I'm honestly not sure where to begin with this one. I was very intrigued by the idea behind this book, but at the same time, not sure about it. There were lots of varying degrees of reviews for the book as well so I really wasn't sure what to expect. So what did I get? An interesting read. Nothing more, nothing less. So let's begin.
Subject A: Felicia Ward, dead girl extraordinaire. I honestly don't know where to begin for talking about her. I mean I connected, but not in a strong way. The kind that makes you cry or never ever in the world stop reading for one second. See, she relives lots of her life memories in the book, and that's where her back story comes from. To tell you all the truth, she was much more interesting in those than in the present time of the story. Heck, even though she was so messed up in her past life, I liked her better than! I don't know what it was in the present, but I couldn't feel her. She was kinda like a flat, Milk Dud. Well, okay, more like a Flat Stanley. Just....do you get what I mean? It felt like all this character development was delayed, even in the memories, until closer to the end when you finally learn things. Ah well. Alas and Alack.
Subject B: Romantic Interactions, that boy you love, versus, the boy who messed you up. Now let's see here. Julian vs. Neil. It's quite obvious that Neil is HOT. Even in the memories. Suh-Woon! I really did like him. He made up for lots of things. But Julian, is SO CONFUSING, I can't say why or anything, but it was a kinda weird relationship. Both in the Then, and the Now aspects. For one thing, since you know that she is still in love with Neil, and wants only him, you wonder why he's even there as a potential love interest. Because he is. It's like a triangle, but it's not. Weird and weirder.
Subject C: The Morati, the "good" angels that watch over Level 2. Hmm....They were okay. But what I couldn't get with them, was the fact that we HEAR so much about them, but don't learn THAT MUCH. And we never even see them till the last twenty pages or so. NO! Just NO! There were threats, to be sure, and like one teeny-tiny instance of running into each other, but then that's it till the end again. I don't think they were that great of bad guys, since they're so mysterious. They didn't feel super bad....I dunno. It's all weird in this book. Blame my want to question things.
Subject D: The Art of Storytelling, written in the present tense. Eh. It was okay. I mean I liked it, but some parts were just AWKWARD. I'm not saying it was terrible. It was fine for the most of it, I read it fine, and enjoyed it. Haha. But some of it was found lacking in my book. That's really all I have to say on that matter.
Subject E: The Plot, the who, the why, the where and the what. Okay, one of the problems I did have was that it felt like half the book was them running around! Haha. Nothing HAPPENS till the end, at which point it flashes by faster than you can say Level 2, and the end comes crashing in like a Tidal wave, in like twenty pages, and then BOOOM. It is over. Best run-on sentence ever, right? Not to mention I was SO confused with what was happening in the finale and then the wrap-up was like...WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED, AND DID YOU REALLY JUST FINISH THE BOOK WITHOUT GIVING ME MORE DETAILS? Yeah, that factor ticked me off the most about this book. I mean, what the heck?!
So yeah, I had some issues with this book. Or maybe I put that too mildly. But I mean, I talk so much about what I didn't like I never highlight the good. Despite the problems with this book, it's one thrilling ride through the afterlife. Something I'm interested to see expounding on in the sequel, Level 3.
Content: Milderate
(Some mild language throughout. A couple takes naps together. A girl is briefly naked in front of a guy. Passionate kisses.)
