Title: The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak
Author: Brian Katcher
Publication date: May 19, 2015
336 pages
View the full synopsis on Goodreads!
Ana Watson is well-behaved, a brilliant archer, a quiz bowl champ, and all-around perfect. She has to be, or her parents will make her regret it. Zak Duquette? Not so much. A huge geek and spectacular slacker, Zak messes around so much he gets stuck on a quiz bowl trip with Ana and her brother Clayton to keep from failing his class. Zak raves about the sci-fi convention he’s missing, Washingcon, to anyone who will listen. Clayton decides that the best way to spend the night before quiz bowl semifinals is to ditch Ana and go to Washingcon himself. Now Ana and Zak have to team up to find him before everyone else—including Ana’s mom—finds out.
This was a pleasant
surprise, and I found myself enjoying it way more than I thought I would. The
book moves at a break-neck pace and is a wild ride from start to finish. The
best part for me was the convention itself. Katcher captures the nerdy
enthusiasm of a con without being condescending, which I super appreciated. I
also loved Ana’s reaction to it all, because while she’s confused and taken
aback by the sheer strangeness (and angry Vikings), she’s not rude or
judgmental, and manages to loosen up and have fun.
Both Ana and Zak are actually
way more real and nuanced than their initial descriptions would imply. Zak
manages to be goofy and utterly charming at the same time (even when he puts
his foot in his mouth, which is often), and while his parental issues are a
little less panic attack inducing than Ana’s, they’re still very real and
present. Ana’s looming anxiety is palpable the longer the search for Clayton
goes, but she adapts in hilarious ways to the brand new atmosphere of the
sci-fi convention. Zak and Ana’s romance is adorable. The reader can see it all
coming from a mile away, but they’re both so endearing that it’s still
satisfying to watch unfold.
Overall,
I give it a B. Read it and tell me what you think!
-Kayla
Want to place a hold on The Improbably Theory of Ana and Zak? Check it out on the CMRLS catalog!
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