Review Detail

ZENN DIAGRAM by Wendy Brant is such an original and intriguing concept. Eva Walker, the protagonist, has a fresh, compelling voice that makes me love reading about her life. She is less interested in being pretty and more excited about being a math genius. She works hard to help her parents, but is not perfect. She is a nuanced character that feels overwhelmingly real and relatable, and ultimately is just a great role model for young readers. However, while Eva seems like a normal, down-to-earth girl, she is harboring a deep secret. Whenever Eva touches someone or their belongings, she can feel their emotions, problems, and deep thoughts. As a result, Eva avoids intimacy and people, at least until she meets Zenn.

The plot of ZENN DIAGRAM follows the typical Boy-Meets-Girl, Boy-Loses-Girl, Boy-Gets-Girl-Back prototype, but all the details in between are unpredictable and surprising. I did not expect the major plot twist or the great dialogue on trust, forgiveness, and letting go that comes after. Consequently, without being overly didactic, the story touches on many moral topics for the readers to ponder. Additionally, the pacing of the book is fluid and well-structured, so much so that I read all 315 pages in one sitting. In fact, I could not put the book down. I had to know what was going to happen.

For me, the only weak element of the novel is the ending scene between Eva and Zenn. I would have liked a more intense, epic reconciliation after all they had been through. Though it is understandable that they love each other, they never say it, and the final pay off seems to be lacking. Overall though, ZENN DIAGRAM is a fantastic read that paints a beautiful picture of family, friends, romance, dreams, hardships, and life. The relationship between Eva and Zenn is especially electrifying and will leave the readers swooning.