Thank you to NetGalley and Aftershock Comics for providing me an advanced reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to read this title despite it's low rating from other reviewers, but unfortunately I have to agree that it contains a fairly vapid narrative. I do commend the author on clearly being well read. Our protagonist's perspective is backed by the work of multiple other creatives she mentions to create context around her beliefs.

Unfortunately that's as far as this story's wisdom extends. I did not feel it was thought-provoking, although it was clearly attempting to be. There's much that can to be said about the pitfalls of growing up online and believing youth is the primary marker of worth, but I don't feel this story explored those ideas with enough substance for me to take it seriously.

It also concerns me to see digital communication demonized. Yes, many children need to branch out their methods of socialization, but there are those who require digital means to communicate. I doubt the author thought about this very deeply, but using the concept that some of the antagonist children have only ever communicated through texting to horrify readers dehumanizes people with communication and speech disorders who are unable to communicate otherwise. Research on children who seem "addicted" to technology has also indicated that they are often struggling with other issues in their life. For example, many players of the popular game Minecraft, which is mentioned in this title, are young people with autism and ADHD who struggle to build more "acceptable" social connections with peers. It is dangerously ignorant to decide "overuse" of digital communication and online entertainment is corrupt on it's own, without considering the underlying reasons why modern children may behave this way.

Technology is a tool. Unfortunately, we are all living in a time where digital technology is a relatively new tool, and novel methods of utilizing it are developed so quickly that every intersection of how they can be used and abused is almost impossible for any one person or community to comprehend. I think commentary of the damages technology can create are interesting and ask us to question our own understanding and acceptance of the world around us, but this book's narrative failed to convince me its ideas contained necessary depth.