The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds: Amazon.ca: Paul Zindel, Dong Kingman: Books

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The old, converted vegetable shop where Tillie lives is more like a madhouse than a home. Tillie's mother, Beatrice, is bitter and cruel, yet desperate for her daughters' love. Her sister, Ruth, suffers epileptic fits and sneaks cigarettes every chance she gets. In the midst of chaos, Tillie struggles to keep her focus and dreams alive. Tillie -- keeper of rabbits, dreamer of atoms, true believer in life, hope, and the effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Ingram

A Pulitzer Prize-winning play by the author of The Pigman focuses on the ups and downs of the relationship between an embittered, eccentric woman and her two teenage daughters. Reissue. AB. " --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars As reviewed by a 17 year old, Dec 8 2003

By	Matt Greer (Duncan, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds (Mass Market Paperback)

Now generally I don't take to books that were written around the time my parents were born. In reality, I really don't take to books much at all. But The Effects of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds seemed to make the boredom that I usually associate with reading cease, as I downed the entire two-act play during a class period.
This book was your not-so-simple story of a little girl's triumph in overcoming the realms of an emotionally abusive household. This little girl was named Tillie, and she was brought up in an old, converted vegetable store with her airhead sister Ruth and sadly entertaining mother Beatrice. They reside there with an elderly mute woman known as Nanny and try to survive in some sort of harmony.
Beatrice is insane. It is clearly stated in the book without the reader knowing how or why she became this way. Her daughter Ruth is desperately in need of attention and almost always selfish. This is a complete opposite of Tillie, the independent main character who finds an outlet from her family in science projects. This is an outlet that in turn becomes her greatest talent and creates the main moral in the story.
The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds is not what I would consider a classic because I don't think it ever really got the acclaim or recognition it deserved. But it is still a story that will always provide entertainment whether you read it or see it. Because of this I would have to suggest that this book be read by intelligent young adults or adults themselves. This way the reader (or audience member) can understand the all of the humor expressed through Beatrice and the symbolism between the marigold and Tillie. I would have to give this book a total of four and a quarter stars. It is a great quick-read and I'm almost certain any theatre group would do it justice on stage. The author, Paul Zindel, is loved throughout the world and was the 2002 recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards award for his book "The Pigman."

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5.0 out of 5 stars Book in genral, Nov 4 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds (Mass Market Paperback)

So, I liked the book; I could relate to the characters, just because they seemed so real and not fake. Paul Zindel I believe Is an author with natural talent, and links real life into his books, to make his characters pop alive. The title alone got me interested in it. it took me an hour and a half to read it because it was so intreging I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I It really upset me when their mom killed their rabbit though. So it's filled with laughter and tears, murder (the rabbit), and lieing. Truley a surreal book.

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5.0 out of 5 stars The characters, Nov 4 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds (Mass Market Paperback)

So, I liked the book; I could relate to the characters, just because they seemed so real and not fake. Paul Zindel I believe Is an author with true talent, and links real life into his books, to make his characters come alive. The title alone got me interested in it. it took me an hour and a half to read it because it was so intreging I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I It really upset me when their mom killed their rabbit though. So it's filled with laughter and tears, murder (the rabbit), and lieing. Truley a surreal book.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A play of humane, compelling, sincere depth
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds is a cute, catchy title. But the drama is anything but cute. Read more

Published on Oct 25 2000 by Christian Engler

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
I saw this play perfomed by a local theater group about a year ago and I was blown away. I have since searched endlessly for the video will no results (if you have a copy... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2000 by Meg

3.0 out of 5 stars Terribly sad and thought-provoking
I really don't see what all the fuss is about this book. Although it's a fairly good story, the character of Mrs. Read more

Published on Aug 26 2000 by ziggyz_queen

5.0 out of 5 stars This one's a keeper
I can't say enough about this gem of a play by the extremely talented Paul Zindel. It is one of my favorite books of all time. Read more

Published on Jul 25 2000 by JH