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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
14+
I'll go for 3,5 stars, though up till the last 1/4 it would have been a 4 or 5 star book.
I really liked both Ana and Zak and got hooked by their story right away. Ana is a seemingly perfect girl. Best in her class, doing extra stuff to look good on a college application, having a very strict home and a sister who is "gone".
Zak is a geek. He loves this fantasy convention he goes to every year, he doesn't take life very seriously, and he has his own burden - a new stepdad, who moved in just 2 months after he met Zaks mum.
Now of course it is obvious what will happen to the two of them in such a book - they might start of disliking each other, but being forced together by fate (in the form of a teacher) they will start to like each other...
So far the story was really nice, the characters were showing a deeper side of themselves over time and so you could see how they and their lives ended up the way they are. The convention was a lot of fun to read, with plenty of geeky phrases and jokes. It was described quite over the top crazy, but in a way that had me laugh, instead of getting annoyed. Till the end that is. It gets completely unrealistic then. Not just over the top and exaggerated a lot, but completely unbelievable. They run into a drug dealer, who makes geeky jokes when it is about 5000 of his bucks missing (sure that is what drug dealers do in such cases...) and everything resolves itself to be rosy, shiny and happy. It just was much, much, much too happy and made light of some injuries. If just some things had worked out that easily, ok. But this felt like someone has cancer, looks at the sun and has a miracle healing in how unrealistic it was.
It is sad, as I really, really did enjoy the book up to that point.
It is still a good and entertaining book, but not one I would miss of I hadn't read it after that ending.
I'll go for 3,5 stars, though up till the last 1/4 it would have been a 4 or 5 star book.
I really liked both Ana and Zak and got hooked by their story right away. Ana is a seemingly perfect girl. Best in her class, doing extra stuff to look good on a college application, having a very strict home and a sister who is "gone".
Zak is a geek. He loves this fantasy convention he goes to every year, he doesn't take life very seriously, and he has his own burden - a new stepdad, who moved in just 2 months after he met Zaks mum.
Now of course it is obvious what will happen to the two of them in such a book - they might start of disliking each other, but being forced together by fate (in the form of a teacher) they will start to like each other...
So far the story was really nice, the characters were showing a deeper side of themselves over time and so you could see how they and their lives ended up the way they are. The convention was a lot of fun to read, with plenty of geeky phrases and jokes. It was described quite over the top crazy, but in a way that had me laugh, instead of getting annoyed. Till the end that is. It gets completely unrealistic then. Not just over the top and exaggerated a lot, but completely unbelievable. They run into a drug dealer, who makes geeky jokes when it is about 5000 of his bucks missing (sure that is what drug dealers do in such cases...) and everything resolves itself to be rosy, shiny and happy. It just was much, much, much too happy and made light of some injuries. If just some things had worked out that easily, ok. But this felt like someone has cancer, looks at the sun and has a miracle healing in how unrealistic it was.
It is sad, as I really, really did enjoy the book up to that point.
It is still a good and entertaining book, but not one I would miss of I hadn't read it after that ending.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute story, light fun read. I enjoyed the character perspective shifts throughout the story
I've been remiss in reviewing to the point of negligence here but had to pop back for this one. Enter two mismatched teens. Zak, a game-loving geek, smart but aimless, still grieving his father's death and adjusting awkwardly at best to his mother's remarriage. Ana, driven and resentful, suffering from what amounts to almost house arrest because of her older sister's transgressions and a resulting family rupture. When Zak gets unwillingly drafted to Ana's Quiz Bowl team for a last shot at academic redemption, worlds clash and we're all the better for it.
I can't remember reading something that felt so much like an 80s rom-com adventure. The over the top scenarios, chase scenes, opposites attract setup, and wrong-place-at -the wrong-time hijinks feel cinematic and so much like Adventures in Babysitting or Ferris Bueler's Day Off. Realistic? Maybe not so much, but I was 100% on board for it. I don't know how much the resolutions were truly earned (or at least plausible) but I had such a good time getting there it felt really satisfying nonetheless. I don't know if teens will appreciate the nods to this type of storytelling but I think they'll be entertained. Anyway, as this is such a tribute to nerd and fandom culture which is so thriving now, I wouldn't put it past them.
I can't remember reading something that felt so much like an 80s rom-com adventure. The over the top scenarios, chase scenes, opposites attract setup, and wrong-place-at -the wrong-time hijinks feel cinematic and so much like Adventures in Babysitting or Ferris Bueler's Day Off. Realistic? Maybe not so much, but I was 100% on board for it. I don't know how much the resolutions were truly earned (or at least plausible) but I had such a good time getting there it felt really satisfying nonetheless. I don't know if teens will appreciate the nods to this type of storytelling but I think they'll be entertained. Anyway, as this is such a tribute to nerd and fandom culture which is so thriving now, I wouldn't put it past them.
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
4.5 stars
This book with the long title that I cannot say more than two times in a row really surprised me! Despite a few negative things I'd read about it, I really loved this book a lot!
I shall call this book Ana and Zak from now on, okay? Okay. Ana and Zak is about, of course, Ana and Zak. When Zak has to go to the quiz bowl tournaments unexpectedly instead of the Washingcon convention, he thinks his weekend will suck. But then Ana's little brother, who just wants to have a little fun for once in his life, sneaks off to this convention and Ana and Zak team up to find him. Between all the zombies, Trekkies and smurfs, they both may find a lot more than they thought they would.
