In Real Life by Cory Doctorow

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a darling book that deals with a plethora of topics all within an appealing "gamer" plot. I found the gamer plot fascinating not knowing much about that myself. Doctorow presents a coming of age story for a young woman. She's a typical teen, a bit of an outsider, plus-sized, and lacking a bit in self-esteem. She is introduced to the world of MMORPGs where the author explores such themes as female gamers, online safety, the real people behind avatar identities, online reality vs "real life", healthcare, our freedoms living in a democratic society vs the struggle for existence in a communist country. I particularly found it refreshing that Doctorow manages to tackle all these topics without resorting to politics. Deep, deep themes all told within a light-hearted, fun story with a main character one can't help but love as we see her subtly change as she matures, takes control of her life and becomes empowered. I love, love, loved this!

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