Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Level Up

3.68 of 5 stars 3.68 · rating details · 2,090 ratings · 324 reviews

Dennis Ouyang has always struggled in the shadow of his parents' expectations. His path is laid out for him: stay focused in high school, become a gastroenterologist. It may be hard work, but it isn't complicated...Until suddenly it is.

Between his father's death, his academic burnout, and his deep (and distracting) love of video games, Dennis is nowhere near where his fami...more

Paperback, 160 pages

Published June 7th 2011 by First Second (first published 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Best Graphic Novels for Children

142nd out of 326 books — 304 voters

Best Middle Grade & YA Graphic Novels

8th out of 23 books — 7 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 16, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, teen-graphic-novel, med-school, angels

A coming of age story about a young man who struggles to fulfill his destiny. From a young age he is interested in video games, but his father doesn't support this hobby. When his father passes away while the young man is still in high school he delays the grieving process with hardcore gaming.

Years pass and the young man is flunking college. A band of angels appear and help steer the boy to his destiny: med school so he can become a gastroenterologist and help save people from suffering the wa...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Ronald rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being an only child in the family, of course your parents would expect a lot from you. One little mess up and of course the would yell at you. Whether it's elementary school, high school, college, and a great job, I would think it's normal for any other parents, no matter what race, to expect you finish this as your first obligations. This book is about a kid named Dennis Ouyang. His father passed away 2 weeks before his graduation. He has a tough decision on what he wants to be. He has two choi...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 09, 2012 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

The outstanding and highly respected young adult author, Gene Luen Yang (our very first RHRR author) has a new graphic novel out - and, like "American Born Chinese," it is another winner! It is getting lots of buzz as we approach awards season.

"Level Up" is the story of protagonist Dennis Ouyang as he struggles to find his place in the world. He loves video games from the moment he sees his first Pac Man game at a video arcade. When he asks for a Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas, and...more The outstanding and highly respected young adult author, Gene Luen Yang (our very first RHRR author) has a new graphic novel out - and, like "American Born Chinese," it is another winner! It is getting lots of buzz as we approach awards season.

"Level Up" is the story of protagonist Dennis Ouyang as he struggles to find his place in the world. He loves video games from the moment he sees his first Pac Man game at a video arcade. When he asks for a Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas, and instead gets a Chemistry set, he gets an important lesson in what his father values and envisions for Dennis's future. He tastes bitterness for the first time in his disappointment - something his father assures him that he has tasted many times in order to give Dennis all that he has. His father dies shortly thereafter. Dennis heads to college, grieving and directionless. He becomes immersed in the world of video games and does poorly in school. When he is kicked out because of his failure, he is visited by messengers from his father (portrayed as angel-like figures) who guide him on the path that his father intended for him - to become a gastroenterologist. This fantasy and reality mix is really interesting and adds another layer to the piece.

Dennis's story teaches us about endurance, hard work, friendship, the struggle to discover our talent and passion, commitment to family, sacrifice, destiny, individualism, etc. - so many lessons, particularly for juniors and seniors thinking about their post-high school futures.

There is warmth, humor, and sweetness here in abundance as well.This made the book inviting.I liked the cover - made to look like a Gameboy. Both the illustrations and text are clear and understandable.I really liked this aspect of the book. Sometimes color choice (ie; the purple-gray cover, and the repeated use of this color throughout) was unappealing. (I actually prefer Yang's artwork.)

Dennis is layered and complex, but I felt that the more minor characters could have been further developed, as could the story in general. There was room to explore these subjects a bit more deeply.

All in all, another highly recommended Gene Luen Yang offering!(less)

like · see review

Jan 06, 2012 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, video-games, young-adult

This trim little graphic novel has been picking up some buzz, much like everything else that Gene Luen Yang does. Plus, the cover looks like a classic Game Boy. Win. Seriously, though, I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. What looked like and began as a familiar story about a disillusioned young person finding solace in video games turned into a quirky, profound morality play about coming to terms with your family and creating your own destiny.

Dennis Ouyang is on the verge of being...more This trim little graphic novel has been picking up some buzz, much like everything else that Gene Luen Yang does. Plus, the cover looks like a classic Game Boy. Win. Seriously, though, I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. What looked like and began as a familiar story about a disillusioned young person finding solace in video games turned into a quirky, profound morality play about coming to terms with your family and creating your own destiny.

