This book reminds me a lot of the tv show under the dome even though they are quite different. If you liked that show, you will love this book.

I loved this book. It's an interesting take on modern times and science fiction, on different societies and cultures, on getting along with each other. It was a page turner, fun to read, and interesting.

Xavier Oake loves pulling his best friend and DM aside to talk about things for their D&D game, but when his father and new, pregnant step-mom, Nia, decide to bring him along for a week at their cabin by the lake, Zay feels he has to go, leaving his mother and brother, Sam, behind. None of them suspected waking up to find the lake gone and the house surrounded by farm land, complete with a barn, goats, and chickens. The Oakes do everything they can to find out what's going on by trying to find a neighbor, a road, anything that might help them only to discover they are trapped in a translucent dome that keeps them on the farm. They now have to learn to farm, care for the chickens and goats, including collecting eggs and milking the nannies. They do the best they can, even when Nia goes into labor and something is wrong with baby Noah. Zay and his dad wake up to find Nia and Noah asleep, clean, and everything is perfectly fine. They believe they have been abducted by aliens, but have no idea why and why them. Three years go by, and Zay discovers a hole in the dome and witnesses tiny little glowing creatures or bots or drones that build an entire new farm in front of his eyes., bringing in a new family to live across the creek from them. This new family with a mother, father, and two daughters, one Zay's age of 16 now, have different beliefs - government conspiracies, technologies - but Makenzie and Zay begin friends, first kisses and a little more for Zay, but her father is adamant they can escape and does everything he can try to do so even when their keepers, whoever, they are, punish both families to get him to stop. This is a thriller suspense based on climate change issues with science fiction thrown in. Zay starts off a moody, jealous teenager as Noah gets presents from their keepers and he doesn't. That he had to leave his mom and brother behind and comes to the realization he will never see them again. As the book goes on, he becomes more dependable to his family and grows to love Noah, and even Nia, but he stays angry, confused, and wants to go home. Though I enjoyed the book, the dropping of the F-bomb and the light sex play would keep me from being able to use it for a reading list. It's an intresting look at what could happen if we don't try to take care of Earth now, as climate change is showing us, and how Zay's dad pulls on Zay's D&D tactical mind and ideas to help think outside the box to try to escape and to survive.

This is absolutely a me thing but I didn't really like this. I'm not a fan of AS King at all, and they're an author everyone loves, so it's probably just that it's not to my taste.

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kenneth Oppel’s “Best of All Worlds” is an intriguing, thought-provoking book that combines science fiction with social commentary. At its core, it’s a survival story, but not just in the traditional sense—it also explores ideological survival, human adaptability, and what it means to live in captivity.

The story follows Xavier Oak, a 13-year-old boy whose family trip to their lakeside cottage takes a bizarre and terrifying turn. One morning, he wakes up to find that the lake has vanished, and his family is inexplicably trapped under an invisible dome in an unfamiliar landscape. They are alone, with only the supplies provided to them—enough to sustain life, but not to escape it. As years pass, the family settles into an uneasy acceptance of their fate. Then, another family, the Jacksons, arrives, shaking up the fragile equilibrium. Their arrival sparks tension, not just because of their differing perspectives on their captivity but because of their ideological clashes—Xavier’s pacifist, intellectual family is suddenly forced to coexist with Riley Jackson, a conspiracy-driven, gun-toting survivalist who believes they are being held by a corrupt government.

The book thrives in its exploration of human nature. Xavier, caught between the two families’ vastly different worldviews, becomes a compelling lens through which we examine questions of control, acceptance, and rebellion. The contrast between the families is sharp—perhaps exaggerated at times—but it effectively illustrates modern political and social divides. The book also offers a subtle yet unsettling commentary on climate change, hinting that their abduction may not be random but instead part of a larger experiment or a desperate effort to preserve humanity.

Oppel’s writing is engaging and well-paced, keeping you invested despite the lack of traditional action. The initial mystery of their imprisonment is gripping, but instead of evolving into a high-stakes escape thriller, the book shifts focus to philosophical dilemmas: Do they resist captivity, even without knowing their captors’ intentions? Or do they build a life within the dome, making peace with an unknowable fate?

