Official Review: Between Reality and Virtual Reality

[Ursula_Minor]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Between Reality and Virtual Reality" by Hitomi Mitsurin.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Hitomi Mitsurin's Between Reality and Virtual Reality reads like a trans lesbian erotica version of Inception. As forecasted in the title, the plot moves in and through various layers of virtual reality as Ellen-- an anime lover, avid game player, and video game reviewer-- leans on her online gaming community for support in dealing with a difficult breakup.

Between Reality and Virtual Reality's greatest strength is that it works on a meta-level. Like the rich worlds available in massive multiplayer online roleplaying games (or MMORPGs), the text is as immersive as it surprising. Partially as result, it has a bit of a slow start. Reading this text is similar to the experience of entering and adapting to a new MMORPG in that it may take readers a few pages to adjust to the rules and limits of Ellen's world.

Mitsurin's dialogue, character profiles, and descriptions of settings and spatial relations all mimic video game conventions. Initially, these elements of the text seem heavy-handed and even bizarre. They make better sense as the larger project of the text becomes increasingly obvious, and by the end seem clever. Overall, the effect of this is positive, but it takes some getting used to. Additionally, readers who are less adept at visualizing may find this text difficult to follow.

The writing in Between Reality and Virtual Reality is inconsistent, and moves between passages that are clear and grammatically sound, and passages riddles with missing words and word use errors. Despite this, the story remains both intact and engaging. In the strongest parts of the text, Mitsurin shows a real talent for storytelling, and a strong understanding of genre. The text maintains a certain level of sexual tension that makes it a prime example of erotica. Mitsurin clearly has a strong background in science fiction as well: her text grapples with, and in some cases rewrites the figure of the cyborg. Gone is the simplistic human/machine binary, and in its place is a conglomeration of audio and visual technologies; nesting levels of virtual reality; artificial intelligences that are emotive and able to move between virtual space and meat space; and technologies of the body-- Ellen's position as a trans woman, among other things, makes her a cyborg in this world.

A final but core strength exhibited in this text is its depiction of an alternative gaming and online community. The text is haunted by the possibility of being consumed by virtual realities: in order to escape the emotional trauma of dealing with a difficult situation in her life, Ellen spends whole days engaged with gaming. The community that she finds there, which is composed entirely of women, provides her with company, but also take care of her emotional needs; a depiction that is both detailed and touching.

I give this book 3 out of 4. While there are certainly elements that might trip a potential reader up, the larger project that it sets for itself combined with its complex plot structure make it a strong book and an intelligent read.

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Between Reality and Virtual Reality
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Like Ursula_Minor's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Levi]

@Ursula_Minor Wow! This is your third review, and I must say, amazing job!! You nailed this review! Were you already familiar with the online gaming world, because if not you did an awesome job portraying it regardless. I think you were the perfect person to review this, sometimes that just becomes obvious as you read a review. Great job, again, and congrats to the author!

[Ursula_Minor]

Thanks! This was actually one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's choppy in places, and the writing isn't always clear, but the project is really cool! I am legit looking out for further works by this lady.

[GandalfTheFey]

This is a very good review. You had me at "trans lesbian erotica version of Inception"! Definately sounds unique.

[Ursula_Minor]

@GandalfTheFey Based on your response to my review, you should definitely read this book!

[zeldas_lullaby]

Great review! This book sounds incredibly intriguing.