Dennis Ouyang is on the verge of being kicked out of college. Pushed to succeed since he was a small child, Dennis has instead devoted himself to the video games he was entranced by as a child, and found solace in after the early death of his father. However, his lack of motivation and direction attract the attention of four cute, domineering cherubs, who insist they have arrived to help Dennis achieve his destiny. Dennis goes from slacker and college dropout to medical school student, back on the path to achieving the goals his father had set for him. But is that path really the right one for Dennis? Whose well-being are the angels really looking after?

I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but Yang works with a very familiar theme and still manages to produce an original, heartwarming tale. Despite the cover design, video games are only an ingredient, adding spice to a savory mix of dry humor, magical realism, and introspection. Video games are a consistent theme, though, and effectively shape both the format of the book and the plot itself. Most impressively, though, Yang writes deftly about growing up as an Asian-American teen, something he has done quite well before, and yet does so with a universal approach that makes the issue understandable and sympathetic to just about anyone, regardless of ethnicity.

Pham’s art is rough and cutesy, but honestly, it’s perfect. The panels are always drawn and laid out in exactly the right way to convey the humor or sadness in that particular part of story. The caricatures are simple enough to forgive any inconsistency, but vibrant enough to carry a genuine emotional impact. It took me a few pages to get on board with the art style, but I loved it once I did.

I can’t really think of anything bad to say about this book, other than that it’s short and the story resolves itself fairly quickly. It’s a good read for graphic novel enthusiasts and reluctant readers who are inclined towards video games, but honestly, it’s a good read for just about anyone.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Doug rated it 4 of 5 stars

Level Up
By Gene Luen Yang
-Graphic Novel

Level Up was written by the same author that brought us American Born Chinese- Gene Luen Yang. In Level Up, the protagonist, Dennis Ouyang, is forced to confront his destiny when four angels suddenly appear to manage his life. Dennis has always been fascinated with video games, but his father refused to buy him a Nintendo system. Instead his father would buy him chemistry sets to help inspire him to be successful, and motivate him to be a gastroenterologist...more

like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Ben rated it 2 of 5 stars

Gene Luen Yang isn't the first to write about the American immigrant experience (Chinese or otherwise), but he's one of the best doing this in the comic format, and he does so with a sweet, modern, and insightful style and a dry sense of humor. What I like best about his comics are their knack for putting all the forces and voices in the hero's life on the page, and then staunchly refusing to take sides or make easy good guys and bad guys out of them.

Level Up does all these things, and does them...more

like · see review

Oct 16, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, ncbla

Move away from those Game Boys, Play Stations, and computer games for just a few minutes, and read this wonderful graphic novel from the creator of American Born Chinese. In his latest offering, Gene Luen Yang returns to some of the themes at the heart of his first book: the clash between parental expectations and one's own dreams, cultural expectations, coming of age, and the journey to self-acceptance, among others. The story centers around Dennis Ouyang whose attraction to video games was ign...more

like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Tasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

As a child, Dennis was forbidden from playing video games. When his father died, he played them all the time. He was even good enough to consider playing on the professional circuit. But that was before THEY showed up. Four cute little angels with plenty of attitude and a lot of bossiness seemed to know exactly what Dennis should be doing with his life, and it certainly was not video games. Instead, they pushed and insisted in his father’s name that he start studying hard and then go to medical...more

like · see review

Sep 27, 2011 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is really a great presentation of how parental expectations really can affect our life choices. Dennis Ouyang is really having a hard time living up to his deceased fathers expectations to study hard and become a doctor. Dennis had always had a talent for playing video games, but that seemed to conflict with his unspoken promise to his father.

After some bumps in the road, Dennis finds some support in the form of four angels, who look a great deal like the Power Puff Girls. They had featured...more

like · see review

Sep 25, 2011 Dore' Ripley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Level Up, the latest work by Printz Award winner Gene Luen Yang and artist Thien Pham, is sweet, nostalgic, mysterious, and has enough twists to keep you turning the pages. Dennis Ouyang is a video game enthusiast whose late night tournaments lead to his collegiate demise, but not to worry: Four greeting-card angels soon put him back on the path. In spite of the angels’ incessant coffee brewing, Dennis soon quits medical school and takes up gaming professionally, so why isn’t he happy? He discov...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 19, 2011 Rosalia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, boy-reads, graphic-novels, young-adult

Dennis Ouyang has always worked hard to do what his father wanted him to do. However when he gets to college he begins to feel tired of always being pushed and loses focus. When he is expelled from college four angels appear to help him get his life together, but is this really the best path for Dennis?

