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SYNOPSIS: It is Labor Day weekend in St. 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; and 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. WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK IT OUT? There’s not enough positive examples of real-life gamers in television or books, and this one sounds like it’s definitely trying to fill some of that void! Another interesting angle is the switch in gender for the main male character when he’s playing the MMO. This is such a common decision for male gamers, and it’s wonderful to see that reality used as a major plot points. The cover is simplistic, but harkens to old timey 8-bit gaming. Will today’s teens make the connection and appreciate it? Let’s hope so! Steve Brezenoff is best known for his critically acclaimed YA LGBT romance BROOKLYN, BURNING. EARLY REVIEWS SAY… The juxtaposition of live, real-time role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons against the detached anonymity of MMORPGs, plus a playfully thoughtful exploration of gender identity and politics, gives the novel depth and heart that will appeal to audiences beyond the gaming set. This is not the teen love story you’ve read a thousand times before.(Kirkus Reviews) [S]pends time within both the digital and analog RPGs, exploring sexism and gender stereotypes … plenty of cultural food for thought. (Publishers Weekly) NECESSARY DETAILS YA Romance Hardcover & ebook, 400 pages Published on May 27th, 2014 by Balzer + Bray (ISBN 0062266837) http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Guy-Real-Life-Steve-Brezenoff/ Sulky metal head boy meets artsy gamer girl. Awkward teenage love ensues. |
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