What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
► UNSOLVED: One specific book
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YA Sci-Fi – VR (virtual reality) Game where you experience real pain, starts in a cave in-game where a statue is found. Estranged childhood female friend. Read ~2017–2019. Spoiler.
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Genre: YA Science Fiction, VR-based
Setting: Modern world + immersive VR game with realistic sensations
Plot details I remember:
The male main character (MC) plays a VR game using a headset and gloves that simulate real physical sensations.
The story opens with him entering a cave in-game, where he finds a statue and it begins to move—this freaks him out, then lava appears and burns his hand—he feels the pain through the gloves.
He buys the VR gear without telling his parents, who later destroy it when they find out.
A childhood female friend (estranged) later dies in a building collapse and ends up uploaded into the VR world.
There’s a weird side detail: the MC has a distinctive nose that his mother also had before plastic surgery. He may have used this info to blackmail her.
Notable Characters:
His female childhood friend (key emotional connection), now digitally preserved in the VR world
Book length: Average YA novel (approx. 200–400 pages)
Language: English
Any help finding this book would be appreciated! Thank you! 🙏