Sometimes when you are reading a graphic novel by a writer who changes artists the change in artists makes it feel almost as though the story is being told by a completely different person. That's...more

like · see review

Sep 19, 2011 Seth Hahne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

There was this one scene in Gene Yang's Level Up that struck truer for me than maybe any other two-panel pair in the history of comics. In it, a friend describes the Nintendo Entertainment System to a young Dennis. Let's listen in:

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham

The reason this scene resonated so strongly with me was that this was word for word my own response to the discovery that such a machine would be coming to American shores. I mean, give or take a word. The impact of gaming systems on my young life was indelible, stampi...more

4 likes · like · see review

Sep 18, 2011 Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, mainstream, young-adult

I was really taken in by American Born Chinese, especially in the way that the author, Gene Luen Yang, played around with a single story told through four different perspectives. It was a pretty ingenious way of telling the story of his main character, and while it wasn’t necessarily original, it helped to drive the meaning of the story home. Level Up is another of his stories, and while it doesn’t have the same sort of method of telling the story, the meaning behind the story is just as effecti...more I was really taken in by American Born Chinese, especially in the way that the author, Gene Luen Yang, played around with a single story told through four different perspectives. It was a pretty ingenious way of telling the story of his main character, and while it wasn’t necessarily original, it helped to drive the meaning of the story home. Level Up is another of his stories, and while it doesn’t have the same sort of method of telling the story, the meaning behind the story is just as effective.

In Level Up, Dennis Ouyang is an Asian-American teenager who is coming to terms with his passion and skill for video games, contrasted with the expectations his father has for him. His father’s death spurs his motivations, in both directions, but when he starts to falter in what his father expected from him, some strange things begin happening which push him in the right direction. How he manages to reconcile his feelings for both is interesting, and each time you think you might have figured out what Dennis is going to do, Yang plays with the characters a bit more, keeping you engrossed in what’s happening.

Ultimately, Level Up isn’t going to get the recognition that American Born Chinese received. It’s a good story, with a layer of depth to it that’s almost unexpected, but it doesn’t have the same kind of oomph that ABC had. I think it’s partly because ABC has a premise that’s a little more universal than Level Up has. Even though both stories are about teenagers coming to terms with their identities, I think ABC focuses more on family, while Level Up is a little more focused on video games and medical school. It’s a bit more limiting in scope, and I can’t help but feel that that’s why the book doesn’t feel as significant.

Anyway, it’s probably unfair to compare the two books, but ABC won the National Book Award, so it’s hard to ignore that potential when looking at Yang’s other works. I see that he has another graphic novel I haven’t read — The Eternal Smile – and I’m sure to read that one, as well. I don’t know that I will expect any of his other works to measure up to ABC, but I do enjoy his method of storytelling, and the depth that he adds to his characters.(less)

like · see review

Aug 20, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, ya-fiction, asian-american

Since I'm a big fan of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang's wonderful award-winning graphic novel about being Chinese-American, I was excited to learn that Yang had another book coming out this summer. Level Up is the story of Dennis Ouyang, a Chinese-American young man who longs to play video games but is denied them by his parents and told to focus on his studies. He loses his father at the end of high school, and immediately goes out to purchase a Nintendo. From that point on, he is focuse...more

like · see review

Aug 13, 2011 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 52-books-in-52-weeks-2011

Dennis Ouyang, a wandering teenage boy finds his one passion in life- to play video games. And he's pretty damn good!
After his father's death, Dennis starts ONLY playing video games and finds himself kicked out of college in his junior year.
Suddenly, four small angels turn up to help him clean, study and focus on his destiny- to get into medical school and become a gastroenterologist. And then things get... weird. Of course we all think these angels are awesome and they are! Aren't they? They d...more

like · see review

Jul 31, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Dennis is the son of immigrant parents whose only true love in life is playing video games. After his father dies, his grades in college slip as he becomes obsessed with gaming. Then four angels arrive to help him realize his destiny: to become a great gastroentrologist.

