SLAY

Being a computer programmer myself, I really loved the Black girl coder representation. I can relate to having long nights searching through Google, StackOverflow, etc. to find the right (or close to the right) thing to make my code work.

I really loved Kiera and her relationship with her sister, which somewhat reminds me of my relationship with my own little sister. I also enjoyed how her relationship with Cicada grows throughout the book. Harper and her little brother were annoying. Her little brother was almost intolerable. However, I understand their part in the story: the ignorant White friends. I honestly could not stand her boyfriend, Malcolm, from the beginning. My feelings for him only grew more negative as the book progressed. I find it a little odd that both the main male characters were portrayed with few (if any) redeeming qualities while the female characters had quirks that weren’t necessarily negative. I wish the characterization could have been more balanced in that aspect.

Some of the chapters took the reader away from Kiera’s point of view. The Cicada chapters were a nice way to intermix how her friendship with Kiera affected her and why she needed SLAY. However, the other chapters seemed more like filler with characters that had little effect on the plot. Those could have been cut to save some time and refocus on the plot.

Even though I really enjoyed the game of SLAY and the vivid descriptions of the cards taking form, I had some moments where it was difficult for me to suspend my disbelief. Thousands of members on multiple servers throughout the world with only two people moderating? I moderated a forum years ago and even with the few hundred we had, we needed way more than two. Also, I often asked myself what exactly were the sites rules regarding harassment and the like when a troll entered SLAY to disrupt it. As the creator, Kiera should have implemented rules regarding harassment and could have easily banned the troll for that. Due to the plot, she didn’t, but I found that a little hard to believe. I also doubted how hundred and then thousands of people (even if they were all Black) could have coexisted peacefully for three years without any incidents.

Overall, the female characters were great and the game SLAY was super creative, but the male characters were more like evil caricatures and the believability diminished as the book progressed. Those are the reasons why I would give Slay a 3.5 out of 5.

I really loved this story so much I was able to really overlook plot holes and details that involved a massive suspension of disbelief. Other reviewers have covered in more depth the absurdity of two people designing and operating a vast virtual world as a part-time thing. And that in a virtual world with hundreds of thousands of people, the main character has an uncanny knack of interacting with people who she will interact with in the virtual world, or vice versa. And in an area with an indame amount of people, always spot essentially a needle in a haystack. There's more, but it's not where I want to dwell. My recommendation asks that you very willingly suspend your disbelief.

I love these characters, and I love the Slay world – both the VR world of Slay, and the “real world” the story is set so much more than the Oasis of Ready Player One. Imagine a book where it's taken for granted women can be fierce gamers, and developers, with no not like other girls BS, tokenism, or fetishization. Because clearly Ernest Cline couldn't, and didn't, imagine this world. Ugh. And Brittney Morris was much more respectful to the LGBQIA+ community. I want to go there while knowing I have no business there.

I think Britney Morris also raised some interesting issues and discussions, and flawlessly portrayed white person privilege. People who are targeted, imo, deserve safe places, and shouldn't have to defend this idea.

I wish we had had more of Kiera post her identity being revealed. I kinda hope we encounter her again.

There's one plot point I don't feel is my place to discuss, and so please see Own Voices reviewers regarding the reveal of the “villain” and all the implications. I read it, took it in, but I don't find it appropriate to weigh in, certainly not as to the implications. I will say, implications aside, the identity falls under the need for a willing suspension of belief.

This was really good and pulled me in as soon as the duel began but before that I was just moving along. The twist was amazing and I loved everything about the video game world. I really enjoyed the overall of this book but it was a slow pace at first, I'm giving this a 4 star because the overall of this book was everything I love in a book, the message, the embracing of being yourself, the build, etc.

I love that a female IS the developer too. Just makes me so excited a further example for young girls.

This review contains spoilers. There's lots to like about this YA book. Black culture is presented with complexity and nuance; the reader gains insight into complex overlapping identities. Characters have true friendships and loving families. The plot device of the computer game is so beautiful and clever! Having VR battles echoing metaphorical battles was satisfying. The main character grows and changes, becoming a bit less black-and-white and judgmental and more wise. True friendship saves the day.
Things not to like: I skipped the reading the whole middle half of the book because I grew so weary of the MC's constant lies. There is NO ONE in her life she does not lie to; the more she loves and values them, the more she lies to them. Her justifications for doing so are thin and felt unconvincing. “I can't tell my parents/friend/sister b/c they won't understand” but when the final conflict comes and she does tell them, there's an instant “We understand and forgive you” which just made the MC seem immature and blind rather than actually fighting against something worth fighting.
Another quibble is how many of the culture examples (a feature of the game) were American rather than reflecting the global diaspora. I didn't read the middle half of the book, granted, so maybe I missed a ton, but all I got that wasn't USA-based was the futu card (or was it fufu? I have it filed in my head by what it was called in Cote d'Ivoire where I lived for a few years, but I forget if it had that name or another West African name in the novel).
Conclusion: I'll ponder what I learned about Black culture and enjoy the device of the VR online game long after my annoyance at an immature MC fades.
Also, the cover is smashing!