In “Nexis” a girl struggles to find her place in a futuristic world where technology and warped ideals of beauty have left her on the fringe, says the book’s author A.L. Davroe.

“It’s about the implications of image, how it can affect our interactions and how those views can be taken way too far in society,” said Davroe.

On Saturday afternoon, the author appeared at the Dartmouth Barnes & Noble to sign copies of her latest book, which the author described as sharing similarities with works such as “Tron,” “The Matrix,” and the anime genre.

Taking place in the doomed city of Evanescence, the story focuses on Ella, a girl set apart from the genetically-altered population as someone whose appearance hasn’t been changed through technology.

As Ella struggles with her father’s death, and her disabilities from a recent accident, she finds solace in a virtual reality game. But the game, called Nexis, isn’t what it appears to be on the surface.

With a mix of fantasy, adventure and romance, Davroe said the book appeals to a varied audience.

“It started out as a Cinderella story oddly enough, but I eventually found there was room for action. It’s great for teens, adults, men and women,” she said.

Davroe said she was influenced by “Uglies,” a book series by Scott Westerfield she’s a fan of that focuses on similar themes of appearance for “Nexis.” Her book was released last year by Entangled Publishing and is her third. She's written two other novels that were self published.

Davroe started writing in high school and sets her stories in the paranormal, romance, Steampunk and fantasy genres. She lives in Connecticut.

For more information on Davroe, visit www.aldavroe.com. “Nexis” can be found on the shelves at the Dartmouth Barnes & Noble or online at Amazon.com.