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erinlynn1989's review against another edition
3.0
Okay... I should have read this one months ago, but trying to read ebooks on my computer was really straining my eyes. I'm glad that I finally got to it because it was somewhat enjoyable, and unique.
Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts is the story of two very different Australian teenagers who have one thing in common - they have cancer. In a world where there are so many YA books about cancer being published, you want just one that you read to stand out. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything too striking about Zac & Mia.
The writing is okay, but I expected a little something more from an English teacher. There were quite a few times that I had to go back and re-read passages because the wording was awkward. The narration was weird. It starts off with Zac narrating, and I noticed his name, so I thought maybe there would be alternating chapters, but that doesn't happen until part two where Zac and Mia alternate chapters. That whole part is a little shaky. Mia starts solely narrating in part three, and it gets a little better again. I just thought it was a strange way to break up a book, but it does reflect how the two are living and the events in their lives.
I will note that I enjoyed that the American edition of this book is still very true to the author's Australian roots. There are references to foods and other Australian things in the book that I had to look up. It made the book a little more enjoyable. I think the book's setting might have been my favorite part because I've never read a book set in Australia before.
The book had enough going for it that I kept reading, but there were a few moments when I really wanted to put this book away for a while, but I wanted to find out more about Zac and Mia. Eventually I started to enjoy it a little more, and I read a good portion of it in just a few hours. I wish there was more. It just felt unfinished like the author was setting something up for a sequel.
In accordance to FTC guidelines, I must state that I received a free galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts is the story of two very different Australian teenagers who have one thing in common - they have cancer. In a world where there are so many YA books about cancer being published, you want just one that you read to stand out. Unfortunately, there isn't really anything too striking about Zac & Mia.
The writing is okay, but I expected a little something more from an English teacher. There were quite a few times that I had to go back and re-read passages because the wording was awkward. The narration was weird. It starts off with Zac narrating, and I noticed his name, so I thought maybe there would be alternating chapters, but that doesn't happen until part two where Zac and Mia alternate chapters. That whole part is a little shaky. Mia starts solely narrating in part three, and it gets a little better again. I just thought it was a strange way to break up a book, but it does reflect how the two are living and the events in their lives.
I will note that I enjoyed that the American edition of this book is still very true to the author's Australian roots. There are references to foods and other Australian things in the book that I had to look up. It made the book a little more enjoyable. I think the book's setting might have been my favorite part because I've never read a book set in Australia before.
The book had enough going for it that I kept reading, but there were a few moments when I really wanted to put this book away for a while, but I wanted to find out more about Zac and Mia. Eventually I started to enjoy it a little more, and I read a good portion of it in just a few hours. I wish there was more. It just felt unfinished like the author was setting something up for a sequel.
In accordance to FTC guidelines, I must state that I received a free galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
emilyanddeb's review against another edition
2.0
Randomly picked this up from a library shelf because the cover was cute. Don't judge a book by it's cover. I didn't really like this book. The characters are too complicated and never on the same page. Just didn't really enjoy this book.
samlo28's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
Zac and Mia is a nice, little story about the power of friendship.
The characters in this book seemed to be hit or miss. I thought Zac was charismatic, hopeful and very well written. Seeing his relationships with his family and the hospital staff really helped me understand him better. Mia, on the other hand, was a mess. Mia is lost and has always relied on her looks so when she learns she has cancer, what she used to know is taken away from her. I understand why she withdrew but I just couldn’t sympathize with her. She’s abrasive, loud and very unlikeable. There were a few instances that felt genuine when Zac and Mia interacted, but for the most part I was confused by why he was as fond of her as he was.
The pacing of the plot was alright although there were times when it seemed to drag a little bit. It honestly didn’t bother me though because the main characters had to do a lot of sitting and waiting, so it made sense. I also appreciated how the characters slowly got to know each other and it was a little awkward at first because that’s how life is.
My biggest issue with this novel is that it compares itself to The Fault in Our Stars right in the synopsis. I honestly think the book would benefit from removing this comparison because when it’s in someone’s head, they’re more likely to notice and to be annoyed by the amount of similarities that there are. Zac and Mia is it’s own book with it’s own message, but it lacks the charm that The Fault in Our Stars has. I believe I would have enjoyed Zac and Mia a lot more if that comparison hadn’t been made.
Zac and Mia is a nice, little story about the power of friendship.
The characters in this book seemed to be hit or miss. I thought Zac was charismatic, hopeful and very well written. Seeing his relationships with his family and the hospital staff really helped me understand him better. Mia, on the other hand, was a mess. Mia is lost and has always relied on her looks so when she learns she has cancer, what she used to know is taken away from her. I understand why she withdrew but I just couldn’t sympathize with her. She’s abrasive, loud and very unlikeable. There were a few instances that felt genuine when Zac and Mia interacted, but for the most part I was confused by why he was as fond of her as he was.
