DON'T HATE THE PLAYER

Narrator Stacy Gonzalez brings Emelia to life as the Latinx teen balances her straight As and star athletics with her secret passion for gaming. Speaking in the first-person, Gonzalez is funny, emotional, and confident as Emelia claims her place in the male-dominated gaming world. Gonzalez uses an appropriate Puerto Rican accent for Emelia's helicopter mom, who manages every aspect of her daughter's academic life to ensure the best college placement. Narrator Aaron Landon has a tougher challenge bringing Jake's voice to life--his story is told through his texts to his gaming team. There is little opportunity to inject life, humor, or emotion into these conversations. Excessive use of Gen Z slang dates the story, and some listeners may find the abundance of four-letter words off-putting. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2021]