how can I forget Wikki, that adorable little robot? He's just the cutest!)

Now for the world-building- which, in my opinion, could have been slightly better. I think all we ever get to see are two actual Warcross games, which is a shame, considering the teams could be plunged into literally any world, and each one is more fascinating than the next. However, those two games that are described-in their own way-kinda made up for the lack of others. The first one, especially. It's so action-packed and intense; it draws you in from the first sentence. Suspense waits around every corner. Lu has a talent for such scenes, and you will not be disappointed.

A very interesting aspect of Wacross is the "Dark World", as it is notoriously referred to. In summary: a messed-up version of Warcross where gangs hang out to place bets and take gambles. Assassinations are often a result of some gamble that takes place. The most important thing in this world is your anonymity, or you're done for. This part of Wacross had my attention until the very end, and (minor spoiler: the way Zero communicates with his teammates is genius. Loved it.)

Finally, the plot. What a plot.

Every secret Emika uncovers leads to another, more cleverly-hidden one. She cracks a code, then discovers she needs to crack another. There's no telling what she'll discover next, and since she's working undercover, she's required to be extra careful with what she says and does, and in front of whom.

Possibly the only thing I didn't quite like was the plot twist towards the end. I'd expected it from the start; it's an overused cliché. That, and the usual "rich, supposedly 'emotionless' boy falls for passionate poor girl".

Still, I enjoyed this book so much that I wasn't the least bit annoyed. I mean, in exchange for such a unique cast of characters, a stunning world, and a gripping plot? Psh, I can do with a few clichés.