Review: Zac and Mia

I received this book from ALA in July, and I was absolutely thrilled to get it, I had heard so many positive things about it, I knew that it would a sort of twist off of The Fault in Our Stars, but in the best way.
“When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics.” So says seventeen-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. Once released, the two near-strangers can’t forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives. The story of their mysterious connection drives this unflinchingly tough, tender novel told in two voices.

Summary: Zac is sick, really, really sick, but it seems as though he is given a second chance when he receives a bone marrow transplant. He knows his odds are low, but he has a surprisingly positive perspective about it. His next door neighbor in the hospital, Mia, however, does not have the same attitude, even though she has a 90% chance at surviving and he has about 30%. They are two people that probably would never get along out in the real world, but hospital worlds are different. At the beginning, their friendship is weird, and very non-communative, but things grow slowly but surely. 

PROS: I love the way that Zac thinks. He is all about statistics and facts, and, to me at least, it's a fair perspective when you have cancer. This book sticks to reality, this isn't a gooey love story, or a sappy novel about how you can make the best out of cancer. No, cancer is cancer, and they realize that. I loved how Zac and Mia didn't automatically become the best of friends, because those type of things don't just happen. They simply seem to understand each other, and at times they can be selfish, and at other times they prove to be loving. 

CONS: I wish Mia's perspective would've been entered into the book sooner, because it was hard to figure out what was going on with her, but that's why you have to be patient with this book. You also have to be patient with Mia, I promise, eventually she will grow on you. 

Rate: I love the realism in this book, I love the fact that it's set in Australia. I love that you get to see two very different perspectives on similar situations. 5 out of 5 books (because books are better than stars).