Rainbow in the Dark, written by Sean McGinty, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary:  Shortly after relocating to a new town with her mom and brother, CJ, Rainbow finds herself standing in the dark, unable to remember her own name. She thinks she was headed for the beach, but she’s in a field and nothing looks familiar. As she begins to explore her new surroundings, she finds a box that issues her an ID code, a task, and a few pages of memories. It seems that in this new land, Rainbow is on some kind of quest. She meets another player named Chad01, who provides some background to the game and starts to journey with her, both hoping to accomplish the same goal - find the portal to home. They meet twins, Owlsy and Lark, along the way and they become a team, working together, taking on missions, finishing quests, all in the hopes of going home. But the longer they are together, the more intense and confusing the quests become, and as Rainbow receives more memories, she starts to wonder how much of this game is real and how high the stakes really are.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  Rainbow in the Dark is one of the most unique books I have ever read. Structurally, the narration moves back and forth between first person (when Rainbow is in her memories) and second person (when Rainbow is in the game). The story itself does not remind me of anything else. Rainbow’s quests in The Wilds frequently feel like a video game, but the inclusion of more serious elements and her flashbacks into her memories mute the video game vibe and give the story a more serious tone. That being said, many of the details and interactions in The Wilds are quite humorous. The way that the world is built, the characters in it, and the rules that must be followed often made me chuckle. But there is definitely a lot of darkness to the story too. It becomes clear that mental health, and possibly suicide, are aspects of Rainbow’s life outside of the game, which leaves the reader in suspense about how those components led Rainbow to The Wilds in the first place. And as more details of Rainbow’s past are revealed, the weight of her actions, inside and outside of the game, become heavier and more meaningful as the truth of Rainbow’s reality is finally discovered. This book is quirky and interesting, but it may fly above the heads of some students. However, those who connect with Rainbow’s struggles or who are engaged by an unusual story are likely to love it. Connections to Psychology curriculum are high, and there is an opportunity to use this book or a selection from it as a mentor text on story structure and narrative voice. Add this book to any collection lacking in mental health materials or where readers seek unusual stories.