In Real Life in ENGL 596 / EDCI 551

Apr 16, 2015 Hannah Alexander rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The graphic novel In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang is the first graphic novel I have ever read in its entirety. I can honestly say that if I did not have to read this text for a class, I wouldn’t have picked it up. I have never been a fan of comic books or video games, let alone a graphic novel about video games. With that being said, I can appreciate people who do enjoy those different aspects of entertainment. I also want to be clear that I am not passing judgement on all graphic nov ...more

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Jan 23, 2015 Jawaria rated it liked it · review of another edition

In Real Life, a graphic novel, a graphic young adult novel, a fast and simple read - and an interesting one. Upon reading the full description of themes in the introduction by the author, I saw it highlight some key issues in the current world - that apply to teenagers and to the larger world in general. Behavioural economics, consumerism, gaming, politics, labour, role-playing, and the all important organizing mechanism - the authors have joined all these in a smart way, creating a useful messa In Real Life, a graphic novel, a graphic young adult novel, a fast and simple read - and an interesting one. Upon reading the full description of themes in the introduction by the author, I saw it highlight some key issues in the current world - that apply to teenagers and to the larger world in general. Behavioural economics, consumerism, gaming, politics, labour, role-playing, and the all important organizing mechanism - the authors have joined all these in a smart way, creating a useful message, and exploring the deeper concepts of organizing mechanisms. I am not a fan of gaming or economics .. so I was not super excited to delve further, but I kept going, and the skill within this book was remarkable. Despite being a graphic novel, the authors deliver a full story with layers of meaning and a lot to 'read', albeit with minimal text, if any in some places. As a reader you need to 'read' the illustrations, the expressions and mental messages of the characters or narrator.

I like how the novel relates to teenage struggles, and uses a mainstream interest - gaming - to build a more relevant world. Anda who is struggling to adjust in Arizona, and a different kind of teenager from the 'popular' crowd, finds a place of empowerment, purpose and boosting self-esteem in the CourseGold world. She tests limits, goes out of the way to help and discovers her own strengths, and limitations. She is able to break out of the conventional shell encasing her. It reflects later in her real persona as well with her colouring her hair. Computer/video/online games may well be a source of such engagement due to the 'outlet' they provide young people and the chance to create an identity anonymously, opening a fearless world especially to teenagers that feel socially awkward. In her actions, Anda goes through a learning phase, even to do the right moral thing, to help someone, she must do it the correct, wise way (perhaps with outside guidance) as she did not know the stakes involved. This, in my view, is another lesson towards the perceived invincible mentality or nature of young adults, and teaching them wiser, maturer ways of handling situations. Upon better realization, as well as adults realizing her intentions and efforts, which may often get overlooked in teens; Anda shines in both coursegold and real life. She reaches clarity, stands up and makes everyone proud, including herself.

This is a great book in drawing parallels and bridging the gap between gaming world and real life, that often develops in gamers. It is also quite wonderful how this simple graphic novel, about gaming, addresses important issues of global impact, forcing one to ponder upon organizing mechanism - why we do what we do! Lastly, I particularly liked Anda's relationship with her mother, and her father also, and the portrayal of their characters. It was a sigh of relief to read another of very few books in Young Adult Literature that show adult characters or mainly Parents' characters in positive light, a normal and real light. Anda does have differences, a couple frustrations and scoldings from her mother, but they are portrayed naturally and positively. Moreover, the mother's character is not put out there as the eternally evil, horrible parent that doesn't understand and is flawed in every way possible. Far too many of young adult books bash down the parent characters, either two weak, nutty or problematic - rather than creating a positive mindset about parents and adults, instead airing fires of adolescent confusion, and making parents out to be complete enemies, useless and burdensome. ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Michelle rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Cory Doctorow's "In Real Life" touches base on some issues that are becoming increasingly important in today's technology driven world. It follows our protagonist through an experience of using online gaming to grow more comfortable in herself while also teaching her about social and monetary issues on a global scale. I was surprised by the deep moral theme that the graphic novel had; I'm no stranger to graphic novels or comics, but I had never before read one that was also a stand alone book wi ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Jacob Mroczkiewicz rated it did not like it · review of another edition