This was so cute you guys! Seriously, it really was. I'd read in a couple of reviews that it could get ridiculous and unbelievable at one point and while I can see why they'd say that, I do not agree. Sure, it may be just a tiny bit unbelievable, but it really was a lot of fun! And hey, you never know what happens at one of those conventions... It had a lot of humor and I laughed out loud and giggled quite a bit reading this. I loved the dialogue in this book and really, it was just so much fun. If only for that and all the nerdy references.
Ana and Zak are such great characters. I loved Zak right from the start. Sure he's flawed, but he learns a lot over the course of the book. He's had a rough couple of years behind him and I'd probably be just like him if it had been me. Ana on the other hand... I really disliked her in the beginning. She seemed like a girl with a stick up her butt and she was annoying. But then I got to know her and she grew a lot and I loved her in the end. I also adore Clayton and Strawberry is just awesome.
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak is a very sweet, cute and utterly adorable story that made my nerdy side very happy! Highly recommended to fans of contemporary reads!
This review is also (or -soon- will be) posted on Istyria book blog
I love attending cons and consider myself a huge geek and Harry Potter cosplayer, so I was excited when I found this book.
84 pages in and I won't be finishing. I'm absolutely disgusted by the female characters in this book and the way the author is portraying women. Is this guy for real? Women have come too far to still be type casted like this and he's a school librarian!! This is how you want your students to see themselves?!?
Here's a glimpse of the female characters I met before I bailed:
Ana - a total bitch. Striving to be everything her parents want her to be, she treats everyone including her siblings like lesser beings. She continues to think Zak is a waste of life even when he is kind to her.
Sonya - chubby quiz bowl team member whom Zak doesn't think much of until he thinks she's flirting with him. Once he believes she may be interested in him, then all of a sudden Sonya seems kind of cute and he considers hooking up with her.
Star Trek Cosplayer - with tattoo that says "Beat Me Up Scotty."
Katniss cosplayer - total bitch who snaps at Ana when she tries to help fix her bow. Later she breaks her nose and Ana finds savage glee in this before taking her bow.
And the Washingcon registration lady - who is nice to Ana until she thinks Ana may be dating Zak and then of course gets "an edge in her voice" because she's jealous. When Ana clears up that she is not dating Zak, the lady immediately becomes friendly again and stumbles over herself talking about Zak.
Disgusting.
84 pages in and I won't be finishing. I'm absolutely disgusted by the female characters in this book and the way the author is portraying women. Is this guy for real? Women have come too far to still be type casted like this and he's a school librarian!! This is how you want your students to see themselves?!?
Here's a glimpse of the female characters I met before I bailed:
Ana - a total bitch. Striving to be everything her parents want her to be, she treats everyone including her siblings like lesser beings. She continues to think Zak is a waste of life even when he is kind to her.
Sonya - chubby quiz bowl team member whom Zak doesn't think much of until he thinks she's flirting with him. Once he believes she may be interested in him, then all of a sudden Sonya seems kind of cute and he considers hooking up with her.
Star Trek Cosplayer - with tattoo that says "Beat Me Up Scotty."
Katniss cosplayer - total bitch who snaps at Ana when she tries to help fix her bow. Later she breaks her nose and Ana finds savage glee in this before taking her bow.
And the Washingcon registration lady - who is nice to Ana until she thinks Ana may be dating Zak and then of course gets "an edge in her voice" because she's jealous. When Ana clears up that she is not dating Zak, the lady immediately becomes friendly again and stumbles over herself talking about Zak.
Disgusting.
First off, I wasn't expecting a lot out of this book. I know, I know, don't judge a book by it's cover and all that, but I just wasn't expecting anything amazing. And, I am glad to report how wrong I was.
We had some average characters that were totally relatable, a bunch of hilarious secondary characters, and we had some vaguely unrealistic shenanigans at a convention. Ana and Zak were both very easy POVs to read from and read about. The development and growth that they struggled through was very realistic, and nice.
Sure, I've never been to a ComicCon, but I'm sure that half the shenanigans that these two got into wouldn't really happen. That being said, I was able to suspend my disbelief, and enjoy the insanity.
This was a pleasantly good read, well- worth the time.
http://www.infinitybookreview.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-improbable-theory-of-ana-and-zak-by.html
We had some average characters that were totally relatable, a bunch of hilarious secondary characters, and we had some vaguely unrealistic shenanigans at a convention. Ana and Zak were both very easy POVs to read from and read about. The development and growth that they struggled through was very realistic, and nice.
Sure, I've never been to a ComicCon, but I'm sure that half the shenanigans that these two got into wouldn't really happen. That being said, I was able to suspend my disbelief, and enjoy the insanity.
This was a pleasantly good read, well- worth the time.
http://www.infinitybookreview.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-improbable-theory-of-ana-and-zak-by.html
An engaging and fast-paced read. As a con-goer, a lot of the scenes felt very true to me, though a little over the top. Ana and Zak's relationship was cute. 3.5/5
It was okay. Zak and Ana were both annoying, but Ana was especially stuck up and judgmental. Even towards the end of the book she thinks about how Zak is going to end up overweight and unsuccessful just because he likes going to conventions and playing nerdy games. I was expecting her attitude toward nerd culture to change a little, but she seems to remain closed minded. She does like Zak, but acts like she is so much better than everyone else. I did like the ending and how Zak and Ana both faced their problems, and the shenanigans throughout the book made for an entertaining read.