Z For Zachariah: Amazon.ca: Books

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First Sentence
I am afraid. Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

114 Reviews

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(15)

Average Customer Review

3.6 out of 5 stars (114 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, Sep 3 2007

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Z for Zachariah (Paperback)

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

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4.0 out of 5 stars sci fi ya novel, April 5 2006

By	J.Q. (Chicago, Il) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Z for Zachariah (Hardcover)

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien is an excellent example of a science fiction young adult novel with believable characters. This is a story about a girl of reason who confronts a man of force in a post-nuclear war landscape. What proves interesting is the author's use of the first person which is a good choice considering that Ann is essentially alone in the world? The use of this narrative viewpoint allows the readers a first hand look at Ann's clarity of thinking as it slowly becomes clear to her that the stranger whom she had befriended is not a man with whom she can reason. This book would be suitable for intermediate class room activities and would appeal to both female and male audiences. However, this story gives an incredible account of bravery and courage from a main character that happens to be a young heroin, which is inspirational for young girls reading this book.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Second reading was a flop!, Jul 9 2004

By	Jenny (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Z for Zachariah (Mass Market Paperback)

I don't know what happened. I read this book about 3 years ago, and thought it was one of the best, most exciting books I'd ever read. So, a few days ago, I went to the library and checked it out to read it again. I started reading ... and fell asleep! What a snooze-fest! The descriptions were tedious, and in some instances, hard to visualize. I really didn't like Ann Burden at all, in fact. I didn't even finish it. I just got fed up with the way-off-base characters and boring farm description. In conclusion, read it if you're in the 9-12 age group, but beware, it doesn't hold up in a second reading.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Z for Zachariah
Listened to this book on tape. I thought it was the most fantastic story I had ever heard. Felt the author's imagination was outstanding. Read more

Published on April 11 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars thrilling
Somebody in my science class reccommended this book to me. It sounded pretty intersting, so i checked it out from the library. i started reading it and i really liked it. Read more

Published on April 6 2004 by blah

4.0 out of 5 stars All Alone
Z for Zachariah - All alone.

4 stars

Z for Zachariah is a good book to read as every chapter is interesting it is good for young or old. It is written by Robert C. Read more

Published on Mar 3 2004 by Josh