No waffling over my star-rating this week. I just thoroughly did not enjoy this text. But, as the pedagogical gods toil with us mere humans who do not like graphic novels, I cannot help but see the value that this text may have in the secondary classroom. For one, this story is solely rooted in Ada's search for self, her own process of becoming, or of finding pieces of her identity both in the finite world she physically inhabits and the seemingly infinite terrain of her online gaming platform o No waffling over my star-rating this week. I just thoroughly did not enjoy this text. But, as the pedagogical gods toil with us mere humans who do not like graphic novels, I cannot help but see the value that this text may have in the secondary classroom. For one, this story is solely rooted in Ada's search for self, her own process of becoming, or of finding pieces of her identity both in the finite world she physically inhabits and the seemingly infinite terrain of her online gaming platform of choice. (If its not Madden with a buddy or my brothers, both powerless against my Jay Cutler-led air raid, then its not for me.)

But anyways, the story focuses on Ada as she finds a greater sense of self or autonomy over her "real life" within the digitize world of gaming, where she can assume any form, rewrite her history starting from her avatar's first day, and ultimately exact meaningful change in the physical world from the game -- seemingly an entirely different world than her own. Ada is free to choose her own body type, select her own friends, and selectively self-represent her newly formed persona in a manner free from the restrictions of sizism, sexism, and any other -ism that she may have experienced in her physical life.

So, do you remember the fictitious Gods of Pedagogy I mentioned earlier? Well, they have a funny (yet infuriating) way of rendering texts that I do not like as sound tools for secondary ELA instruction. Sucks, doesn't it? While I personally am not a fan, students -- particularly resistant readers -- may benefit from such a text in the same manner by which I feel engaged by a one-hundred-year history of the Chicago Bears. Its interesting to me. Students game, and they also go through similar identity struggles as their own sense of self forms. And if it forms through pixels, then so be it. The texts to which they are introduced should reflect those interests. Obviously, not all YA graphic novels are about gaming, and so the subgenre should receive consideration for secondary inclusion for the main purpose of teaching multiple literacies, all of which may aid in the professional or personal development of students later in life.

Much like other YA texts, YA graphic novels can also be used to scaffold the reading of canonical works. Actually graphic novels lend well to this purpose since the engagement of resistant readers may hopefully trickle into the study of the later canonical piece. To illustrate this point, now its time for your weekly Moby-Dick comparison (the highlight of all of your weeks, I'm sure). This one was trickier, given the polarizing textual structures, but I feel that message was resolute enough to warrant comparison. We know by now that Ada was searching for her Truth between these finite and infinite spaces, and was uncertain as to whether her real life in terms of its purpose was at home/school or in the game. This experience can be juxtaposed by Captain Ahab's internal struggle as he tries to discern whether the White Whale was acting as the agent or principle of the dismemberment of his body and soul, leading him to search a seemingly infinite space (the sea/ocean) to find validation for his finite existence (self-explanatory). While this discussion may not find its way into my secondary classroom, the point is that graphic novels can be used to scaffold the understanding of canonical works.

The point also is that every text, even In Real Life, can be tied back to Moby Dick. *drops mic and walks away* ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Mykala rated it it was ok · review of another edition

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang presents readers with a combination of imagery and narration. Anda finds herself intrigued by the world of online gaming, which allows her to enter a virtual reality. Able to connect with gamers from all over the world Anda finds herself completing missions for money and earning respect for her gaming skills. Things change when she befriends a Chinese boy who is working illegally within the game as a way to make money he desperately needs to survive. Qu ...more

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Apr 16, 2015 Lauren H. rated it liked it · review of another edition

