The year is 2045 and the world is looking pretty dire. To escape their terrible reality, people spend the bulk of their time in a virtual reality simulation called OASIS. Wade Watts lives in a trailer park where the trailers are stacked one on top of the other to save space. He attends school in OASIS and hangs out with his virtual friends. Before his death, James Halliday, the creator of OASIS, designed a kind of treasure hunt within the program. Whoever finds and completes the series of tasks he has laid out will win his fortune. The story follows Wade as he competes to complete the challenge.
This book became wildly popular with it was released in 2012, largely based on its many 1980s references and fast-moving plot. While it isn’t a book that I would normally read, I understand the appeal. The concept of RP1 is interesting. I think it is timely in the world that we currently inhabit. So many people are glued to their phones and social media that it is not too far-fetched to think that one day humanity might ditch reality altogether in favor of a simulation.
Cline paints this world very convincingly. There is a stark contrast between the slum that Wade lives in and the virtual world. As the reader, we can clearly see the need for such a world and understand how Wade and his friends navigate it. The first half of the book does a great job of pulling you in.
That being said, I do have problems with the book. I felt like it was just a little too dependant on nostalgia. It was like talking to a friend who keeps saying “Remember this from the 80s? How about this from the 80s? What about this thing from the 80s?” with no meaningful elaboration. I also found the second half to be a bit repetitive.
Does that make it a bad book? No way. It’s just not something I normally read, but there are a lot of people who loved it. If you are a fan of the 80s and love an action-packed romp this is definitely the book for you. I am of course in favor of reading the book. The movie never tends to be as good. That being said, I’ll probably end up seeing the movie too because my husband and son want to see it.
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