Author: Steve Brezenoff
Expected Publication: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 400
Age Group: Young Adult/Contemporary
From the acclaimed author of Brooklyn, Burning comes Guy in Real Life, an achingly real and profoundly moving love story in the vein of Rainbow Rowell and John Green, about two Minnesota teens whose lives become intertwined through school, role-playing games, and a chance two-a.m. bike accident. It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again. But they don't. This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.
This is going to be a somewhat of a letdown review. Let’s start off with November. That is how long I've been looking forward to reading this book. I happen to stumble upon Guy in Real Life while browsing Goodreads. I remember I read the description, added it to my TBR list then kept an eye on it to see when it would be uploaded to Netgalley or Edelweiss. I’m grateful that I got to read, but I guess I put my expectations too high.
Honestly, my expectations weren't too high. I think when I intentionally read the synopsis I really didn't give the RPG a second thought. I guess it didn't click until a few chapters in that yes; a lot of the book will be taking place inside of a game. I was a bit taken aback by this because I hadn't expected it. Yes, it does go with the story but at times I felt distant from the characters. I did love how everything connected and came together. It was just hard to try and stay connected with them when in essences they were someone else.
Guy in Real Life wasn't for me, but I lent it to a friend and he actually enjoyed it. In reality I was expecting something else. I guess that story will just have to live in my head or some alternate universe lol! We all have different taste and if you’re a gamer I think this will resonated a little better with you.
Guest Reviewer at Owl Always Be Reading
Great honest review.
ReplyDeleteThis one is on my TBR as well..
Thanks for the honest take on this, sorry it wasn't that good for you. It's nice though that someone else liked it! I think it's interesting how readers really never have the same opinions on books.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and your thoughts on this book, I appreciated reading them. The synopsis sounds interesting but I'm not sure I would read this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and your thoughts on this book, I appreciated reading them. I think the synopsis sounds interesting but not sure I would read this.
ReplyDelete