Zoe's Tale - 42 Challenge

Review - Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi

Zoe Boutin Perry's life is about as exciting as a 17-year-old's can get. Her parents are the leaders of a new colony that is about to be founded. She has just made a new best friend, Gretchen, and is about to have a boyfriend, Enzo. She is practically a goddess to a race of aliens, the Obin, who have sent two of its members, Hickory and Dickory, to be her bodyguards. And then her ship gets "lost" as it jumps to her new world, and everything starts to go downhill from there...

This book is really good. Scalzi has written other books in this universe which I have not read, so I was worried that I would not completely understand what was going on, but I was immediately drawn into the story and did not feel like I was missing anything. He gives the reader background information in various ways - flashbacks, character memories, and character's storytelling - that catches you up but doesn't bog down the flow of the plot.

Scalzi does an incredible job of capturing the voice of a 17-year-old girl. Her sarcasm and angst were pitch perfect - I can remember feeling the emotions he has Zoe experience. His supporting characters are also vividly drawn - each character feels unique, both humans and aliens. He is able to interject some really beautiful writing in between pages of exciting action, which made me want to savor the reading experience, even as I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what would happen next. I found myself slowing down towards the end, however, because I sincerely did not want to leave Zoe and her family.

This book is really good. I know I already said that, but it bears repeating. I can't wait to read more by this author, and am so glad I was given the opportunity to meet Zoe and experience this wonderful story.

Finished: 6/21/08
Source: ARC from publisher
Rating: 9/10