3.5*

The problem with consuming media after it's been hyped by everyone everywhere is that it's hard for it to live up to expectations. And that's what happened here.

It's a very good book, and I enjoyed how some of the gaming aspects were handled. But I just could not get behind Sadie Green, the female protagonist. She and Sam both seemed immature, right up until the end. I didn't feel like there was a lot of growth. Every time I thought one of them was progressing, they'd do something wildly inappropriate again. Especially Sadie.

I wanted to love it, and I certainly enjoyed a lot of it. But I don't foresee rereading it or recommending it widely.