Review: Last Gamer Standing by Katie Zhao

(Last Updated On: )

Author: Katie Zhao
Edition: eARC
Publisher: Scholastic (September 21, 2021)
Genre: MG, Science-Fiction, Gaming, Adventure

add on Goodreads

add on TheStorygraph

Synopsis

Last Gamer Standing Katie Zhao Book Cover

Twelve-year-old Reyna Cheng is the up-and-coming junior amateur Dayhold gamer, competing in a VR battle royale against AI monsters and human players alike. But despite Reyna’s rising popularity and skills, no one knows who she is. Gaming is still a boy’s club and to protect herself against trolls, she games as the mysterious TheRuiNar.

When Reyna qualifies for the Dayhold Junior Tournament sponsored by her favourite team, she knows she’s got what it takes to win the championship title and the $10,000 prize.

But when she’s blackmailed and threatened to be doxed, having her personal identity revealed, by an anonymous troll, Reyna will have to deal with a toxic gaming community, family complications, and the increasing pressure to win as the tournament gets underway.

My review of Last Gamer Standing

Last Gamer Standing is an action-packed Middle-Grade novel about gaming, following your passion and fighting for your place in the world.

Filled With Gaming Action and Adventure

Last Gamer Standing was everything I wanted it to be. It’s fast-paced and fun and filled with action that kept me engaged the whole time. I’m not much of a gamer, but I absolutely loved the gaming world Katie Zhao created with Dayhold. It’s vibrant and visual and whenever Reyna played, I felt like I was right there alongside her. I know for a fact I would suck at battle royal games but now I really want to play Dayhold!

While Last Gamer Standing is set in the future, it still felt grounded and current in a way I loved. It has all the excitement and adventure you’d expect from a story about gaming, without feeling purely fantastical. For me, this makes the story even stronger because it manages to balance the sci-fi elements with very real issues in the gaming community that Reyna faces. She isn’t just battling in-game enemies and demons, but fellow players who want to harm her in the real world, too.

In general, Katie is wonderful at layering different plot threads and conflicts that intertwine and are resolved in satisfying ways.

A Headstrong Girl Fighting for Her Place

Reyna is headstrong and smart and I loved watching her solve problems in the game and in her real life. She faces so many challenges, namely the racism and misogyny of male players and getting to join her as she tries to overcome them was inspiring and infuriating. Reyna deserves better.

It’s no secret that I love books that don’t shy away from complex and often difficult parental relationships and Last Gamer Standing is no exception! Reyna’s relationship with her parents is a central element of the book and I adored that Katie gave it the nuance it deserved.

While we’re talking about relationships: I loved the friendship dynamics! Reyna’s friends are so fun! Honestly, I wish there would’ve been a little more of the interactions between Reyna, Henry and Nell because I loved them so much!

Last Gamer Standing is a great book for any reader who loves gaming and adventure. However, I think it’s especially important for young girls of colour to see themselves represented with nuance and in spaces where they’re traditionally excluded but definitely belong. Reyna Cheng is fighting to prove that she belongs and even though I wish she didn’t have to, I’m glad to have a character like her represent that struggle.

Overall…

Last Gamer Standing is a love letter to gaming and young girls of colour who are fighting for their space in the world and their greatness to finally be recognised.