Book Review: Walking In Two Worlds by Wab Kinew

Title: Walking In Two Worlds

Author: Wab Kinew

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Pages: 296

Publisher: Penguin Teen

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"An Indigenous teen girl is caught between two worlds, both real and virtual, in the YA fantasy debut from bestselling Indigenous author Wav Kinew. Perfect for fans of Ready Player One and the Otherworld series.

Bugz is caught between two worlds. In the real world, she's a shy and self-concious Indigenous teen who faces the stresses of teenage angst and life on the Rez. But in the virtual world, her alter ego is not just confident but dominant in a massively multiplayer video game universe.

Feng is a teen boy who has been sent from China to live with his aunt, a doctor on the Rez, after his online activity suggests he may be developing extremist sympathies. Meeting each other in real life, as well as in the virtual world, Bugz and Feng immediately relate to each other as outsiders and as avid games. And as their connection is strengthened through their virtual adventures, they find that they have much in common in the real world, too: both must decide what to do in the face of temptations and pitfalls, and both must grapple withthe impacts of family challenges and community trauma. But betrayal threatens everything Bugz has built in the virtual world, as well as her relationships in the real world, and it will take all her newfound strength to restore her friendship with Feng and reconcile the parallel aspects of her life: the traditional and the mainstream, the east and the west, the real and the virutal."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I'll say it. I didn't like this book. And after reading the synopsis I totally understand why. I'm not a huge fan of books that take place in large world video games. I'm fine if gaming is mentioned and is well fleshed out but large virtual RPG game ideas really aren't for me in books. So this is totally my fault that this book wasn't for me. If you didn't know I never read the synopsis, I go purely based on how I feel about the cover, the reviews and maybe just intrigue by a tagline. This had really interesting atmosphere taking place post-pandemic. I appreciate the cultural representation and was intrigued by it. The writing just didn't work for me overal. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny