Z for Zachariah

I found the concept interesting, the book is a very easy read with moments that made me sad (especially what happened to Faro) It's a short easy read.

This was a book group read for me, and I had my doubts about reading what is essentially a YA novel. I have literally raced through it. It's absolutely unputdownable. So much more than YA, it's a sci-fi, post-apocalyptic coming of age story of survival set in a world decimated by nuclear war. The author builds a sense of desolation and impending doom right from the very first page and from thereon in it's just an emotional rollercoaster filled with suspicion, hope and doubt. There are so many little details that make this story and build the atmosphere to keep you guessing at what could happen and what has happened right to the end. You never actually find out the cause of the nuclear war that devastated everything as far as the eye can see, and I felt like there was potential for conspiracy theories. The protagonist Ann Burden tells her story in the first person narrative, and in the beginning at least there's a sense of naivety in the writing which portrays her age well. We see her perceptions become more astute as the story goes on, giving the feel that she's growing up fast because of the situation she is in. I thought it was interesting to note that, although civilisation has been wiped out, Ann maintains some of the learned behaviours of a civilised society - social norms such as wanting to dress well for company, setting a table to share a meal. She never loses sight of civilisation, hope, compassion and empathy. Ann's childhood dog, Faro, appears to be a metaphor for her childhood itself and features heavily in the scene setting. There's also a particular paragraph in the first 50 or so pages that really sums up Ann's developing maturity: "It is one thing to hope for someone to come when things are civilised, when there are other people around, too. But when there is nobody else, then the whole idea changes. That is what I gradually realised." There are questions of morality throughout this story (how far is it acceptable to go in the fight for survival?), and religion is heavily referenced. In a sense, Ann and Mr Loomis could be likened to Adam and Eve (suggested when Ann is considering the idea of them being married). I loved this story way more than I ever expected to, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone who wants to confirm or restore their faith in humanity.