Zoe Rosenthal is Not Lawful Good

Master planner Zoe Rosenthal, who is Jewish, has her future figured out: “Meet soulmate; Make commitment; Marriage: TO COME! (after college).” By senior year of high school, she’s already found the perfect boyfriend in serious-minded Simon Murawski, who works tirelessly to get his favorite Massachusetts senatorial candidate elected, usually with loyal Zoe beside him. Then Zoe is introduced to Bleeders, a TV show about women doctors combatting a fatal bloody virus in space. Down-to-earth Simon abhors the program, but Zoe is hooked. Now her days are spent scheming ways to escape the Boston area (and Simon) to attend sci-fi/fantasy conventions, where she can cosplay her favorite character with a newfound group of kindred spirits and enjoy more freedom. Zoe always returns to being her boyfriend-pleasing self, but soon she begins to wonder if it’s time to reconsider her plans. Werlin (Impossible) vividly paints fandom antics, tracing Zoe’s evolution during her thrilling, often hilarious trips to cons around the country. The scarcity of scenes showing Simon and Zoe together destabilizes the novel’s effectiveness, but messages of self-discovery will resonate. Ages 14–up. [em](Apr.) [/em]