Z For Zachariah

Pros: tight, tense storytelling, interesting characters

Cons: limited world-building

For parents: no content (swearing, sex, drugs), minor gun violence

Fifteen year old Ann Burden has been living - alone - in her family's farmhouse for the past year. Her family - and as far as she knows everyone else in the world - is dead, victims of the war and the bombs that fell. So she has mixed emotions when she sees a column of smoke each night, getting closer to the valley that's protected her. She knows someone is coming. But what does this arrival mean for her?

This is a short novel, told through Ann's journal entries starting when she first realizes someone is coming. It details his arrival and the slowly unfolding drama that occurs afterwards. It's a tight, tense story, that slowly becomes dreadful as you wonder how everything will play out.

It's a story worth coming to with little advance knowledge, as it really depends on learning things with the character. I really liked Ann. She's a farm girl - and so knows how to do things that are useful in a post-apocalyptic survival situation, like catch, prepare and cook fish, plogh a field, etc.

There's very little backstory. We learn where Ann's family has gone and how the stranger arrives, but little else. There's no information about what the war was about or who it was with or what kinds of bombs were dropped, beyond that they were highly radioactive.

It's a great story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I think this is an amazing book. I read it when I was an early teen and it's stayed with me all these years. I never forgot the cover or the confusion, terror, and dread I felt while being riveted. If you feel the first half of this book is a little difficult to get through just keep reading. You will be rewarded.

Since this story is mostly told in diary style from the perspective of the main character there are things we just won't know because she doesn't know or doesn't bother to explain. Mainly why the war happened in the first place. Still, Ann is able to care for herself quite well on her family's farm after luckily surviving due to her location. Even with all her knowledge of gardening, preserving, and farming she is still a 16 year old who is naive about people and the world.

Honestly, I do not understand the male character or his motivation. I can't wrap my head around his choices. The only explanation is he's mentally unstable. He must have cracked somewhere along the way in life. Poor Ann doesn't have the life experiences to listen to her instincts when it comes to a man.

There is a definite religious tone throughout the novel. A pervasive correlation is the story of Adam and Eve. One man, one woman, and an apple tree. To someone who isn't religious it isn't overwhelming or preachy.

This story enraged me. Maybe it's because I am an adult and cannot stand seeing injustice- Especially when the victim is a CHILD, but I spent most of my time reading this book fighting the urge to hurl it across the room. I didn't know this book existed until a month ago when I heard about the upcoming movie. I know I swore off dystopian reads for awhile, but I feel this one is canon (OG)so it had to be read. And it was a chore! This is not Mrs. Frisby (sadly).

I want to punch John R. Loomis in the face. What an asshat.

That said, I survived it and can only say that if Laura Ingalls Wilder had had to live through nuclear fallout this may be how it would go down. Ann Burden was too nice for her own good.

One more thing! I have read a lot (re: tons) of dystopian fiction and it was a change to see the atheist science guy be the villain. It's almost always a crazed holy roller who is the tyrant at the end of the world. I maintain that there had to be some kind of mental illness on Loomis's part. I still want to see him caught in a bear trap.