snapper12

A fascinating concept and a highly-readable novel. It was quite good, but a few things could have made me enjoy it more: - If Ernest Cline were about 10 years younger, this book would probably have become my bible. Whereas Cline was a child of 1980s, I did my growing up in the '90s and early 2000s. I was at least vaguely familiar with most of the references, but no more than that for many of them. Cline is unapologetically targeting his own generation, and while younger readers can identify with the sentiments, it can be a bit hard to penetrate. To use a metaphor, the language is the same, but the vocabulary is vastly different. - The dialogue is not particularly good. It often comes off as forced, formulaic, and cheesy. It's possible that this was his intention, though; the media of his beloved era has the same feel. - The actual writing is also not especially good. It serves its purpose; no more. I can forgive a lack of stylistic flair if the story and concept are interesting, though, and I found both to be so. - I am generally put off by first-person narratives. This type of story sort of lends itself to that format, though. Overall, a good book for anyone who has considered themselves a nerd, geek, or outsider, particularly if they happen to be a part of Cline's generation.

2022-11-14 16:58