A low key scfi which leaves rather too many unanswered questions for my taste.

13 year-old Xavier Oak, along with his father and pregnant step mother, is having a weekend at their lakeside cabin. But when they wake up, everything has changed and, they quickly discover, their cabin is now in farmland under a huge dome. In the absence of any possible escape and return to their previous lives, they adapt by learning to be self-sufficient, albeit with assistance from a mysterious source. Three years later, the Jackson family arrives, and while initially the two families are thrilled to have company, and Zay is particularly thrilled to have the company of 16-year old Mackenzie, it soon becomes clear that they are on different sides of the political spectrum and have different ideas about why they are in this situation.

While the novel raises some philosophical questions about freedom versus security, the author is pretty clear about which side he’s on. The Oaks are hippy liberals who are getting on and making a decent and often enjoyable life for themselves, and being rewarded by the mysterious them. The Jacksons, on the other hand, particularly the patriarch Riley, are tinfoil-hat right wing conspiracists who are ready to shoot their way out and are punished by them for attempting that. Zay and Mackenzie are stuck in the middle, torn between both sides while experiencing love and sexual attraction, and for Zay it’s the first time.

We are told a lot about the state of the Earth which seems to be sometime in the near future where climate change has started its inevitable ravaging of the planet and waves of pandemics have rolled out, but we see none of this as we are only ever in the dome.

While the ending does somewhat give an indication of what’s going on, there’s far too much left unanswered, making it all a bit unsatisfactory rather than intriguing.

Thanks to Scholastic and Netgalley for the digital review.

A week in the woods goes terribly off course in Keneth Oppel’s new YA dystopian fiction novel Best of All Worlds.

Xavier Oaks isn’t exactly thrilled about going away for a week with his dad and pregnant stepmom to their cabin in the woods, but what was set to be a rustic getaway from society turns out to be even more isolating than Xavier and his family could have ever imagined. One day they awake to discover that their cabin is now smack dab in the middle of a farm with goats and chickens to tend to boot. Upon further investigation, it appears that they are actually entrapped inside a dome that they can’t escape. But how and why?!

As the Oaks become accustomed to farm living over the next three years, they come to accept their fate, believing that it was space aliens that plucked them up and relocated them, saving them from the growing climate crisis back on Earth. But things take an interesting turn when Xavier, exploring the woods one day, sees another farm being 3-D printed some distance from theirs. Another family is moving in and bringing with them a set of beliefs and customs that is far removed from anything going on over in the Oak household. Say hello to the Jacksons from Tennessee. Will these two very different families clash or band together to survive?

As an avid fan of the Twilight Zone, I loved the premise of Best of All Worlds. This storyline would fit right in with the classic TV series that I enjoy so much. Oppel has created an intriguing novel of survival and suspense, ripe with tension. Who is the real enemy here? The mysterious force that is entrapping them inside the dome, or, according to Xavier’s Canadian parents, the new American family who might just get them all killed? Do they accept their fate and become farmers or fight against their imprisonment?

Best of All Worlds raises some interesting topics perfect for book club discussions and debates, such as is it best to just accept what seems to be an inevitable fate, or should we fight against everything that’s wrong in the world to live the lives we want? Are you one of the Oaks, just happy to be alive and seemingly safe with a food supply and shelter, or are you a Jackson, rallying against an oppressive system to regain control over and return to your former life? In that vein, the Oaks and Jacksons are the perfect stand-ins for their respective home countries, when positing these questions in the broader sense.

However, I really did not enjoy the fact that Oppel uses stereotypes to tell his story. The Jacksons are naturally American southerners with wild ideas about the world, including a slew of (of course) racial and political conspiracy theories, and (God forbid), they even tote guns. The Oaks, a mixed race family, naturally oppose everything the Jacksons are about, creating incredible tension between the two families. Basing the conflict of the book on the families’ belief systems instead of on the actual situation they are in felt cheap to me, and I would have much preferred to have seen some nuance in the characters. Frankly, if we are dealing with the apocalypse or alien abductions, give me the people who have guns and know how to use them over the people who count on everyone remaining orderly and civilized. We cannot even manage that in our everyday lives when it is NOT the end of the world, so the fact that Oppel wrote the Jacksons to appear to be the nutty ones just didn’t track with me.

