Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.66 You Save: $3.33 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.00 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Z for Zachariah
Book Review: Haunting
Summary: 3 Stars
When I first read this, I was totally and deliciously creeped out. I already knew O'Brien had a talent for nabbing a bit of sci-fi and throwing it into an opposing world. It all winds up being utterly horrifying and I guess I can't help but like it.Instead, this time, of working with cute little forest animals NIHM-style, O'Brien takes on the apocalypse, a sleepy valley that has pretty much survived the end of humanity and is now ready to for a little Twilight Zone-ish last-man-on-earth excitement.This book is nothing if not creepy, with very real emotions and intelligent references to religion, science, and literature--all still at a teen level. The human thought process is fascinating to watch and I was unable to guess as where the story would lead. Definitely worth a read. Book Review: Great book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ordered the book for my son's class project. It would have taken a week to get it from the local bookstore since they did not carry it. He loves the book and I will read it as soon as he is done.Book Review: Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Summary: 5 Stars
Sixteen-year-old Ann Burden has been living on her own for a year, since the nuclear bombs turned everything surrounding her little valley into a wasteland, and her parents drove out to find other survivors... and never came back. Knowing she may be the only person left, Ann struggles with her loneliness and tends to the farm as best she can. But then a man comes over the hills in a protective suit and arrives in the valley. At first he provides Ann with welcome companionship, but as he recovers from a bout of radiation sickness, his actions become more sinister.
Z FOR ZACHARIAH is an intense, heart-pounding read. From the moment Ann first sees smoke rising from beyond the valley, each development wrenches her further and further from the life she's adjusted to--seemingly for good, and then with terrible consequences. The pacing is perfect, and with the story being told through Ann's journal entries, every event feels immediate. The personal details and unflinching descriptions of life after a nuclear war make the story even more gripping. As the tension escalates, readers will find it incredibly hard to put the book down before they discover Ann's ultimate fate. While the story leaves this somewhat open-ended, Ann's ultimate victory will make them cheer.
Ann is a likable narrator, with a natural voice and a well-developed personality. It's easy to sympathize with her based on her situation alone, but she is all the more admirable for refusing to give up even in the most desperate circumstances. She deals with her problems with intelligence and courage, but still has those moments of carelessness and fear that make her human. Readers will be on her side from the beginning, even as they struggle to imagine how they would feel in her place. Though her final triumph involves some loss, it's clear Ann will persevere and find a way to survive and be happy, which makes the ending satisfying.
Z FOR ZACHARIAH is a story that will haunt readers long after they've put down the book. It shows both the good and the bad that can emerge from human nature in the face of catastrophe, and gives hope that even in the worst situations, there are those who will remain strong.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow