Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fast-paced story of teen who can see from a killer's eyes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
High school student Sylvia (Vee) Bell is dealing with a lot of issues. Since her mom's death from cancer, Vee has been a surrogate parent to her younger teen sister, Mattie, because her surgeon father is always either saving lives in the operating room or helping survivors in support groups online. Vee has also been diagnosed with narcolepsy, but instead of sleeping during the episodes, she \"slides\" into other people's minds. During one such episode, she's appalled to see the body of her sister's best friend through the eyes of the girl's unknown killer. But, since the only time she confided her mysterious ability to anyone, her father packed her off to a psychiatrist, Vee is in a quandary about what to do when the girl's death is called a suicide, and more death on the cheerleading squad follows. Also, there's a hot new guy in school who's taking an interest in Vee, much to the annoyance of the popular girls -- and Vee's best friend, Rollins.
Is It Any Good?
The fast-moving plot keeps the reader intrigued. Author Jill Hathaway, a high school teacher, really captures the toxic environment of back-stabbing mean girls, philandering teachers, sadistic administrators, and jock sexual predators, all through the eyes of a smart, odd, pink-haired teen who's doing her best to keep herself and her family safe. Vee is a strong and appealing character, and if the supporting characters are sometimes a bit cartoonish, they're also recognizable as people you've probably met in real life.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how it would be to see the world from inside someone else's head -- and have to explain what you'd seen to someone else afterward.
What should happen to so-called friends who send nude pictures of other girls out on the Internet? What are the consequences of sexting and cyberbullying?
How can grieving adults sometimes leave grieving kids to fend for themselves?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Balzer + Bray
- Publication date : March 27, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 17
- Number of pages : 256
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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