Who We Are in Real Life

Who We Are In Real Life is a novel of realistic fiction for teens that portrays many difficult and worrying real life issues, lightened by fantastical moments in a D&D world that both protagonists love.

Darcy is a girl with two moms who just moved into town, away from the city and her old boyfriend. Art is her crush, the son of an influential and conservative homophobe. Who We Are In Real Life discusses discrimination against queer people and abusiveness in a teenage context, along with what teens can do about these issues.

It does so in a story that is lightened with fantasy, allowing the D&D moments to pull the reader out of what could have been a very serious book. Victoria Koops manages this in a way that resembles what it must be like for both Darcy and Art, playing an RPG in order to get out of their real lives.

I would recommend that all public libraries and high school libraries have a copy of Who We Are In Real Life and that many middle school libraries get one. If you are a teen who likes realistic fiction and fantasy RPGs, or just fantasy RPGs, you should read this book. It manages to extremely effectively highlight real world issues, without getting too dark.