Z For Zachariah

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.