HOW WE PLAY THE GAME

Two esports contestants fake date to game the rankings at a competition.

In this companion novel to Don’t Hate the Player (2021), autistic gamer Zora Lyon, 17, is ready to impress her idol, Brian Juno, co-founder of Wizzard Games, by dominating the company’s Summer Academy Royale. But she’s thrown off by the presence of 18-year-old Ivan Hunt, the misogynistic jerk she defeated at regionals. Ivan is ready to rehabilitate his image after a scandal that broke up his team and destroyed his reputation last year. Each of their plans to win is shaken when they learn that streaming popularity matters more than gaming skill. Frustrated and overstimulated during a match, Zora lashes out, alienating her peers—until being mistaken for Ivan’s girlfriend wins her approval. The rivals agree to fake date to bump their rankings, but the more time she spends with her pretend boyfriend, the more confused Zora becomes about the guy she thought she hated. Told in Nedd’s witty style, this story presents lovable characters and humorous banter balanced with serious moments, such as ones exploring sexism in the online world. Gamers will appreciate the game references and well-articulated gaming culture. Unfortunately, the chaotic pacing, resulting in truncated storylines and a rushed ending, makes it difficult to stay grounded in the story or the pair’s relationship development. Zora is Black, Brian and Ivan are white, and there’s diversity among the supporting cast.

A fun story with strong worldbuilding that’s debuffed by poor pacing.