Also, the world-building and resolution of the story weren’t fleshed out enough for a book that takes us away from the world we know. The characters are aware that they are in a dome, but towards the end of the book when they begin to figures things out, it is not exactly clear to the reader what is going on. I was almost expecting there to be a sequel to this book to clear things up because they are so murky. And I just have to say, if the families were abducted by aliens, what are these aliens playing at putting these two families together?! Are they looking for a little entertainment by way of Civil War, or do they believe that when thrown into a survival situation, people with vastly differing opinions will find a way to band together for the greater good?

Thank you to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thirteen-year-old Xavier has to spend tome with his dad and new pregnant wife in the family cabin, leaving behind his mom and older brother. He hasn’t always gotten along with Nia but they were only going to be away for a short time so he could deal with it. Or so they thought. They all wake up the next morning to discover that their cabin is no longer in the woods but on a farm! As they explore their new surroundings, they realize that they are in very large dome with no way out! In a panic, Nia goes into labor and the baby has complications. Everyone falls asleep and when they awaken, baby Noah is perfectly healthy. The family learns to farm and raise the livestock they’ve been given for the next three years when Xavier notices another cabin being 3-D printed not far from their cabin. The new family arrives with 2 girls the same age as Xavier and Noah. Coincidence or master plan? Can they leave and go back home?
The fast-paced plot and engaging story kept this reader riveted! The ending was fairly predictable yet satisfying, leaving it open for possible sequels or companions. I would recommend this book for readers 14 and older.
#BestOfAllWorlds #NetGalley

Oppel's newest story asks what would you do if you were plonked down into a mysterious dome with a perfect farm world? How do you deal with not knowing how you got there or what might happen next? And how do other, different, families explain what happened?

The characters and situation are fascinating. Zay tells the story in a straightforward but intelligent way, using D&D as a possible way to explore a way out of the situation. The Jacksons are depicted realistically, even though they are obviously the antagonist family. The ending is sad but also hopeful.

Teens will definitely respond to this story and that cover. Possible Printz.

13-year-old Xavier is on vacation with his dad and step-mom at their lake cabin when things go very wrong. They wake up one morning to find that the cabin is on a farm instead of by a lake. They also all have strange marks on their backs. Somehow, the house and everything in it are exactly the same, but their surroundings are wildly different. No other humans are around, and they seem to be surrounded by an impenetrable dome. How did they get there? Are they safe? How will they survive? While inside the dome, another family arrives under similar circumstances. However, the families have very different backgrounds and philosophies. Can they work together for each other's benefit, or will their differences complicate things further?

Thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for a review copy of Best of All Worlds.

Based on the description, I thought this was a book that I would really love. The summary reminded me of "Under the Dome."" Sadly, that was far from the case. I found this to be very lackluster. It's told completely from Xavier's POV. Normally, that might not be a problem, but it is when the character is as underdeveloped and, frankly, annoying, as Xavier was. The book was also filled with a bunch of stereotypes which I was not expecting and did not enjoy. A number of important topics were attempted, but the execution fizzles out. The women weren't realistic. If this had been written with multiple POVs, it might have been a better, more balanced, story overall.

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel - wow! I raced through this, had to get to the end. I loved Nest by Kenneth Oppel, so I had high hopes for this. It didn't disappoint. I think this will be big for teens this year.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trigger Warnings provided by Storygraph users: Graphic Confinement, Misogyny, Racism

Moderate Animal death, Gun violence, Blood

Minor Child abuse, Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try this young adult sci-fi story. Best of All Worlds diverges significantly from my usual jam, combining a family in isolation because of an alien abduction. Yet, despite this book being an unusual pick for me, I found it very entertaining.