The pacing of the plot was alright although there were times when it seemed to drag a little bit. It honestly didn’t bother me though because the main characters had to do a lot of sitting and waiting, so it made sense. I also appreciated how the characters slowly got to know each other and it was a little awkward at first because that’s how life is.
My biggest issue with this novel is that it compares itself to The Fault in Our Stars right in the synopsis. I honestly think the book would benefit from removing this comparison because when it’s in someone’s head, they’re more likely to notice and to be annoyed by the amount of similarities that there are. Zac and Mia is it’s own book with it’s own message, but it lacks the charm that The Fault in Our Stars has. I believe I would have enjoyed Zac and Mia a lot more if that comparison hadn’t been made.
books_of_salma's review against another edition
4.0
Naarmate het boek vorderde, werd het steeds beter en beter. Mia maakte de beste karakterontwikkeling ooit door, want in het begin was ze nogal irritant. Zac was geweldig, zelfs op het einde.
vivianhester's review against another edition
4.0
3,5 sterren! Dit boek stond al zo'n eeuwigheid in mijn kast en ik ben blij dat ik het nu gelezen heb. Mooi verhaal over hoe totaal onromantisch en heftig het is om ernstig ziek te zijn: vooral de beschrijvingen van het ziekenhuisleven vond ik erg goed. Het boek begint en eindigt sterk, maar daartussenin is het een beetje vaag en misschien wat onrealistisch. Uitgebreide recensie: http://thebookreview.nl/recensies/contemporary/zac-mia-a-j-betts/
shelleyrae's review against another edition
5.0
A.J. Betts won the Text Prize for YA and Children's Writing in 2012 for her unpublished manuscript of Zac and Mia. Set in Western Australia, it is the story of two teenagers who meet while receiving treatment for cancer.
Seventeen year old Zac Meier is partway through an enforced period of isolation after a bone marrow transplant to treat his second re-occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia. Stuck in the adult oncology ward, with only his mother and the nurses asking about his bowel movements for company, when a blast of Lady Gaga penetrates the thin adjoining wall of his hospital room, Zac is intrigued by his new neighbour, Mia.
Before her diagnosis of osteosarcoma Mia gave little thought to the future but she could never have imagined she would face it as a 'one legged freak'. Furious with everyone and everything, including herself, and desperate to deny the reality of her situation, Mia tries to run as far away as she can from her old life.
The narrative is shared between the perspectives of Zac and Mia.
Betts characterisation is credible and I felt her portrayal of her protagonist's emotions and behaviours was realistic.
Zac is an easy character to like, he is sweet, thoughtful and deals with the indignities cancer treatment forces upon him graciously. His family is supportive, with his mother rarely leaving his bedside. He has a sense of humour about his situation, and remains hopeful even despite his bleak odds of long term survival.
"I don't moan about treatment because what's the point? The way I figure it, this is just a blip. The average life span for an Australian male is currently seventy nine years or 948 months. This hospital stay, plus the rounds of chemo and the follow up visits, add up to about nine months. That's only 1.05 percent of my life spent with needles and chemicals, which, put into perspective, is less that one of the tiles of the eighty-four on the ceiling. So, in the scheme of things, it's nothing."
Mia is a seemingly less sympathetic character, she is bitter, angry and absorbed by her own misery after her diagnosis, however I never held that against her. In truth, Mia is simply terrified and, completely overwhelmed, lashes out indiscriminately.
"Lucky?
While my friends were dancing at Summadayze, I was kept in observation with intravenous morphine. I pitched in and out of the world, visited by shrinks who attempted to talk about change and perspective and body image and luck. Then they hooked me up to more chemo. I couldn't eat, wouldn't talk, didn't watch when the wound was unbandaged or the staples taken out. I tried to trick myself beyond my fucked-up body, slipping between vivid dreams until the morphine was taken away and I was left to live like this."
The relationship that develops between Zac and Mia is well crafted and believable. Despite their differences, the pair form a tentative friendship, starting with a few taps on the hospital wall dividing them. It isn't until Mia unexpectedly turns up on Zac's doorstep once he is home though that the pair really begin to get to know one another.
While there is a touch of romance, it is important to note that Zac and Mia isn't a love story. This is a story about friendship, understanding, family and finding the strength to face life's difficult challenges. It is poignant and sweet, though Betts doesn't gloss over the darker realities of battling cancer.
The comparisons between Zac and Mia and John Green's [b:The Fault in Our Stars|11870085|The Fault in Our Stars|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360206420s/11870085.jpg|16827462] are almost inevitable given the similar premise, so I think it is important to point out that author interviews have them drafting their novels at about the same time. I loved The Fault In Our Stars but of the two, I think Zac and Mia is the more genuine story.
trailrunner17's review against another edition
5.0
Heart-wrenching character driven story of two teens that meet in a cancer ward. Quick read - probably for those waiting for the library copy of the Fault is in Our Stars by John Green. (I have yet to read it)