First of all, I love the cover! The gaming artwork and references throughout the book really hold up and accent the story. Visually, the themes and plot come together beautifully. And expression in both body language and facial e...more

like · see review

Jul 16, 2011 Terry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cdcs-young-adult, 2011-books

As much as I loved "The Eternal Smile," this is Gene Luen Yang's best book since "American Born Chinese." In fact, it might even be better. While I loved the first book's artwork, multiple storylines, and large scale, there is something to this book's more focused approach. The artwork is simpler, more humble--it's blocky, it doesn't play with video games in form (beyond the clever cover and section headings), but in its simplicity there is a home-made (for lack of a better word) quality that he...more As much as I loved "The Eternal Smile," this is Gene Luen Yang's best book since "American Born Chinese." In fact, it might even be better. While I loved the first book's artwork, multiple storylines, and large scale, there is something to this book's more focused approach. The artwork is simpler, more humble--it's blocky, it doesn't play with video games in form (beyond the clever cover and section headings), but in its simplicity there is a home-made (for lack of a better word) quality that helps bring the reader closer to the protagonist. The protagonist himself is a great everyman, someone who the reader is able to relate to, while he thankfully lacks the whiny-ness and victimization this type of character could easily have been reduced to. Dennis is about to drop out of college, when he is driven back by four greeting-card angels, who propel him forward on the path he thinks his father has chosen for him: to be a gastroenterologist. In the hands of another writer, this character could be a litany of complaints, but in Yang's novel Dennis makes clear, deliberate choices and never asks for more than the reader's observation as he goes through the journey of growing up. Dennis is not angry, but resigned, at the way life is going for him, while also realizing that he is really the only one to blame for his predicament.

On the surface, Dennis appears to be a simple character with an obvious choice, but the novel is simple in form and content while never being simplistic--the novel walks that line nicely, as it does with the other characters--Dennis' three friends in med school; his mother; his gamer friend--all feel like specific, real people, while dealing with issues of love and friendship that are universal. While "American Born Chinese" had the reader working much harder to figure things out and was a graphic novel on a grander scale, this novel's strength is complexity in the guise of simplicity: the characters, their problems, the choice between being a doctor or a gamer, the artwork. As the novel reaches its conclusion, I felt more emotionally connected to this character than I have to a character in a long while. Without giving anything away, I was impressed with how Yang resolves the 'doctor vs. gamer' dilemma, without reducing it to simple choices. Yang's conclusion is much more nuanced than 'don't listen to your parents,' or 'do what you want to do,' or any other obvious morals one could come up with from this scenario. In the final section, the novel goes in a different direction to look at the 'doctor vs. gamer' issue that has been unaddressed but under the surface the entire time. It is this final section that made the book a five star read for me--just when you think the novel is over with a simple conclusion, it's not (just like lives in a video game!). In the last few pages, the author subtly leads his protagonist to finally deal with the emotional crux of the issue, and both Dennis and the reader arrive at a deep understanding of what's most important in life. (less)

like · see review

Jul 15, 2011 Aaron Maurer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I have not posted a book review in quite some time or at least it seems like a long time. I just have not been able to find the time needed to get the reading done. Plus, being summer I usually don't read much YA as I just need a break from this genre after reading it all school year.

However, I was excited to read this graphic novel. The cover alone was enough to sell me as it brought back my memories of playing on my Gameboy for hours and hours and hours. Man, how times have changed in the gami...more I have not posted a book review in quite some time or at least it seems like a long time. I just have not been able to find the time needed to get the reading done. Plus, being summer I usually don't read much YA as I just need a break from this genre after reading it all school year.

However, I was excited to read this graphic novel. The cover alone was enough to sell me as it brought back my memories of playing on my Gameboy for hours and hours and hours. Man, how times have changed in the gaming world, but the Gameboy was unstoppable for a long time.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I read it in one sitting one morning when I awoke before the rest of the crew. I sat on my deck with my coffee and breezed right through this. I really became in tune with the main character as he was trying to balance the tough decisions of life - living the life you want or living the life your parents want. As we grow up this is a tough decision. Early on we often think we have everything figured out and that is not always the case. Without parents who knows where some of us would end up. However, as we continue to grow up, leave high school, and enter college we start to understand the world and ourselves. This book does a great job touching upon how we just need to do what makes us happy. As parents it is a good reminder to make sure we prepare our kids to make their own decisions and not try to dictate their lives. Both are very hard.

The illustrations were great. I like the style and art. I enjoyed how as the main character went through the different phases of life it was breached by "Level One, Level Two...." just like in a video game. The dialogue was great. I actually wrote down a few phrases to use in some future blog posts as I found myself really thinking about some of the comments of the characters.

The one thing that I understood why they were there, but got on my nerves after a little while were the angels. It all makes sense when you read, but for part of the reading I was like, "Why are they being used again?" Once you read, then you will understand the meaning behind them and it works well.

