A brilliant speculative YA thriller that takes you on a gripping ride and doesn't let you go!

In a near (?) future utopian (dystopian?) world where most of life takes place in the online World 2.0, gamer Hal is desperate to prove herself in the competitive Knox Cup. But soon cracks begin to appear in the perfect world. Can Hal stop the world from falling apart? And should she?

"Control Alter Delete" by KL Kettle works on so many levels (haha): on the one hand it's a gripping story set in a vivid futuristic world - at times I could really picture it as a movie! On the other hand it touches on a lot of deeper topics that are relevant in our current interconnected, virtual world: loneliness despite connection, loss of imagination through overstimulation, memory and meaning in a fast-paced world.

With lots of twists and turns that I didn't see coming, this is a book that will definitely stay with me.

This book is going to strike a chord in a lot of readers of its target demographic (YA), which is an understatement at best. World 2.0, that Kettle has formed it such a way that it feels within touching distance given recent tech proposals and legislation, is so meticulously crafted that I think it will be a bit of a mirror held up to some readers about what could happen if society continues to lean into technology so trustingly. The eeriness of this whole world from page 1 is masterful and Kettle is to thank for the enjoyable discomfort.
 
Whilst the book does feature a lot of gaming terminology and tech jargon, there is nothing that isn’t understandable given the context in which it’s used, and I truly want people to see beyond that to lose themselves in this brilliant novel. The gaming mentioned and utilised within the narrative feels familiar, either as games we may all know and have loved at one point or another, or as metaphors for real world experiences. This makes it impossible to not fall right into the plot and wonder what’s coming next.

Hal and Go are the shining stars of the novel. While Hunter and Kai have their moments, the relationship between Hal and Go is something special. It’s buried in questionable trust, hope for something more, a past neither one is sure of, nor a future that they couldn’t possibly understand. The depth of their relationship is something beautiful and I couldn’t help loving their interactions from the get-go, even in spite of the mystery (this is a spoiler-free review, so I won’t say what this is)!
 
Heart is at the core of this story, in many many ways, which is exceptional given that a lot of tech and AI can be viewed as heartless. That juxtaposition takes a lot to weave into a novel to be able to keep readers on side, especially as Hal starts the book as a fan of the tech, fully engrossed in the world. We may know the dangers of this technology because we are at its infancy, but Hal is one of the future generations I worry about where it will have been long-embedded and they only know life with it. And despite knowing this, I could see why Hal loves it as she does, especially in one aspect (again, spoilers). K.L. Kettle has taken something that has a lot of sceptics already (as it does supporters and lovers) and found a way for those 2 groups to empathise. I could applaud this book non-stop for that alone.
 
All in all, I think this is a marvellous read and a lot of the target demographic will love this book for everything it makes them question. I hope anyone with a 13–18-year-old gamers picks this up for February half term, locks the PlayStation in a cupboard, and tell their kids they can have it back when they’ve read this book, because it deserves their undivided attention. So, while I go and enjoy the REAL world, I recommend you go and preorder your copy now…

Where do I begin? Absolutely loved this incredible dystopian sci fi mystery adventure. It's richly imagined, creative and deeply compelling and perfect for anyone who loves the world of gaming. It's also a book that really makes the reader reflect on our world and where it might be headed. Amazing. MORE please.