Level 2

December 10, 2012
Ever since Felicia’s death, just before her 18th birthday, she has been trapped in a stark white place known as Level 2, where she and other girls access, relive, and share memories, like an afterlife version of YouTube (Felicia’s memory of a romantic hike during a youth group trip has been viewed more than 100,000 times and has a five-star rating). Then Julian, the mysterious boy who once broke her heart, appears to free her from her chamber. As Felicia joins the growing rebellion against the Morati, corrupt angels who keep the recently dead trapped and addicted to their memories, she finds the strength to confront her past, her death, and what the future holds. First-time author Appelhans presents an intriguing SF vision of life
after death with a heavy Matrix vibe; at heart, though, it’s another dystopian society in need of disruption, with a “chosen one” heroine and a hasty conclusion. First in the Memory Chronicles, Appelhans’s debut shows promise, but doesn’t offer much beyond the novelty of its afterlife conceit. Ages 12–up. Agent: Stephen Barbara, Foundry Literary + Media.