Zeroes review by crabby
Zeroes
by Deborah Biancotti, Margo Lanagan, Scott Westerfeld
Age Range - 8 - 12
Genre - Adventure

LitPick Review

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Age at time of review - 16
Reviewer's Location - Tigard, OR, United States
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When a panicked Ethan opens his mouth, it’s not him that does the talking. Sometimes his other voice, the one that knows things Ethan never could, does what he wants, getting him out of trouble in the nick of time. 
 
Most of the time, though, it does just the opposite. 
 
When Ethan’s ability gets him into hot water he can’t talk his way out of, he calls upon his friends, a group of teens who have also found themselves blessed and burdened with unique and inexplicable powers. Getting help from the Zeroes is perfect plan, except for one minor detail: they aren’t exactly his friends anymore. 
 
Told from the distinct perspective of each Zero, this is a fast-paced and enthralling tale of risks, relationships, and reconciliation. 
 

Opinion: 

Upon reading the dust jacket for this story, my initial reaction was somewhere along the lines of, Oh, great, another story about Teens Who Are Special and Different. And, true, the book features a set of kids who can do spectacular things no others can. However, while the plot was prominent and drove the pace of the story, the characters were extremely real and experienced personal growth that wasn’t overshadowed by the more fantastical aspects of the narrative. Even their powers are flawed, to the point where the reader at times pities the characters instead of envying them. The book is as much about people as it is about adventure, and I definitely enjoy a nice helping of character development alongside my action in a story like this. All in all a delightful read for teens that leaves one fond of the characters and looking forward to the rest of the series.
 
 
Rating:
4
Content Rating:

Content rating - nothing offensive

Explain your content rating: 

There are crime-related things like drugs and guns briefly involved in the story at times, but it isn't too harsh and the story remains pretty tame throughout.

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