** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Cheat(er) Code, by S.A. Foxe, Daz (Illustrations)
★★★★★
144 Pages
WOW!
I mean...wow.
I picked this up because it had a super adorable cover, and I was really intrigued by the concept of the blurb. But what I got was...SO much more!
On page one, we walk right into a sex scene...and by the end of the first few pages, so does poor Kenny, our hero of the story. The first few pages hit like a punch to the gut. Emotional, heart-breaking. We start off a touch confused, because neither of the two men getting it on resemble the guy on the cover. Then in walks Kenny...to find his boyfriend, Seth, right in...ahem...the thick of it.
The artwork, at this point, is stunning. So detailed and incredible. I'm a huge lover of yaoi manga, and this could easily rival their artwork for the depth and characterisation in every little clever detail. From the couple photographs in the background, the cat's reactions, to the sweat, tears and character quirks. Everything is in start, realistic detail. Right down to the variations in every character's physique. There is so much diversity in the characters, from height, weight, *cough* size, and more. SO much thought and attention to detail has gone into making this.
THEN...there's the grief, the heartbreak as Kenny tries to fight for a relationship that died somewhere in his peripheral vision. He's eager and desperate to take Seth back, but Seth isn't. It comes across as though Seth deliberately set himself up to be caught in flagrante, because he just didn't have the guts to admit he wasn't happy in the relationship anymore – what I like to call, the coward's way out.
Sorry...I'm firmly Team Kenny, here, as you can tell.
Watching Kenny try to pull himself together, after Seth's cruel jibes about how he's let himself go, how he doesn't care anymore, about how he's more involved in his video games than their relationship, and even claiming that 30 is too young to be in an “old married couple” relationship. Well, don't worry, Kenny. You deserve better. And you're about to get it. ;)
Because, as he's considering Seth's accusations, he decides to be a little reckless. I worried so much for him when he opened the FUKR app (a nod to GRINDR) and started scouting for a casual fling. But, I have to give HUGE props to the author for making Kenny's characterisation so solid that he specified safe sex, and even douched before his “date” – that, thankfully, fell through. So he turns to his solace of video games. Which is where things get a little...weird. Good weird.
Now, I'm no video gamer. I have no idea about video games beyond what I've read or seen on TV, but the AMAZING, incredible, detailed, STUNNING artwork that appeared as Kenny fell into his video games utterly blew my mind. Each video game had a distinct vision, aesthetic, atmosphere. I could immediately tell if there was some glitch from another game, because it *felt* different on the page. It had a different tone. That is SO HARD to do, in a graphic novel.
I won't lie, the sexy parts were awesome. But they weren't shallow or hot-without-plot. They were real learning moments for Kenny. Parts where he realised that Seth might have ditched him, but he was a good guy, attractive, and he deserved to be happy. He deserved to find someone who appreciated him for who he was.
All throughout the story, Kenny has a cute little paunch, and Seth's claims make it sound like he *used to* go to the gym often and take care of his figure. But it's also suggested that long work hours and lots of gaming gave him a comfort blanket that let his healthy lifestyle slide. Which is so damned realistic it hurts. But it doesn't stop the video game characters – of all shapes and sizes – finding him attractive. Their self-awareness of being video game characters just adds to the dynamic. They *know* Kenny. They know how he's found alongside them, supported them, travelled with them, and created them, for years. That was a little touch I hadn't expected, but actually meant so much.
In the end, he changed not because he wanted to win Seth back, not because he *needed* to change, but because he'd found his happiness in being ALONE. He realised he'd lost interest because he hadn't been happy, and once he let Seth go, it was an epiphany that changed his life for the better. He spent more time with friends, on himself, with the cat. There was no vengeance, no fury and pettiness in letting Seth go. Kenny didn't lash out. He did the brave, smart thing and was the better man who was able to find the strength and courage to let Seth go. To forgive him. To move on into a healthier, happier life without him.
I utterly adored the final few pages – from Dash's wink and thumbs up, to that SO satisfying last page – and I couldn't have asked for a better ending.
And I won't lie, a huge part of me was on Team Dash.
Cheat(er) Code began as a touching, realistic portrayal of one sweet guy's search for self-confidence, and ended up a super cute, funny, remarkably emotional journal of self-acceptance. I wasn't prepared for the emotional attachment, and I appreciated the strong message of safe-sex and acceptance, the self love that evolved through Kenny's journey. The innuendos of the video game characters added humour and fun.
This begins as an X-rated version of Wreck It Ralph and ends in a beautiful story of self-appreciation, reminding you to love yourself for who you are, and don't settle for loving someone who can't do the same.
Come pay-day, I'm buying this in paperback, because this is a solid re-read.
Elaine W, Reviewer
Reviewer 519636
