Reviewed by: OHS Library Secretary, M. Losh

Chloe Gong’s newest novel delves into a dystopian and not-so-distant future where the physical planet has been decimated by global sea rise and deadly epidemics.I found the concept of a virtual world that is mainly occupied by the rich and a physical, gritty real world that is occupied by the poor, to be fascinating and ultimately believable (even though this is a fantasy read). The story involves two girls, one from each world, getting pulled into special ops for warring virtual nations in different planes of reality. Gong races back and forth between the storylines and planes of reality, and while it is full of riveting action and epic twists and turns, it can get confusing. I think this is a book to read on a rainy weekend, from start to finish.  Otherwise, if you’re like me and reading in installments, you’ll likely have to go back several chapters to follow the frenetically-paced thread. I do think Coldwire has potential for an epic cinematic experience if it’s ever adapted for the big screen. I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars.