{"id":1325,"date":"2024-12-13T15:06:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T15:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2024-12-13T15:06:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T15:06:00","slug":"book-review-kianola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=1325","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Kianola"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kianola<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

by Nathan Roth<\/p>\n

Genre:<\/strong> Young Adult \/ Fantasy \/ Gaming<\/p>\n

ISBN: <\/strong>9781735678726<\/p>\n

Print Length:<\/strong> 647 pages<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>A messy, heartfelt exploration of adolescence, identity, and the allure of online worlds<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Middle school: a place that Nole, the awkward protagonist of Nathan Roth\u2019s Kianola<\/em>, describes as \u201charsher than any tundra and crueler than any barrens.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Nole, real life is an endless string of humiliations\u2014cruel pranks, unrequited crushes, and a strained friendship with Finn, who mocks Nole\u2019s weight and personality more than he offers support. It\u2019s no wonder that Nole retreats to the online fantasy world of Enix, where he reinvents himself as Null, a druid capable of being everything he\u2019s not\u2014strong, essential, and brave.<\/p>\n

In Enix, Nole forms meaningful bonds with other players, including Dapple and Kia (short for Kianola). The novel shines because of their friendship, forged through shared quests and late-night grinding sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nathan Roth authentically captures the natural progression of online friendships, highlighting these connections\u2019 unique strengths and weaknesses. Kia, in particular, inspires Nole to try new things in real life like football (a hilariously disastrous attempt!) and junior lifeguards, where he begins to find his stride.<\/p>\n

Roth\u2019s humor adds levity to the story, with sharp observations and amusing quips, like Nole\u2019s comparison of middle school to a savage wilderness. The gaming sequences are vivid and immersive, filled with nods to gaming culture, from battling the fictional boss Old Nessie (a familiar, massive green sea creature) to navigating quirky questlines. Some of the humor lands, but not all of it. Dated internet jokes about catfishing and \u201cno girls on the internet\u201d do appear.<\/p>\n

The novel\u2019s dialogue swings from age-appropriate and engaging to overly mature or clich\u00e9 for middle schoolers. Some of the more romantic moments dip into this. The novel captures the camaraderie and humor of online friendships, but it also comes with some adult jokes, frequent swearing, and an occasional disconnect from its themes of self-discovery and connection.<\/p>\n

Kianola<\/em> offers moments of genuine heart. Roth\u2019s portrayal of gaming culture and the escape it provides feels engaging and relatable, while Nole\u2019s friendships with Dapple and Kia add warmth and depth. Kia\u2019s encouragement pushes Nole toward growth, both in-game and in real life, showing how meaningful online connections can be at every age.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kianola<\/em> is an enjoyable novel that explores the highs and lows of adolescence and the escape offered by online worlds\u2014a story young gamers will definitely connect with. Its earnest moments of friendship and identity are where it excels most.<\/p>\n

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Thank you for reading Lauren Hayataka\u2019s book review of Kianola <\/em>by Nathan Roth! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.<\/p>\n

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The post Book Review: Kianola<\/a> appeared first on Independent Book Review<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kianola by Nathan Roth Genre: Young Adult \/ Fantasy \/ Gaming ISBN: 9781735678726 Print Length: 647 pages Amazon Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka A messy, heartfelt exploration of adolescence, identity, and the allure of online worlds Middle school: a place that Nole, the awkward protagonist of Nathan Roth\u2019s Kianola, describes as \u201charsher than any tundra and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}