Z for Zachariah
by Robert C. O'Brien
by Robert C. O'Brien
Z FOR ZACHARIAH by Robert C. O'Brien
Category: Science Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 7/10/07
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
Rating: 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.
Category: Science Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grades 6+
Release Date: 7/10/07
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
Rating: 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.