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A review by dragongirl271
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
“They're just words. But then D1V flashes through my mind, reminding me of the way words hurt. The gaping wounds they leave behind.”
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
What a fantastic YA novel that's a book I think everyone who spends any amount of time online should read. The plot, to me, well encapsulates a conversation a lot of content creators have been having for years about how dangerous trolling can truly be.
This book follows two teens as they navigate some terrible online harassment together. Divya, aka “D1V”, is a popular streamer for a space exploration game and has worked har6d to build a safe community for her fans. Like any streamer, she deals with a lot of hate, but being a teen Arab girl on the internet definitely doesn't help keep the trolls away. She meets Aaron, an aspiring game designer, by chance in the game and they start to slowly form a friendship (and maybe more). Divya's also scheduled to make her first appearance at a gaming convention, but the hate is worse than ever. Her worst trolls have organized and are determined to make her leave streaming with constant harassment, threats of doxxing, and more than one physical confrontation.
There's a lot that happens in this book and I ate it all up. Some of the conversations between these two had me grinning and giggling cause they're so damn cute. Smith writes young female protagonists really well and definitely did his research about life in the gaming sphere. The characters and scenario felt very real and like something you could actually read about in the news tomorrow. I just wish the institutional support Divya received was more of the norm for people dealing with harassment online.
1st person POV from two main characters. Fast-paced. Tackles cyber harassment and the dangers of trolling taken too far. Extremely cute romance.
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
What a fantastic YA novel that's a book I think everyone who spends any amount of time online should read. The plot, to me, well encapsulates a conversation a lot of content creators have been having for years about how dangerous trolling can truly be.
This book follows two teens as they navigate some terrible online harassment together. Divya, aka “D1V”, is a popular streamer for a space exploration game and has worked har6d to build a safe community for her fans. Like any streamer, she deals with a lot of hate, but being a teen Arab girl on the internet definitely doesn't help keep the trolls away. She meets Aaron, an aspiring game designer, by chance in the game and they start to slowly form a friendship (and maybe more). Divya's also scheduled to make her first appearance at a gaming convention, but the hate is worse than ever. Her worst trolls have organized and are determined to make her leave streaming with constant harassment, threats of doxxing, and more than one physical confrontation.
There's a lot that happens in this book and I ate it all up. Some of the conversations between these two had me grinning and giggling cause they're so damn cute. Smith writes young female protagonists really well and definitely did his research about life in the gaming sphere. The characters and scenario felt very real and like something you could actually read about in the news tomorrow. I just wish the institutional support Divya received was more of the norm for people dealing with harassment online.
1st person POV from two main characters. Fast-paced. Tackles cyber harassment and the dangers of trolling taken too far. Extremely cute romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment