Wab Kinew

“The Everlasting Road” by Wab Kinew is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of culture, identity, and resilience. As a reader who had not read the first book in the series, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I was able to follow along with the story. Kinew's writing is so engaging and descriptive that it transported me effortlessly into the world he has created.

What truly made this reading experience special was the fact that my fiancé, who is Native, also found great enjoyment in the story. The representation of Native culture and the exploration of Indigenous perspectives in the narrative resonated deeply with both of us, sparking meaningful discussions about heritage and tradition.

Kinew's characters are richly developed and their emotional journeys are compelling, drawing the reader in and evoking empathy. The way Kinew weaves together past and present, blending history with contemporary issues, adds layers of complexity to the narrative and elevates the storytelling to a profound level.

Overall, "The Everlasting Road" is a powerful and moving read that stays with you long after you have turned the last page. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a poignant exploration of cultural identity, beautifully crafted characters, and a story that resonates on a universal level.… (meer)

I received this book to review and I wanted so much to like it. I liked the characters, I liked learning about their lives. In fact all of the book that took place in the real world I really enjoyed. I like learning about the folklore and culture of our hero. However this is a science fiction story, and it was not good science fiction. I understand wanting to place the main character in a futuristic setting both as a way to physically manifest the folklore aspects and to show the culture is still alive in today's world. There was so much to like, but every time we returned to the virtual reality aspect i wanted to put the book down and walk away. There is much better science fiction out there if that is what you are looking for, and to me that was very off-putting.… (meer)

I guess it will be a while before there is another book in this series. The author, Wab Kinew, is now the Premier of Manitoba after his New Democratic Party won a majority in the 2023 fall election. The Ethics Commissioner then told the premier he should not write any more books while in office or promote his existing books. So, it will probably be at least 4 years before he writes more books. (Frankly, I don't know how he had the time to write while leader of his party and an active politician with a young family but he's a very driven man.)

This is the second of the Floraverse books but I must confess I didn't read the first one. However, that didn't seem to be a problem with figuring out the plot. Bugz is a young Anishinaabe girl living on a reserve in what I think is probably North-western Ontario. As the story opens, she is grieving for her older brother who has recently died of cancer. Bugz is heartbroken but she has a plan that she hopes will allow her to continue to engage with her brother. She is a master in the online game set in the Floraverse and she has used her special powers in that universe to create a bot that looks just like her brother. As an AI construct he can learn and improve his skills and that creates a problem. Bugz confides in her best friend, Feng, who is also playing the game. Feng lives with his aunt on the reserve but he is originally from China and a member of the Uighur Muslim minority. He had to leave when his parents were taken to jail and he hasn't heard from them in a long time. Feng and Bugz help and support each other both in the game and out of it. Soon, their relationship moves past friendship in real life. In the game, however, they have to find some way to rein in the bot she Bugz created.

This book is geared toward the Young Adult readers which I am not. I am also not a gamer so I probably missed out on some things but I enjoyed learning about Bugz Anishinaabe culture and Feng's background. I think the author has found a great way to connect with young indigenous people and I hope this book gets into public and school libraries where they can access it.… (meer)