Grades 7-10 /* Starred Review */ Kinew’s first novel for teens stands out in the field of speculative fiction with its respectful, celebratory, and nuanced exploration of cultures and communities all too often at risk of erasure (particularly Indigenous communities). In the virtual realm of the Floraverse, Bugz is an unbeatable warrior with seemingly limitless power to create mythical creatures and hardcore weapons. Her only real enemy is Clan:LESS, a group of alt-right gamers who despise women in gaming and who want nothing more than to rule the Floraverse. In real life, Bugz is an Anishinaabe girl living with her family on the rez, where she also feels out of place because of certain gender-based traditions. When she meets Feng, a Uyghur Muslim boy who has fled China, Bugz realizes she isn’t the only one feeling trapped between two worlds . After finding out that Feng is a member of Clan:LESS, though, Bugz has to fight even harder to figure out her place in both the Floraverse and the real world and to sort out her relationship with Feng. Kinew (Go Show the World , 2018) explores real-world teen struggles with identity, toxic masculinity, and complicated family and cultural dynamics, as well as generational shifts relating to (and relying on) technology, all set against the backdrop of a post-pandemic, high-tech future. -- Rob Bittner (Reviewed 10/15/2021) (Booklist, vol 118, number 4, p52)

A blend of urban fantasy/sci-fi and cultural fiction is the best way I can describe this story. Bugz is an Indigenous teen girl who uses a place of power on her reservation to help her become dominant in an online virtual world. She invests an incredible amount of time and energy to build an awesome character and mythic creatures as allies. This investment in her VR world gives her self esteem that is sadly lacking in her everyday world.
When a new student, Feng, arrives to live with his aunt, a physician living on the reservation, he is intrigued by Bugz. Neither realizes initially they're opponents in the game. To make a long story short, they become closer in the real world and subsequently in the virtual one, but circumstances are such that what could work nicely doesn't and Bugz must face several painful realities. To go into more depth would create spoilers. Suffice it to say, there's a very good story here, but another lies beneath it, one that addresses the difficulty Indigenous teens have getting through daily life with any self affirmation. Read the book, it's well worth it. ( )