this started out as a pretty good sci-fi but then stalled in the middle and never recovered. i liked the concept of the pods and living thru virtual reality - something done many times - but the character left the pod too soon and we don't get a good sense of the underlying life there. by the time the negative side is described, i'd lost interest.

the outsiders have a good angle too - with many of their kind having their senses heightened - but this was also not developed enough.

there's a romance in there that would readily appeal to teen girls but that arc seems to take over the story. and then nothing is really resolved as you realize this is a (hopeful) trilogy. i won't be reading the rest because i can already predict what will happen.