This is another great graphic novel. I am slowly enjoying these more and more as I pick these up to read every so often. This is another one that rather surprised me and recommend to anyone. And yes, it did cause me to pull out my old Gameboy from storage and give it a try.(less)

like · see review

Jul 03, 2011 Ian Hrabe rated it 2 of 5 stars

While there definitely aren't enough Asian-American stories out there, I just wish this one's protagonist wasn't a whiny rich kid with daddy issues. It's one of those "I have to please my parents by going to medical school" stories. I guess this is probably a pretty common thing with Asian-Americans, if stereotypes are correct, but I didn't think this story was very good. There are some little moments that were really great. Things where the writing was really sharp. The art was pretty excellent...more

like · see review

Jun 16, 2011 Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-storytelling

The story of the Americanized children of immigrants chafing under parental expectations to succeed is a long-standing trope in American literature and film. There's been umpteen novels, films, and memoirs built around this theme. This graphic novel follows the rough template, taking the kid's perspective and casting the parents as villains who expect their children to be grateful for the parental sacrifice that brought them to their new country. Here we meet American teen Dennis, whose Chinese...more

like · see review

May 12, 2011 Minli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-interest, boy-interest, yay-diversity, young-adult, contemporary

I picked this up as a potential gift for my brother, and was duly impressed. Having loved Yang's American Born Chinese, I went to this with high expectations. While considered YA, Level Up is a great fit for reluctant readers as old as college. The graphic novel format helps, obviously... but it's a lot more serious than it looks.

Dennis Ouyang has always felt the pressure to become a doctor. Asian kids, sympathize. His father has told him all his life to study hard, go to medical school, and bec...more

like · see review

Sep 03, 2011 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, young-adult, books-i-own, signed

Dennis Ouyang became obsessed with video games after his father's death. This obsession followed him to college, where it reflected in his bad grades. He's about to lose everything when four little angels appear to him and tell him that medical school is his destiny. Whether he likes it or not he has to at least try to reach his destiny, even if that means giving up gaming.

I really love Gene Luen Yang's stories. They are also a little odd, but tons of fun. Dennis was a pretty typical kid, except...more

like · see review

Feb 08, 2013 Holly Kregel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang is a graphic novel about a young Asian-American boy struggling with the distance between what he wants for his life and what his father is strongly advocating for. The story starts when he is six, and it follows him through college/young adulthood. His father's dream is for Dennis to become a gastroenterologist, while he would just like to play video games. When his father dies, Dennis spirals into depression and video games become his relief. The twist comes when 4...more Level Up by Gene Luen Yang is a graphic novel about a young Asian-American boy struggling with the distance between what he wants for his life and what his father is strongly advocating for. The story starts when he is six, and it follows him through college/young adulthood. His father's dream is for Dennis to become a gastroenterologist, while he would just like to play video games. When his father dies, Dennis spirals into depression and video games become his relief. The twist comes when 4 angels from a card his father once gave him (the only expression of "I'm proud of you" his father ever gave him) "come alive" and and force him to get back on the path of his father. He spends years going back and forth between the extremes of medical school and professional gamer, until he finally begins to understand where these bossy angels come from, as well as why his father's intentions were good. Eventually, he understands what he needs to be doing with his life and begins a path he's finally chosen for himself.

The book was an easy read and it was pretty quick. I didn't like it for myself, but I can acknowledge it is a well-written and well illustrated book. I'm just not a fan of graphic novels to begin with, and this isn't spectacular enough to change my mind. I chose it because it's by the same author as American Born Chinese , and I'd read that. I think it's similar to that book, but perhaps less complex as it only has one story line as opposed to three. The big ideas of this book are very broad: multiculturalism (in this case struggling with your identity within America and your ethnic group), transition, coming of age, etc. I can relate it to a lot of books. For example, in First Part Last , there's a person of ethnic background faced with hardships of family members dying (or entering vegetative comas you likely will never recover from) as well. The protagonist also has to decide if he is going to succumb to what the people around him want, or if he is going to forge his own path.

I would imagine that gamers, first generation ethnic-Americans, and boys in general may enjoy this novel. Also, for anyone who wants to explore the graphic novel genre, this is a good starter. I'd recommend this book to anyone older than 12. You could read and understand the basic concepts earlier, perhaps, but I think the novel requires a certain level of maturity to appreciate the symbolism and depth unveiled towards the end. (less)

like · see review

Dec 17, 2011 Guadalupe R rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book I recently read called “Level Up” by the creator of American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang. With no doubt when my eyes saw the cover of this book it instantly grabbed my attention. I love to read books about technology and if you do to this is perfect for you. This book contains video games and about a boy making college decisions. This book has to be one of my favorites this year.

