Name: Level Up
ISBN: 9781596432352

Gene Luen Yang

Thien Pham

Dennis, the son of Chinese immigrants, yearns to play video games like his friends and, upon his strict father's death, becomes obsessed with them but later, realizing how his father sacrificed for him, he chooses a nobler path.

Level Up

Sarah Sammis

Ken Yuen

Kind of felt like a combination of ABC's Chinese stories with the unclear message of Saints. I really like Yang's ability to surprise people with twists and surprises in his stories, but sometimes it feels like the message doesn't come together.

I wish I had five cherubs to do my chores and help me along with my destiny (or force me to adhere to it against my will?) I understand what they are metaphorically, but I feel like it would have been more satisfying if they existed just in David's mind as guilt rather than something that he could interact with the physical world.

The fake out ending, while truer to the message, seems unsatisfyingly easy for Dennis. And while the true ending makes more sense, it feels like it goes against the epiphany that Dennis had. Oh well, life is messy, twisted, and convoluted, so maybe that's just how things are sometimes.

The cherubs are cute and Yang always creates side characters that are fun.