I have to admit, I was sceptical when I started this book. The premise of teen boy in virtual game world is sooooooo... been there done that got the t-shirt and the underpants.
But this book feels fresh from the first page. A bit unsteady on its feet, but with a nice bouncy spring in it. Not stale at all.
For the first third of the book it's just "OK". Nice to read, light and fluffy. And then it gets started. It remains light, for a book that could have jumped on the dark-drama-dystopian-future bandwagon, which is a very good thing.
It is very heavy on the infodump side, and not all people will appreciate that. The author appears to be either a highly functional autistic person (nothing against that, I'm one myself) or has a fetish for 80s trivia. But it works, in this book.

I like that it doesn't go heavy on the "virtual life isn't real life and virtual friendships aren't real" preaching that seems to be the latest fad. Instead it illustrates nicely how virtual relationships can be just as real, just as precious.

The book is entertaining, engaging, lightweight, with some nicely done heartstring-plucking without going overboard on the YA-drama. Refreshing. I can certainly see why Spielberg picked up this book and is making it into a movie.

I have enjoyed myself immensely and I couldn't put the book down in the last third of the story, which meant a loooooong sleepeless night listening to the audiobook.
It's nothing literary or sophisticated, but is very much fún.