Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Virtual-reality thriller starts well, loses steam.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
High schooler Nixy Bauer makes good money by tracking down her game-loving classmates and pulling them out of the online virtual-reality environment known as the MEEP. When she's hired by the inventor of the MEEP to locate his missing son, Wyn, Nixy believes the job will be a piece of cake. But after surviving an array of online traps and pitfalls, she discovers that Wyn is being held against his will, that he's unable to return to his comatose body and wake up to reality. Even worse, she's now trapped, and she and Wyn must trust each other enough to escape before their minds and bodies are permanently damaged.
Is It Any Good?
Although THE LEVELLER starts well, this neo-cyberpunk thriller loses some of its steam toward the middle, perhaps because the author has her eye too focused on the next installment of the saga. Nixy's adventures in the MEEP are initially exciting and suspenseful, but once she locates Wyn, the pace slackens considerably. The novel's climax feels rushed, as does the denouement. Further complications no doubt await in the presumed sequel, but some readers may feel cheated that this offering doesn't provide a satisfying resolution.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about immersive video games and their benefits and drawbacks. What are reasonable methods of limiting time with games, apps, and other electronic media?
Is it all right to hack into protected online sites? What separates curious investigation from cybercrime?
Do corporations always look after the best interests of their customers? Do they ever foster behavior that's actually detrimental to the health or well-being of their customers?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : June 23, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate