Review: Level 2

Level 2
by Lenore Appelhans
Series: The Memory Chronicles #1
Pages: 288
Release Date: January 15, 2013
by Simon & Schuster

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Three levels. Two loves. One choice. Debut novelist, Lenore Appelhans has written a thrilling otherworldly young adult novel about a place that exists between our world (Level 1) and what comes after life (Level 2).

'I pause to look around the hive - all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories ... I've wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.'

Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend ... and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.

Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.

*A copy was provided by Simon & Schuster for review purposes*

This book has one of the best, most unique, most original ideas I've read about in a loooong time. But unfortunately, Appelhans didn't really carry through with the story line to make that great idea turn into a great book. I liked how she explained everything in the beginning of the book, and the writing was good, it's just the story line that really got me. Or really, I should say, the lack of a story line. The book didn't go anywhere for the first 100+ pages, but was literally stuck in the past focusing on memories. I just couldn't take it, and I will admit that I skipped most of these...so I probably missed some plot facts, but oh well, I was bored to tears. Then on like page 130 the story finally started to pick up, and it was pretty interesting and thrilling. I liked the ending and how it was pretty suspenseful, and it was written well. But that first half of the book, when nothing happened, really got to me, and I just can't give it an awesome rating.

I think this cast is kind of an average one, consisting of really two characters, Felicia and Julian. Felicia was a pretty solid character, average, smart, but nothing outstanding. Julian was kind of so-so as well, not particularly appealing, but not revolting either. There's kind of a mini love-triangle going on in this book, and I'm kind of rooting for Julian. The other guy, Neil, seems annoying and whiny to me, so I don't really like him.

Like I said, if the whole book had been like the second half, I would have no problem giving this book a good rating. But, as it is, it was mind-numbingly slow, with okay characters, and 150 pages of good isn't enough to make up for the 130 pages of bad.

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