Review: My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff

Title: My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies

Author: Allen Zadoff

Series: nope

Book #: 1

Pages: 288

Reading Level: YA

Book Rating: .9

Published: May 10, 2011

by EgmontUSA

High school sophomore Adam Zeigler, who lost his father to a sudden accident two years ago, thinks the best way to live life is behind the spotlight. As a member of the theater crew, he believes he's achieved it all when he wins the coveted job of spotlight operator. But that was before a young actress, Summer, appeared in his view. Instantly smitten, Adam is determined to win her over. But to do so, he'll have to defy his best friend and break the golden rule of his school: techies and actors don't mix.

Set against the backdrop of a high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Zadoff's latest is a bromance, a love story, and theater story in one. The politics of love and high school collide as Adam struggles to find the courage to step out of the shadows and into the light.

Taschima's POV:

I'm trying to remember the last book I read which was a stand alone... Nope can't remember. Well, besides this one of course. I think it was Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block. Why is it a hard time for me to remember this? Because I don't generally pick up stand alone books. I like series. I like revisiting characters and watching them grow. I don't like saying good bye. But that doesn't mean stand alone books are bad, on the contrary come of them are fantastic. Like this one. Very entertaining and real. A book for every teenage boy out there. Boy lead, not many out there!

In this book we meet Adam Zeigler who goes by Z and he is a techie. You know how you always read about the actors in the play and never about the person behind the stage? In this book you get to hear about the people who create everything from lights to sound to everything! Z is in charge of lights. He loves lights, they comfort him. Throught the novel we see Z deal with the death of his father, and other normal teenage stuff like the new actress with the faerie costume...

This book was like a breath of fresh air for me. Every single page I was like when are the vampires going to eat the faeries? I think my brain was just waiting for the kid to grow fur. But no, this novel is a coming of age novel. Its cute, and fun to read about Z. He really reminded me of a friend I used to have in my old high school. The whole novel reminded me of high school. Not the best days of my life, but it just comes to show that the author got the real high school vibe. We are not all attached daily by flushies, but cliques certainly exist and kids have to help each other out. The relationship between Z and the girl he liked though some people may say its not real I believed it! It can happen, in fact it has happened! Just because it hasn't happen to you it doesn't mean it's not possible. Oh and the bromance between Z and his beat friend? Not to be missed!! I really liked the best friend character.

Anyways, all I'm really trying to say is, it's so worth a read or two. It will not change your life, it might, but at least it will give you a whole new perspective on certain things. It's a nice high school book. So not my usual cup of tea but I really enjoyed it.