I decided to read the first book in this series prior to reading this book when I received this book as an ARC. While the first book seemed like it could have been a standalone book, this installment seemed to be a good addition to the series. It delved into the depths of the grief Bugz felt after losing her brother. I really enjoyed this book. ( )

“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. ( )

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. ( )

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. ( )

Have to start this review off by saying that if you read the first book and are hesitant to read this one: do it! I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book. my main issue with the first book was that it felt like there were lots of good ideas, but none of them got to ne fully fledged out because the author was trying to cram too many things into a shorter book, without picking one to be the main plot line. In this sequel you can clearly feel how teh author's writing has improved and the plot is much more clear, as well as the entire AR/spirit world concept being better explained.

I too started reading this book with a little apprehension as I finished teh first book less than a week before and did not really feel that it needed a sequel, the way it ended was actually my favourite part of the book and felt fit for a standalone. So I was already going in with a not-so-open mind. I think the beginning of the book was a little weak but that was likely not helped by my mindset. Luckily teh flow picked up and I was happy to get to know more about how the Floraverse works and Bugz unique place within it. The characters were a big highlight of book one, and I am very glad they got to be more fleshed out in this sequel rather than being overwhelmed by too many plot points again.

Bugz is still very much a moody teenager who makes rash decisions, but being able to see her and Feng's character growth from being around each other was nice. I was especially happy that Feng got more humanity infused into him, a little less like a lifeless side character than book one. Waawaate's part in this book was also beautiful, I won't spoil it but I think it was a very special wat to help readers learn and appreciate certain parts of native cultural aspects in a way that blended well with the story rather than reading like an informative pamphlet the way some books can.

My only real complaint is chapter 46, if you know you know. If you don't know I'll just say it felt like it was tossed in to tie up a loose end between to wonderful, heartfelt chapters.

With all that said I would definitely be interested in delving into The Floraverse more, but I sort of hope this is the end of Bugz story for us. Would love a prequel explaining the game even more or a sequel the pov of another character later on.