In Real Life explores the ways in which video games can serve as a positive gateway for adolescents to empower themselves. The graphic novel traces Anda’s journey from viewing video games as something simply exciting to viewing the games as life changing, literally “real life” changing. While playing the games, Anda meets a young Chinese boy whose working conditions are less than ideal. Ultimately, Anda learns how she can use her education to change the real life of a real person with whom she i In Real Life explores the ways in which video games can serve as a positive gateway for adolescents to empower themselves. The graphic novel traces Anda’s journey from viewing video games as something simply exciting to viewing the games as life changing, literally “real life” changing. While playing the games, Anda meets a young Chinese boy whose working conditions are less than ideal. Ultimately, Anda learns how she can use her education to change the real life of a real person with whom she interacts with in the game. Although I really didn’t enjoy reading this book myself, I can anticipate certain young adult readers really finding value in it.

This novel is especially empowering for teenagers who have encountered the “can’t you do anything better with your time” speech from parents or teachers in regards to their gaming habits The book positions gaming as not something mindless or “pervy” (to use Anda’s mother’s words), but as something that can allow young people to positively interact with other young people from all around the world.

One paramount aspect to this book is the fact that it is a graphic novel, and I believe that the graphics really help establish the other world of gaming. The bright green and yellow colors that saturate the gaming world stand in stark contrast to the dull browns and grays of the panels for Anda’s non-pixilated life. I believe this definitely works to entice young readers and to create visual appeal to the gaming world. In addition,

I find it interesting that many of the buildings, animals, and decorations used in the panels about the game world resemble Asian countries. For instance, there are tigers and decorations that look like hanging lanterns in several panels, and the buildings themselves resemble those of China. I think this shows that Anda must step outside of Western cultural norms in order to embrace her own individual power. She steps into the video game world (an often stereotyped world), which resembles the Eastern world (which is also “othered,” to use postcolonial theory), and by doing so, she is enabled to embrace her own individual agency. Furthermore, I believe this Eastern influence is also directly correlated to the fact that she helps a young Chinese boy, and through helping and interacting with him, she also learns how to help those in her “real life” at school.

I also thought it was interesting how Anda changes herself (through dying her hair to resemble her alter-ego “Kalidestroyer”) in the book. This moment stands in stark contrast to the moment when Anda walks into school on her birthday, only to be ignored by other students and without receiving “happy birthday” wishes. Through the video game, Anda learns that she can change her identity to one in which she feels like she has agency. However, one aspect that I really don’t find positive is the fact that only after Anda dyes her hair do other students really start to take notice of her. I think that it would have been a more positive message had the author shown Anda’s change through more self-confidence, instead of through changes in outward appearance to make her look more stereotypically attractive.

In the end, this isn’t a book that I would pick up off the bookshelf on my own, nor is it one that I particularly enjoyed reading; however, I also realize that I am definitely not the target audience for this piece, and I believe that younger students who are often criticized for gaming might greatly enjoy this book. I could especially see the benefits in recommending it to reluctant readers, since it is a very quick read that still holds a productive message for you
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Apr 02, 2015 Morgan rated it liked it · review of another edition

"Isn't that a comic book?" No, it's a graphic novel. It has more to offer than mindless entertainment for the masses.

Personally, I have never been a fan of graphic novels (or comic books, for base entertainment). I was raised on thick novels and tiny print. Switching to thin texts with plenty of illustration is uncomfortable. However, In Real Life has the potential to engage a younger audience who has been raised on illustrations. They follow Anda, a quiet teenager with a hidden passion for gam "Isn't that a comic book?" No, it's a graphic novel. It has more to offer than mindless entertainment for the masses.

Personally, I have never been a fan of graphic novels (or comic books, for base entertainment). I was raised on thick novels and tiny print. Switching to thin texts with plenty of illustration is uncomfortable. However, In Real Life has the potential to engage a younger audience who has been raised on illustrations. They follow Anda, a quiet teenager with a hidden passion for gaming. And then Liza comes to Anda's school to find recruits for an online game called Coarsegold. From there, Anda begins to interact with people all over the world. She learns that the world is not as protected or as gentle as her suburban life in Flagstaff, Arizona.

