What did you think?

[Katie]

I just finished it, so I'm excited to discuss it. I saw a few of you are reading/read it too, so let's chat! I don't have any specific questions, but if you read my review of it, you can springboard off that.

[Kelsey]

Katie, I LOVED this book and it was easily one of my favorites of 2022 and I haven't stopped thinking about this book. I totally understand how some things can be triggering and there were moments in this book that brought me to tears.

I would love to know what you thought about the timeline of the book. Did you feel that it was consistent and realistic?

[Kulsoom]

Kelsey wrote: "Katie, I LOVED this book and it was easily one of my favorites of 2022 and I haven't stopped thinking about this book. I totally understand how some things can be triggering and there were moments ..."

I'm butting in here, because I recently finished the book myself, and have been convincing friends to read it, so I can also discuss it. I do remember thinking however, that isn't this rapid scale of success a little unrealistic? But then I realised if we're using the young tech-billionaire model of career growth, I think for the late 90s and early 2000s this would work.
However, I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on the Dov/Sadie dynamic?

[Anoushka]

This book LITERALLY inspired me to start looking into game design and development. My previous experience with gaming is pretty negligible (Wii. a bit of racing, PSP, Nintendo, Assasins Creed), but the best thing about this book is that you don't need to be an expert in gaming to understand or love it. Gabrielle Zevin makes you fall in love with a hobby so remote from your own life.

I now am looking forward to an attempt in videogame design for my bachelors thesis project! <3

[Anoushka]

Kulsoom wrote: "Kelsey wrote: "Katie, I LOVED this book and it was easily one of my favorites of 2022 and I haven't stopped thinking about this book. I totally understand how some things can be triggering and ther..."

Dov and Sadie was an extremely toxic relationship, but I kinda love how after so many years of back and forth of bickering and abuse, they can sit back and talk casually in a restaurant. it shows that maybe Sadie isn't as immature and volatile as she is made out to be. But again, why couldn't she show that towards Sam? I wholly believe Sam was just doing the best for the team and Sadie, but Sadie never understood that

[vale]

Hi all! Just finished as well and I stumbled upon your discussion so I thought I'd join :)

First of all, I loved every page, and I wish those games ACTUALLY existed, especially Itchigo.
Throughout the book, I felt that Sam and Sadie could eventually start a relationship outside work and I was so mad at them for not being completely open and honest with each other in some parts (e.g. when Sam is also in grief and is having the phantom limb syndrome but won't tell Sadie a thing!).

Regarding Dov & Sadie... It's definitely complicated, though I can see she was being lucid and thinking about her career already since the beginning, even though she definitely got hurt after some time... but she was always the "passive" character between them.

[Sallys]

I adored this book and it is my #1 for 2023