Zeroes

The superhero story is one that has been told many times, and the heroes, or Zeroes, of this book are nothing new to the genre. What is new though is how this group of teenage misfits respond to having such powers. The fact that they call themselves Zeroes doesn't just refer to the fact that they were all born in 2000: in some way, each of them is a social zero, often caused by the very power that gives them the potential of being a hero. Written in the third person, each chapter alternates between the different characters - with their Zero name heading the chapter. The descriptions of how their powers influence how they perceived the world, and how they actually used those powers, made each voice very distinct, especially so with Crash and Mob. You find your view of each character changing slightly, depending on whose viewpoint you are reading. The events of the book are just that little bit impossible (which is expected with a superhero story), but the switch in lead characters makes it so much more believable as you can understand why each person took the steps that they did. Most of the characters have known each other for a while before the events of the book, but Westerfeld doesn't waste time with back story. He dives straight into the action and fills in the gaps as the story progresses. This is cleverly and subtly done, so you are not left wondering. There is no wasted space in this book: down time for one character is action-central for another. The finale is literally explosive. I really enjoyed Zeroes and think there is real potential for a great series The characters are flawed and human, just with powers. If superheroes really did appear, I bet they would be just like the Zeroes. I would give this book 5 out of 5 and I would recommend it to teenagers aged 14 and upwards (some elements are not suitable for younger teens). 560 pages / Ages 14+ / Reviewed by Hayley Nicholson, librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 11+