Review: Ready Player One (Spoiler Free)

Taken From

Summary:

Book by Ernest Cline

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whomever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
Summary taken from Goodreads

Review:

4/5 Stars
I read this book in an attempt to get out of one of my reading slumps.  It did the trick.  I found myself swept into a world full of images and action.  It was a quick paced read that left me continuously saying," I know exactly what is going to happen." and," I might not actually have any clue what is going to happen.".  It was the perfect mix of predictability and suspense.  This book was very different from anything else I have read in a long time.  It had action, adventure, and tons of 1980s pop culture references.  It dealt with pressing issues such as hunger, acceptance, death, depression, and tons more.  It was a deep book that made me think.

Sure on the first level it was an interesting book about virtual reality (something very dear to my heart).  That is in fact why I first picked it up.  But after reading 10 pages I knew it was about something more.  Hidden under the tech talk and 80s lingo was a world that just made you want to question society.  And that is my kind of book!

So why not give this book 5/5 stars? I'll tell you.  I grew to really appreciate the main character Wade (or whatever you want to call him).  He started out as this kid that needed nothing but his own brain to solve this grand mystery.  After solving the first gate, and earning some money, he quickly became dependent on so much more. This was one of the many lessons I think the book has to offer.  But I grew to not like him (I really don't think I was supposed to, but I have a hard time loving a book who's main character I dislike).  This wasn't the only problem for me.  The writing seemed to lag on the technical parts long.  I do believe that if I was more up to date with 80s culture I would have enjoyed it.  But coming from someone born in the 1990s, all I know of that time is what my parents have shared with me.  Not that most of the things went over my head.  I actually got almost all of the references.  I just found myself getting bored of only hearing them.  

Overall it was an amazing read.  I could not believe how fast I seemed to be flipping the pages.  I would highly recommend this book to someone who wants to think while they read (and has an open mind about the world). 

If this fits you, I say get the book.
Happy Reading
-Amanda Lyn