The way this story was told was genius. It began with the protagonist initiating his college life; however,...more

like · see review

Jan 11, 2012 David Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

I feel this book is misleading or dishonest or perhaps just unclear. I enjoyed reading through it, and the style is clear and interesting enough to look at, but it never really takes a stand on anything. It's a book that wants to impart some type of wisdom and then never makes it clear what that wisdom is.

At the center, it's a conflict a young man faces about whether to continue his dead father's dream that he become a doctor. He doesn't enjoy it. He enjoys playing video games, and is good enou...more

like · see review

Dec 17, 2011 Everitt rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Ready Player One, geeks and nerds, comic fans

Recommended to Everitt by: Goodreads First Reads

Shelves: magic-realism, comics

Review of Level Up by Gene Leun Yang with art by Thien Pham. December 17, 2011.

I received this book free as a part of the Goodreads First Reads program.

There is an emerging new sub-genre of fantasy and sci-fi aimed at the children of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries. Books like Ready Player One, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom fall into a category not historically associated with American fiction: magic realism. It is probably due...more

like · see review

Dec 08, 2011 Miz Lizzie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, realistic-fiction, usa, medicine, young-adult, asian-american, families, fantasy

Dennis Ouyang loves video games but he since he is expected to study hard and become a doctor he doesn't get a chance to indulge until after his father dies when Dennis is a senior in high school. His love of video games swiftly becomes an addiction. On the verge of getting kicked out of college, four little angels suddenly show up to guide Dennis towards his "destiny" as a doctor. This clever graphic novel addresses the challenges and strange coincidences when struggling between what you love a...more

like · see review

Jun 17, 2011 Mrs. Nelson's rated it 5 of 5 stars

This unique graphic novel should catch the eye of video game aficionados - the cover looks like a retro Nintendo Gameboy. The artwork inside has an almost pixilated feel, like an "old school" game. It's the story of Dennis, whose Chinese parents came to America to build better lives for themselves. They have equally high expectations for their son, who feels like he can't measure up. His passion and talent lie with video games, but his (now late) father always dreamed of medical school for him....more

like · see review

Apr 05, 2012 David Morrison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

After reading Yang's American Born Chinese, I was immensely curious about Level Up. While an incredibly quick read, it makes you think. It's certainly written in a very similar style as ABC, but from a more linear angle. Yang very successfully tackles the topic of self-realization and personal honesty in his lead character.

For those that are looking for something different, I highly recommend this book. For those that may know someone that's a reluctant reader, I recommend this book even MORE so...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Sunil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, 2011

Level Up sounded right up my alley: the story of an Asian-American boy who loves video games but is under pressure by his very traditional parents to succeed succeed succeed!

Dennis Ouyang is a video game fanatic, but his dad just wants him to do well in his studies. Then, when Dennis is in high school, his dad dies. His grief lasts longer than expected, and before he knows it, he's kicked out of college.

And that's when four extremely bossy angels show up to help him get his life back on track.

Th...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Just starting a new conversation for our new books!	9	26	Sep 30, 2012 06:53pm

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Sequential Art > Graphic Novels

224 users

Young Adult

87 users

Sequential Art > Comics

66 users

Young Adult > Teen

24 users

Games > Video Games

11 users

Fantasy

10 users

Family

9 users

Young Adult > Coming Of Age

9 users

Humor

9 users

Games > Gaming

8 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Americus
by M.K. Reed
Same Difference
by Derek Kirk Kim
Bad Island
by Doug TenNapel
Page by Paige
by Laura Lee Gulledge
Vietnamerica: A Family's Journey
by GB Tran

About Gene Luen Yang

Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry grant, for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comics work as an adult. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including Duncan's Kingdom (with art by Derek Kirk Kim) and The Rosary Comic Book. American Born Chinese received National Book Award.

He...more

More about Gene Luen Yang...

Books by Gene Luen Yang

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Level Up

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Level Up
avg rating	preview: Level Up Goodreads rating: 3.68 (2090 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9630403-level-up?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327944177l/9630403.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9630403-level-up?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Level Up by Gene Luen Yang[/url]

Level Up

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website