This sort of speculative fiction was very interesting and entertaining. The book’s core themes of survival and conspiracies was quite a bit different than my usual reading. The experimental speculative fiction that prioritizes high-stakes tension over my usual reads that are character-driven.

The “other family” that arrives three years after Xavier’s family is trapped turns out to be the batty sort of person who believes every conspiracy theory and if I may say, very redneck. Their arrival increases the tension in the book, and creates and even more edge-of-your-seat story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

ARC Review ✨️

♡Impressing writing♡

This story takes sci-fi to a whole new level. Xavier and his blended family are on vacation at the lake. They go to sleep and wake up to find the lake isn't there, and they're trapped in a dome.

This story is highly compelling and really dives into your mindset. I love it when a book sucks you right in, and this was definitely one of those books! There are conflicts, both personal and political, there's intense scenes and emotions and overall a very engaging read.

A huge thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Scholastic for the ARC!

Absolutely delectable. I could not put this book down. This book tells a fresh story from a realistic teenage point of view, and I ate it up. The plot is constructed beautifully. The characters are relatable and well thought out. And the story hits on some of the questions today in society in a graceful and though provoking way. I am a big fan.

As the world hurtles toward the effects of climate change, you have to wonder, what will happen to all of us when the Earth is no longer habitable? Would a benevolent galactic neighbor take pity on us? Would it just be our demise? What if you woke one morning and found your home, exactly as it is, in a brand new world?

Xavier, his dad Caleb, and stepmom Nia, head to the lake to spend a week at their cottage. Zay’s brother Sam stayed home with his mom, but Caleb wanted a week with his 13 year old son before Nia gave birth to a new baby. They get to the cottage late, and head to bed. Zay is first up in the morning, and what he finds isn’t what they left last night.

Their cottage, down to the sandwich wrappings in the trash, has moved. The lake that used to be outside the cabin has been replaced by a barn and goats in a field. GOATS! Zay thinks he’s lost his mind, so he wakes his dad. Sure enough, they aren’t where they should be. They are now in a new place. They’ve got running water and electricity, but no car, and nothing to be seen for miles.

After some exploration, they determine that they are the only place in a roughly six mile diameter dome. No way out. They get to work farming, and make the best of their new life in this place.

Until another family arrives and puts the hope of maybe getting out of the dome into Zay’s head. Can they learn to live peacefully with another family? Or will the differing views of the two families be the end of all of them?

What a thought provoking and amazing novel. You won’t want to put this one down as you watch one family adapt to their new surroundings while the other fights it tooth and nail. All along the questions arise as to how they got there, why they are there, and is there any chance of ever returning to their old lives? Really amazing novel. As with so many books, I want more. I want to know what the future brings for these people.

Loved it.



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I enjoyed this book but I wasn't fully invested. I think it was just my reading mood at the time but I really can see other's thoroughly enjoying it! I just don't think I'm the reader for this at this time

Title: Best of All Worlds   
Author: Kenneth Oppel         
Genre: Thriller, sci-fi  
Rating: 2.5

Xavier Oaks doesn't particularly want to go to the cabin with his dad and his dad's pregnant new wife, Nia. But family obligations are family obligations, and it's only for a short time. So he leaves his mom, his brother, and his other friends behind for a week in the woods. Only... one morning he wakes up and the house isn’t where it was before. It's like it's been lifted and placed... somewhere else.

When Xavier, his dad, and Nia go explore, they find they are inside a dome, trapped. And there's no one else around...

Until, three years later, another family arrives.

Is there any escape? Is there a reason they are stuck where they are? Different people have different answers -- and those different answers inexorably lead to tension, strife, and sacrifice.

This was mediocre at best. The author's political/personal bias was glaringly on display...most white people are apparently evil in his mind, not to mention narrow-minded, backwards, and prone to conspiracy theories. (As are Americans in general, apparently.) There honestly didn’t seem much point to this, and all the characters were one-dimensional. Decidedly not thrilling.

Kenneth Oppel is from Canada. Best of All Worlds is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/24).

