You: The Novel

You the novel by Austin Grossman is about a video game designer, the dangers that he faces to look for truth and personal challenges in the competitive world of game design involving dormer friends.

Personally I had never been exposed to computer games and much of the vocabulary was completely unknown to me, unlike many in our school I am game illiterate and so I got really lost in the reading of this book. Because of my lack of knowledge in the field I also didn’t get too enthusiastic or hooked about the book, especially in certain parts. This book talks about a reality which is relatable for many people but not to me.

Moreover the book is narrated in first person and lets the reader be inside of the character and in this way really involved.

Another aspect that I find interesting about this book is the exposure of the negative side of his former friends and the giddiness involved, it shows the competitiveness of the field and the unexpected roughness the design of a game, a new technology and entertainment.

There is also a personal journey in the main character mind, Russell’s encounters changes personality and how he fits in the world; it seems like Russell never fitted unlike his former friends that created the successful game until now. Suddenly, after his friends dies and Darren leaves the company, Russell comes in this really prestigious gaming company, and he finally found his balance in personality; unlike all what he had tried before, here he felt comfortable. But as he becomes really committed and he feels better about himself, he starts the search for the reason of the death of his friend, which leads him to see another side of the gaming industry, and puts his job in risk. This duality of his positive self-realization with the danger of the field and the dark side of it creates an interesting tension that kept me reading the book.