One of the book’s strengths is its realism in character reactions. Xavier’s frustration, fear, and reluctant acceptance feel authentic, and the adults’ choices—whether to seek escape or preserve stability—are deeply human. I did find the book’s social commentary to be a bit heavy-handed, particularly in its depiction of the new family. The ending, too, might leave some unsatisfied, as it leans more toward an ambiguous resolution rather than a grand reveal.

Overall, “Best of All Worlds” is a compelling and thought-provoking read. Whether you view it as a cautionary tale, a reflection of our current societal divides, or simply a unique sci-fi premise, Oppel delivers a book that lingers in the mind long after the last page.

I love Kenneth Oppel's books, and each one has a different vibe. This one was very "Maze Runner"/dystopia/utopia. The premise is interesting and held my attention through to the end. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but that's part of the enjoyment - the reader can decide what they think. Would definitely recommend to my students and purchase for the classroom. We could get a lot of good discussions out of this.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Well, this was an interesting sci-fi read.

A teenager and his blended family are on vacation by the lake. When they wake up, the lake is gone and they find themselves alone on a curiously contained farm. Is it a fever dream? Alien abduction? A parallel universe? A government conspiracy? They have no idea. All they know is they can't get out for three long years.

Then, another family arrives.

The teen and his family are pacifist, intellectual, mixed-race Canadians. The other family is American, led by their racist, conspiracy theorist, gun-toting, mentally unstable father.

The story is not about the sci-fi elements, or the mystery behind who kidnapped these people. It never really answers the worldbuilding questions, though it does heavily hint at the answers. Instead, it's about the conflict among the cast. Should they choose to content themselves with their domesticated life within the strict parameters of their captors (holy Canadians) or risk punishment and worse by rebelling against their captors (debased Americans) and trying to escape?

Xavier, our main character, is torn between the two worlds. It's a compelling scenario, and I was interested the whole time.

The only thing is, the message of this book left me slightly baffled. What is it saying? That the intolerance of captivity, no matter how benevolent the bondage, is a destructive impulse antithetical to the greater good of humanity? Maybe I'm too much of a debased American to be satisfied with this.

Welcome to THE DOME

dun dun dun

SUMMARY:
We follow Xavier Oak, a 13 year old boy with a blended family. He is currently on a summer trip with his father and pregnant stepmother at their lake cottage. He is NOT happy with this as he wanted to stay home with his mother and brother and play D&D with notable Cool Girl Serena. So he wakes up on the second day of the trip ready to text Serena about their campaign.

BLEHEHEHEHEH

That's right. There is a whole goat outside. The lake? Gone.

They wander around for a few days. They manage to figure out that they are in a dome due to rocks and math. UHOH! Right when you thought things couldn't get worse, stepmom goes into labor.

Three years pass.

Another family arrives in the dome. And they are the worst kind of monsters you could imagine. They are white people from the south.

MY THOUGHTS:
This book got WAY more political than I could have imagined. Which is great! I love a book that has something to say. However this felt super heavy-handed. It kinda took over the entire plot, which I was invested in at the beginning! But it became a little bit of a slog to get through somewhere in the middle. Very much became look at these redneck people what with their conspiracy theories and racism and balloons. Like man I just wanna know more about this dome. I don't care that you are scared of this mostly reasonable man because of his *checks notes* ultra scary PTSD. Like yeah he sucks but like honestly his reaction to The Dome is much more realistic.

FINAL OPINION:
Overall this book was a bit of a nothing burger. Not much happens. I was expecting more of a mystery, or at least some suspense, since this is a survival thriller. The ending happens and you are just like. Oh. So it was...ok. The characters are pretty shallow and unlikable. Like, I wish we learned a bit more about who these people were pre-dome. You don't really see why any of them would want to get out, and honestly they don't seem to worked up about it either. I guess the book was fine. Not a recommend, but there are much worse books out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for providing an advanced copy! All opinions are my own.