Booklist Review
When introverted Evie's father dies, she is sent to live with her popular yet insufferable cousin, Mallory. Knowing how hard high school has been on Evie, her father constructed a virtual world for her before he died, called E.Scape. But when Mallory forces her way inside this imaginary paradise to cause destruction, Evie must finally find her courage and stand up for what she believes in. Though there's not a lot of subtlety in either the story or dialogue here, that's hardly the point in this action-packed, gaming-focused adventure. Both Evie and Mallory wear their hearts on their sleeves, directly broadcasting their thoughts and feelings at any given moment, which many young readers will instantly recognize. Sugg and Whyman's brisk pace moves swiftly past setup and world building in favor of thrilling battles between Evie and Mallory. The full-color, superhero-style artwork only amplifies the over-the-top popcorn action, and the manga-inspired characters carry it off well. Tweens and teens looking for an action adventure outside mainstream superhero comics will find plenty to like here.--Blenski, Peter Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
YouTube sensation Sugg provided direction for this failed graphic novel project. British teen Evie is an outcast at her school with her own cousin, Mallory, cast in the role of her chief tormentor. Evie's mother died when Evie was young, and when her programming genius father dies, too, Evie is taken in by Mallory's family. She discovers that her father created a virtual realm for her called E.scape, which she can access on her laptop. E.scape and all of its denizens respond to Evie's thoughts and moods, becoming a perfect refuge for her until Mallory discovers the program and goes on a rampage, warping the E.scape community with her violent temper. None of this is completely original, nor does it lift this work to the level of success. The characters' proportions aren't quite right; their faces have too many angles, while the action has too many motion lines. Altogether, the art has the feeling of the early efforts of a student-there is passion, but the technique is lacking. Verdict Not worthy of purchase unless Sugg's popularity eclipses concerns of quality.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Lib., Wisconsin Rapids © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.