Review – Double Life

Double Life – Spy Kids Vosburg Style!

Rating: 4 of 5 for 9-12 year old readers
Author: Dawson Vosburg

Available: Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle

Seventh grader, Josiah Jones frequently found himself imagining a world more interesting and exciting than his boring real world life as a loner at school.  In his imagination, he was a spy, a secret agent for the even more secret agency – the Blue Agency – protector of all that is good and right in the world.  Visiting this special place in his mind was a way to escape the mundane existence of everyday life until the day Josiah found a pair of sunglasses.  But these were no ordinary sunglasses.  After putting them on, Josiah finds himself pulled from his body and right back in but in a different world – his imaginary world – except now its for real.  No longer was he the loner Josiah Jones but the famous Agent 12 tasked with destroying the evil Red Agency.  Unfortunately, Josiah hasn’t the slightest idea how to actually be a secret agent even in this imaginary world.  How will he save the world?

Dawson Vosburg’s Double Life is targeted for juvenile fiction readers.  It is a creative mix of imagination, action, and escapism.  Reading this novel reminded me of a cross between the movie Spy Kids and my own children’s video games.  The action and scenes keep going and going just like a video game where the story movies along quickly from one sequence to the next.  The style and story is appealing for the target reading audience as it is exactly the type of story my kids would like.  Therefore, I’ve rated it 4 of 5 stars with this audience in mind.

I especially enjoyed the twist in the story where Josiah learns that he may not be the only person from the real world sharing his imaginary land.  This provides the opportunity for him to connect with others in the real life and learn perhaps he isn’t as alone as he may have once thought.

To complete a novel is quite an undertaking in and of itself, to do so with such creativity at such a young age should be commended.  Congratulations Dawson!