Have you ever created a version of yourself in a game that is the 'real' you, the version you wish you could be every day?!
What's it about?
When college student Kiera created SLAY—an online video game dedicated to Black excellence—she wanted to create a gaming world where Black gamers could safely play online away from racism while celebrating their history and heritage. To keep the game safe and the community safer, Kiera requires all players to receive a password only given by other players. When a real-world murder occurs, Kiera has to go on the defensive both in the game as Emerald and in her day-to-day life as the game's curator. Keeping her secret as the developer becomes more arduous, especially when she is being blackmailed and labelled as a racist herself. All seems lost when a troll finds his way into SLAY, and Kiera is forced to make some genuinely heartwrenching decisions about a game she so lovingly created.
“I think I love SLAY so much because we’re a mutually empathetic collective. As we duel, as we chat, there’s an understanding that “your Black is not my Black” and “your weird is not my weird” and “your beautiful is not my beautiful,” and that’s okay.” ― Brittney Morris, SLAY
“I want you to imagine for a minute,” she begins. “I know it’s going to be hard for both of you, but just imagine—that literally nothing was made for you. Your parents were denied a house because of their skin colour, your grandparents were sprayed with fire hoses and ripped apart by dogs in the streets, your great-grandparents were housemaids and mammies and barely paid entertainers, and your great-great-grandparents were slaves. Every movie in your life is majority Black, all the characters in your favourite books have been cast darker in the movie adaptation for no reason, and every mistake you make is because of your skin colour and because of “your background” and because of the music you listen to. You are the only white kids at a school of five hundred Blacks, and every Black person at that school asks you to weigh in on what it’s like to be white, or what white people think about this or that. It’s not fun.” ― Brittney Morris, Slay
My Thoughts...
I am a certifiable nerd, and I love all types of games, from boardgames to PC to Switch and everything in between. When I was recommended SLAY by the bookstagram community, I was thrilled to read a book centred around a Black girl in STEM. I loved how Morris described the game; it felt like such a tangible idea; teaching generational history and culture through gaming seems like such a brilliant concept. Kiera is a strong protagonist throughout the book, and I don't mean this just about her strength against adversity, but her character and personality were clear from the onset. She felt like a trustworthy and powerful MC, and at no point in this high-stakes story did I feel confused about where she stood on matters.
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Kiera attends a primarily white school, where she and her sister are some of the only Black kids, and within the first few pages, I was already angry on her behalf as she had to engage with her school peers on topics such as "Can a white girl have dreadlocks". Morris lays the groundwork for why SLAY was such a necessary creation for Kiera in the first few chapters by highlighting the school and home environment she has to survive. Her parents are not specifically negative about their own Blackness, but they are more critical of the language and cultural choices that both Kiera and Steph - her sister- make.
“I take a deep breath and wonder if Malcolm will ever understand. He surrounds himself with Black rhetoric in the form of written words. I surround myself with the company of Black gamers worldwide. What’s the difference?” ― Brittney Morris, SLAY
Malcolm was a character I couldn't like from the moment he entered the book. He was so focused on promoting and advocating for his version of Black excellence that he was dismissive and critical of Kiera if any of her choices didn't align with his worldview. I found their relationship hard to read about as he seemed oblivious to her wants and needs, yet so many of Kiera's words and actions were focused on a future the two of them would have, even if the end was not everything she wanted it to be. I was relieved when Steph started sharing many of my views, which helped me realise that I was unjustified in having some opinions about Malcolm.
“You are a queen, and this is your game” ― Brittney Morris, SLAY
It is hard to get into the crux of this story without spoiling the twists and turns, but I will say that Cicada and Hyacinth were two of the most kickass side-kicks in the SLAY and real world. Their unwavering support for Kiera in trying times was incredible, and I loved reading about how an online friendship can translate to the real world. In 2022 there will be more and more people comfortable forming friendships in a virtual world, and it was great to see a positive take on virtual friendships when the narrative in popular media seems to be only ever hostile. This book deals with racism and sexism in gaming, the media's influence on stirring racial hate, and the power individuals have to triumph over emotional bullying. Many of the themes that Brittney Morris tackles in this story are real problems that gamers face today, and I was thrilled to see that there were consequences for the trolls' actions throughout the book. When death threats are made, Morris is quick to enact punishment for the perpetrators enforcing the message that what you say online has real-world ramifications. The death of Jamal Rice is the spark that starts to unravel the SLAY world, but the story goes far beyond who is ultimately responsible for his death.
Recommendations - if you liked these books, check out:
The Black Kids - Christina Hammonds Reed
The City We Became - N.K. Jemisin
On the Come Up - Angie Thomas
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