Zen and Xander Undone

I had my doubts when picking up the book, but I must say I am amazed. Zen and Xander, two sisters trying to cope with the death of their mother and the mystery she left behind, each grieve in their own way. One sister through martial arts, the other through sex and drugs. In order to get answers, the two embark on a sisterly conspiracy and learn an awful lot about each other.

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Two sisters who are totally different join together to solve a mystery. After the death of their mother less than a year ago, Zen (Athena) and Xander (Alexandra) are looking for ways to carry on. Their father is hiding out in his new basement bedroom and pretty much ignoring the girls.

Xander is and has always been the wild one, but since their mother's death her behavior has become completely defiant and even dangerous. Zen is worried.

Zen is all about control. Her interest in martial arts is just one example. The discipline, the ceremony, and the rigid standards are perfect for her. The emotional upheaval of losing her mother has her searching for stability.

The girls begin show more receiving letters and packages from their mother, sent by a mysterious someone. The items arrive on special occasions like Christmas, Mother's Day, and birthdays. When Zen and Xander attempt to discover the identity of the mysterious sender, they stumble across a secret life their mother has hidden for years. Did she have an affair? How long did it last? Was their parents' marriage in jeopardy?

In an effort to uncover the secret, the girls question neighbors, relatives, and even the family lawyer. They are determined to find the answers they seek no matter the consequences.

ZEN & XANDER UNDONE is an excellent addition to any collection of books for teenage girls. Amy Kathleen Ryan takes readers on an emotional ride as her believable characters face the challenge of surviving the loss of their mother and finding a way to move on toward whatever the future might hold. She combines heartbreaking emotions with humor and a bit of fun to capture readers and take them into the lives of Zen and Xander. show less

Ever since their mom past away, Zen and Xander have dealt with their grief in different ways. Zen turned to martial arts as a physical outlet while Xander turned to late night parties and drugs despite her exceedingly intelligence having been accepted to both CalTech and MIT. Zen although being the younger sister is watching out for Xander for her fighting skills comes in handy against unwanted men. Adam, however, Zen and Xander’s next door neighbor, is wanted. But ever so often a letter from their mother shows up and it breaks them even more.

There is nothing characteristically great about Zen and Xander Undone. It can be the fact that the novel is fairly short, clocking in at 200 some pages. It can also be because the novel focuses show more so much more on Xander that I lost Zen making the first person narration worthless. I do specifically recall her back pains for Zen—just a lot of back straining.

The various methods of grief—hidden from the world, physical violence, and destruction of oneself—are well done. The typical denial of death is not there, which is surprising considering the fact that letters and packages are being delivered to them. In the end, however, I still feel that the novel presented nothing wrenching or addicting to the reader making the novel feel longer than it truly was. It may seem like an oxymoron, a long short book, but it felt endless at times yet when it was done, it felt incomplete.

I do happen to like Paul, another male interest you shall meet. He added the extra oomph and comedic humor that every book needs. show less