I read this along with my daughter who was assigned it in class (she's in 5th grade). Bit past halfway through this book Aeris had to answer a few questions about what she'd read. She wrote that she didn't like the book because it was confusing, boring, and 'about being normal'. "I hate normal," said Aeris, "I can't be normal and I wouldn't want to anyway." I was surprised because I found Jonas's awakening hopeful (I imagined a Pleasantville scenario. 
 But towards the end -- at the 'release' scene -- Aeris became dramatically more interested. It wasn't about being normal, she decided, it was about being broken. Most interestingly (to me) she found the ending hopeful (view spoiler)[(she believes Jonas and Gabriel escaped and found a better place to grow up) (hide spoiler)] where I found it, well, confusing and disappointing (view spoiler)[(does the end even happen? is it all a memory? is the whole book a memory, trapped in the black and white world?) (hide spoiler)]. We switched our opinions, effectively. 
 I think that means it's a good book, particularly for the target age group. I remember having the same reaction Aeris had to this book to at least 70% of the books I read in school. But mainly it sparked discussion (and she's convinced me to believe in her ending).