Review: Well-written story, fast-paced and witty
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 28, 2011
A school of magic, kids with supernatural abilities, and... Lewis Carroll? I admit that when I read the blurb I didn't think I would like this story. After all, many books out there deal with schools of magic and children with magical abilities.But I was wrong.The blurb frankly does not do this wonderful novel justice. My initial reservations evaporated after the first page. Written in the first person from the point of view of Simon Magus, a teenage boy, in a clear, strong voice, the story draws the reader into a realistic and yet fantastic world. Although I haven't read Book 1 in the series, I had absolutely no trouble following everything that took place in Level Three's Dream.Simon, the protagonist, is a believable and likable character. His sorrow, his maturity, his worries and questions about the future, all serve to make him real. His interactions with his parents and friends ring true, while his preoccupation with doing the right thing and his fear of becoming dangerous to others through his powers hint at his powerful internal struggle.The author is able to render a full characterization of not only Simon but also of all the other characters surrounding him and does so with easy, bold strokes, through the way they speak, their actions and gestures. You will find no lengthy descriptions or unnecessary details. The writing is stripped down to its bare essentials so that it shines in its simplicity. This polished style, coupled with lots of action and suspense, makes for a fast pace.The author's wit and humor shine through every page of this book. Not only are the dialogues natural-sounding and funny, the world inside Level Three's head, based on Carroll's stories, remains true to the original's surreal, irrational feel, while the play on words and expressions is dazzling. If you are a lover of Carroll's wit, then this is certainly a book for you.I was glad to see that, instead of an all-white Caucasian cast, the author included different ethnicities, marked by their beliefs and mode of speaking, both in their syntax and vocabulary choices, a fact that not only added to the character's three-dimensionality, but to that of the created world as a whole.The depth of emotion described and evoked was a pleasant surprise and one of the strengths of this story. My sympathy was with all the characters - Simon, fighting his sorrow over Leah's death, Mermelstein fighting his fear of emotions he cannot yet understand, Level Three trying to figure out what makes him do the mean things he does, and all the other characters having their internal struggles.Furthermore, although I was initially unhappy with the way the topic of autism was treated not only by Simon and his friends but also by the school teachers, I was pleased with the resolution of the matter.However, I did have a few issues with the novel. Although the bare style works well, a couple of times I wished for more description. That was my problem especially toward the end of chapters. In general, I believe some more description would have grounded the story more and helped the reader visualize this magical world.Another issue I had was with the overuse of the `Alice in Wonderland' theme. Although I expected this theme to run through the novel, I thought the excerpts from Carroll's books at the beginning of each short chapter weren't necessary - indeed, they were distracting and I admit I skipped over all of them, after I had read the first one.On this same topic, I found that there were too many poems in the book. These are modified versions of the poems found in Carroll's books, but, although they are quite funny and witty, I also stopped reading them after a while. However, I can imagine that young teens may enjoy them more than I.Finally, at various points, the book also contains illustrations done in pencil and I don't think they were really needed in a book for young adults.To sum up: Level Three's Dream is a well-written story, fast-paced and witty. Well edited and formatted, penned with sincerity and feeling, it addresses not only teenagers but public of all ages. The novel asks essential questions about death and the immortality of the soul, sexuality and religion, cultural xenophobia, love and sorrow. If you are a fan of urban fantasy, of Lewis Carroll or are just looking for a good, gripping tale, I highly recommend Level Three's Dream by Matt Posner.I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.(for Good Book Alert)