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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
sad
tense
medium-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:
No
amazing book
This was astonishing to read. I honestly can't say if I ever remember reading the blurb, so when I found out that the 2 POVs were separate timelines I was at a loss for words. Reshmina provided such a powerful point of view to US citizens. What Brandon went through as a child hit harder once I realized his age as a child was about how old I was when 9/11 happened.
Brandon is spending the day with his dad, a cook on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center. He sneaks away for a while to buy something and that is when the first plane hits. He tries desperately to get back to his dad but when he is unable to, he works with another survivor to escape. Reshmina is a young teen in Afghanistan. Her life has been filled with war and violence. When a soldier asks for help after an attack, she can't help but come to his aid.
This book is definitely emotionally intense. I was in high school when the attacks happened and vividly remember much of that day. It seems so weird to me that a book about those events can be historical fiction, but 20 years later, it definitely is. Gratz is one of the few authors who I would trust to treat the subject with the delicacy and respect that is necessary for young readers. He managed to portray the horror of that day while not getting too graphic.
This book is definitely emotionally intense. I was in high school when the attacks happened and vividly remember much of that day. It seems so weird to me that a book about those events can be historical fiction, but 20 years later, it definitely is. Gratz is one of the few authors who I would trust to treat the subject with the delicacy and respect that is necessary for young readers. He managed to portray the horror of that day while not getting too graphic.
Spoiler
The twist near the end with Taz being Brandon was a little expected as an adult reader but enjoyable nontheless.
challenging
dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ground Zero follows two storylines set almost two decades apart. Firstly, the story follows a young boy named Brandon as he accompanies his father Leo to his job in the North Tower. Needing something from the basement below, Brandon sneaks away from his father to make his way down there but on his way the first plane hits the tower leaving him unable to return. As he attempts to make his way back up the tower, he meets a businessman named Richard. Together the two try and figure out what is going on and after Brandon finally gets his father on the phone the second plane hits and they realize they are being attacked. Knowing they cannot help Leo the pair make their way down to the basement and successfully get there before the tower collapses. Following their escape from the basement, Brandon goes to live with Richard and his family. Almost twenty years later a girl named Reshmina is living in Northeastern Afghanistan living her life as she deals with the lasting effects of the 9/11 attacks. One such effect is that the United States military comes to her village in search of Taliban weapons which causes a firefight between the two. Following this engagement she encounters a wounded American named Taz and feeling compelled to help him she takes him to her house. While her father goes to tell the Americans Taz is there, another villager tells the Taliban. This leads to another confrontation in her village which leads Reshmina, her family, and Taz to travel to the river to escape. Once there Taz reveals his name is actually Brandon and that the attacks on September 11th inspired him to join the military. While she had never heard of the attacks, Brandon tells her what happened during the intervening twenty years. Following some continued fighting Brandon admits to Reshmina that he has no idea why they are still there after so long. The story then ends with them going their own separate ways in the hopes of living better lives.
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ground Zero is a gut punch of a novel that weaves together two seemingly disparate stories into a powerful narrative about humanity, survival, and interconnectedness. The dual perspectives of Brandon, a nine-year-old trapped in the World Trade Center, and Reshmina, an Afghan girl living in the aftermath of war, create a compelling and different view of how one day can ripple through generations. What struck me most was how Gratz humanizes both sides of a complex historical moment. Brandon's terrifying survival story is balanced by Reshmina's daily struggle under Taliban rule. Absolutely recommended for readers of all ages who want to understand this pivotal moment in modern history.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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:
No
I read this to help Tyson with a school assignment. Through tears, I write this review. Such an incredibly poignant, moving read.
Brandon Chavez should have been in school; however, he was suspended for punching the class bully. With nowhere else to go, Brandon had no choice but to accompany his single father to work at the Windows of the World on the 107th floor of the North Tower in the World Trade Center.
Brandon innocently sneaks away, heading for the nearest elevator to buy a replacement Wolverine Claw that was broken in the squabble with the class bully. While in the elevator, a loud boom and rumble disrupts his mission. Trapped and completely out of touch with his surroundings, Brandon has no idea that the North Tower has just been attacked.
Reshmina is an inquisitive, bright, feisty young girl living in a country that does not celebrate such traits. Her homeland, Afghanistan, has been under constant attack from both within and America. She does not know of the peaceful times her grandmother speaks of. Instead, she only knows of a world where loved ones die and women do what they are told. Her desires to learn and teach are mocked by her twin brother, Pasoon.
Following a disagreement of ethical and moral choices, Passon abandons his family in search of the taliban, a known refuge for lost, angry boys. Reshmina tries to convince her brother to stay but his mind is already set.
A truly masterful combination of seemingly opposite trajectories: two young people from opposite sides of the world fighting for survival in horrifically tragic times with indomitable spirits and courage. So many talking points and teachable moments. Grateful I picked this one up and so glad I am sharing with my boys.
Brandon Chavez should have been in school; however, he was suspended for punching the class bully. With nowhere else to go, Brandon had no choice but to accompany his single father to work at the Windows of the World on the 107th floor of the North Tower in the World Trade Center.
Brandon innocently sneaks away, heading for the nearest elevator to buy a replacement Wolverine Claw that was broken in the squabble with the class bully. While in the elevator, a loud boom and rumble disrupts his mission. Trapped and completely out of touch with his surroundings, Brandon has no idea that the North Tower has just been attacked.
Reshmina is an inquisitive, bright, feisty young girl living in a country that does not celebrate such traits. Her homeland, Afghanistan, has been under constant attack from both within and America. She does not know of the peaceful times her grandmother speaks of. Instead, she only knows of a world where loved ones die and women do what they are told. Her desires to learn and teach are mocked by her twin brother, Pasoon.
Following a disagreement of ethical and moral choices, Passon abandons his family in search of the taliban, a known refuge for lost, angry boys. Reshmina tries to convince her brother to stay but his mind is already set.
A truly masterful combination of seemingly opposite trajectories: two young people from opposite sides of the world fighting for survival in horrifically tragic times with indomitable spirits and courage. So many talking points and teachable moments. Grateful I picked this one up and so glad I am sharing with my boys.
This reminded me a lot of "All We Have Left," specifically Alia's story and Brandon's story. There are some parallels that both book clubs could make in a combined meeting, but some different issues to discuss as well.