A potential problem with this graphic novel comes from its very existence: it is a graphic novel. Attempting to bring a graphic novel into the classroom will likely be met with opposition (if permission is asked; better to ask forgiveness than permission). Presenting it the students brings about another difficulty: enabling them to see educational value in a graphic novel. Most, having some interaction with base comic books, will breeze through it without critically reading the illustrations and the actions hidden within.

However, assuming that the principal and community accepts the attempts to bring it in and the students critically read and analyze the text, the possibility for this text is wonderful. It has real-world, relevant context to students' lives. Anda's interactions with Raymond through Coarsegold offer students the opportunity to mirror their own online interactions. It is engaging in the fact that is a graphic novel. Students will not necessarily spend days slogging through the content, struggling to decipher the hidden meaning of the text. For the most part, the educational value of this text sits right on the surface, begging to be analyzed. It is a text that is worthwhile to students and educators to invest their time in. ...more

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Apr 01, 2015 Logan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Illustration meets narration in Doctorow's graphic novel In Real Life, producing a book with rich complexity that can be read in a half hour. The graphic novel follows the story of Anda, a high school girl who enters into the world of Coarsegold, an online multiplaying environment allowing players to create avatars, interact, and participate in questlines. Anda's entry into Coarsegold is with what will be read as obviously feminist intentions (she joins an all-female guild and plays as a female Illustration meets narration in Doctorow's graphic novel In Real Life, producing a book with rich complexity that can be read in a half hour. The graphic novel follows the story of Anda, a high school girl who enters into the world of Coarsegold, an online multiplaying environment allowing players to create avatars, interact, and participate in questlines. Anda's entry into Coarsegold is with what will be read as obviously feminist intentions (she joins an all-female guild and plays as a female character, rather than masquerading as a male) but it is her continued journey that truly emphasizes the feminist underpinnings of the novel, reminding us that feminism isn't simply about female empowerment -- it is about equality for all marginalized peoples.

Doctorow's piece explores the nuances of identity, following Anda as she moves between her high school, where she interacts as a relatively quiet, reserved young woman, and Coarsegold, where she quickly sets herself apart as a courageous warrior rising through the guild. Anda's interactions with her world begin to shift as she realizes that her interactions and connections on Coarsegold are just as real as her interactions and connections in 'real life,' and the novel questions the distinctions between the two, allowing for cross-generational consideration (Anda's mother still views the internet as a world filled with child predators and weirdos, where Anda herself recognizes the validity of the online world as a place for expression). In Real Life challenges not only what its readers know about the internet, but also what they know about human interaction and cultures across the globe.

Reading In Real Life will likely take only a half hour, but this short reading time will allow for multiple chances at experiencing Doctorow's narrative. The illustrations are beautiful, and deserve much more than a simple half-second glance. The beauty of a graphic novel is that, rather than simply relying on supplementary illustrations, the images here are integral to the story and constitute much of the narrative action. It is a genre that will appeal to readers less familiar or comfortable with lengthy blocks of prose, and to anyone able to appreciate the beauty of illustration.

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Apr 02, 2015 Michelle Parsons rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really, really wanted to like In Real Life. And don't misinterpret me, it was good. But I could not bring myself to love it.

Anda was a refreshing kind of main character; computer savvy, overweight, not particularly pretty or social. Her avatar, Kali Destroyer, is pretty awesome; I loved that she chose to play a fighter rather than a magical character, which is what many girl gamers seem to prefer. Anda is a little naive, nice enough, and gets along well with the gamer guys, so I felt like I c ...more

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Apr 01, 2015 Nancy C rated it liked it · review of another edition

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Mar 13, 2015 Jung Han rated it it was ok · review of another edition

MMORPG video games can be extremely influential to teenagers often socially, mentally, and emotionally. In Real Life, a graphic novel by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang, introduces us to a character who finds a whole different life inside a virtual multiplayer game called Coarsegold Online. During her free time, protagonist Anda transforms into an avatar inside the screen, and she meets all different kinds of people around the world. Even though her initial willingness with the game was originally to ...more

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