A really engaging and fast-paced YA sci-fi read. The premise, waking up in a world completely changed from the one you fell asleep in, is both strange and thought-provoking. It raises powerful questions: How long would you fight to return to your old life before adapting and doing whatever it takes to survive? There is some sexual content that may make it a borderline choice for my middle school library, but I believe it's appropriate for 8th grade and up. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader’s copy.

'Best of All Worlds' by Kenneth Oppel was a very quick read for me. I was compelled to keep reading to find out Xavier's fate and that of his family and eventually his new friends. This book checks off on several of my requirements for a good readable book. The timeline was straightforward and the character list was short. I understood this was a dystopian novel but was surprised by the conspiracy theory/doomsday themes. I also initially did not realize this was a age 12 and up novel. Considering my 13-year-old Grandson, I think 14 to 15 years old might be a better reader level due to some of the content and themes in the novel. I anticipated the outcome that resulted and am satisfied with Xavier's explanation of its appropriateness. "The only possible world for us... right now..... the best of all worlds." I give this novel four stars and would like to thank Scholastic Press and NetGalley for getting this ARC in my hands

This is one of the most unique books I have ever read. The concept of these characters all stuck together for some unknown reason in a dome was very well thought out. It brings to light a lot of ideas on how circumstances, environment and family all intertwine to create an individual's personality and beliefs. It was interesting to see how characters with such different outlooks could interact with one another. I think it was the author's intention to be purposeful when pitting characters opposing beliefs against one another, and I thought it was well written. I could see how some may think it was a bit mundane, as a lot of it is the day-to-day living of these families, but I was still invested throughout. Oppel does a nice job of depicting Xavier as a teenage boy and how one would react to being found in such circumstances. This novel would make a great book club choice as it would have some great discussion points. Overall, if you like Sci-Fi, want something that is going to make you think, and don't mind a story that is more character development than plot, you should give this one a read.

Xavier Oak along with his father and step-mother are spending a weekend away at the family cottage, but when they wake up the next morning their cottage with all the utilities still working seems to be in the middle of field with a barn and some goats and chickens. They soon discover that their not in Canada anymore and that they are inside some dome. They each have peculiar markings on their back, but their every need is taken care of. The story moves along to three years later and Xav discovers another house being created while he's standing inside of it. The next day another family arrives, the Jacksons from Tennessee, and the father Riley lets Xavier and his family know that he doesn't believe that they were abducted by aliens, but it's some for of government conspiracy that wants to keep them and control them, and Riley has a plan to try to get both families to escape. This book does a nice job of putting two politically and socially different families together as they try to figure out why they are in the situation they are experiencing. Xavier after three years is coming into his hormones while the Jackson's teenage daughter longs to be back with her boyfriend in Tennessee. My only disappointment with the book is ending seems a bit abrupt but it works. Must read for teens who like contemporary sci-fi that explores social and personal issues.

I read Best of All Worlds in less than 24 hours, but I think a lot of people, including myself, will be thinking about it long after they turn the final page.

Best of All Worlds comes out on June 3rd, 2025.

High School and Up

Thank you to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its publication.

This is not my usual preferred genre but MAN I was verrrrry invested! I couldn’t put it down, I finished it in a day.

I want to know more!!!!!! Would honestly read a sequel or other stories that take place in this universe if there ever was one.

Recommend to sci-fi lovers, post-apocalyptic readers, and reluctant teen readers.

Thank you Scholastic & NetGalley for an ARC!

Xavier didn’t want to go to his family’s cabin, but it was only going to be a short visit. That was the plan until he woke up and discovered that he was in their cabin, but their cabin had moved. They go outside to investigate their surroundings and learn that they are in a dome … and alone. They slowly learn how to live a subsistence life until a new family arrives three years later. Who put them in the dome? Is there a way out?

Best of All Worlds is a stand-alone science fiction story that hides the truth until the end. Many theories are presented as the characters learn about each other and their surroundings. Oppel has given his characters depth and variety while also working with a small world. I’m glad this isn’t a large volume or a multi-book story because I wanted to know what happened now and the ending was very satisfying.