THE MAN (Z for Zachariah - Robert O'Brien)

Member Name: sweetlady

Product:	Z for Zachariah - Robert O'Brien
Date:	26/11/01 (7183 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: can't put it down

Disadvantages: can't put it down

Z for Zachariah is a novel, written by Robert C. O'Brien, meant for mid-teenagers, but is also a very good story, worth an adult's time too. I remember reading it at school, I must have been 13 or 14, I was captivated from beginning to end. I have had a yearning to read it again so here's my review .....
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Ann Burden is a 15 years old - she is a kind and extremely cautious girl and her ambition is to become a teacher. When Her entire family are killed in a devastating nuclear war, she is left to believe that she is the only person left on earth.

The unexpected arrival of the antagonistic Mr Loomis - wearing the earth's only existing "safe-suit." - This suit protects the body from any type of radiation and has been made by Mr Loomis (who is actually a scientist) and two colleagues (one of which he shot and killed) - she is understandably very frightened. When Ann is forced to take care of "the man" who becomes very sick and to provide for them both, she becomes a hard worker and a caring person. In the beginning of this story, Mr. Loomis is somewhat of a mysterious character because he becomes ill with radiation poisoning and is unable to speak to Ann. In fact he is barely conscious. - he contracted this radiation poisoning from swimming in a creek he thought was radiation free. He seems to be a kind, hopeful, adventurous person to Ann, but she can't be sure.

When Mr. Loomis regains his physical health, he starts to control Ann, he becomes aggressive and violent towards her leading to an attempted rape, causing Ann to leave her house and hide away. Mr. Loomis's hostile behaviour is eventually countered with an equally hostile act from Ann. Although the two characters have plenty of food from the abandoned store and many gardens surrounding the house, these sources are not in unlimited supply. They must grow more in the gardens and find a source of power because they don't
know of any other place to get these essentials.

When Ann goes into hiding Mr. Loomis locks the store, stopping her supply of un-natural food. Ann has to return to the house to discuss the situation. When she arrives, she keeps her distance, in case Mr. Loomis tries anything. Ann ends up being shot by Mr. Loomis he then, taking advantage of the situation, trains her dog, Faro, to hunt her down. Ann is scared and she has to think up a plan.
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This story has been told through a diary kept by Ann, I think this style of writing makes us more aware of the solitude she must have felt.

The title of this book got its name from a book Ann read in Sunday school. The book described the letters of the alphabet by using characters in the bible. A is for Adam - Adam was supposed to be the first person on earth, she thought that Z is for Zachariah would be the last person on earth.

The detailing is a little outdated now (a nuclear holocaust without a nuclear winter looks pretty unlikely), but overall the story is both thrilling and moving.

Summary: