Zenn Diagram

February 20, 2017
Eva is a funny math genius who swears a lot and adores her three-year-old quadruplet siblings. She’s also the pastor’s daughter and a devout Christian, who puzzles over the meaning of Bible passages. Brant handles Eva’s faith thoughtfully and realistically in this debut novel. Eva’s Christianity is central to her identity and helps her make decisions about sex, dating, and forgiveness. But there’s something else that is a major part of who Eva is: if she touches another person’s clothing or skin, she sees “fractal” images of his or her past experiences and emotions, which has led her to avoid human contact. This changes after Eva develops a crush on Zenn, a boy she’s tutoring in math. Brant patiently and carefully develops Eva and Zenn’s relationship, as well as the surprising and problematic connection between their families; as a result, Eva’s visions can feel like an unnecessary and distracting gimmick. But otherwise, this novel about complex emotional connections, painful family histories, hope, forgiveness, love, and romance is a promising start for Brant. Ages 14–up.

February 15, 2017
A girl with the ability to read people's emotions meets a boy who defies her expectations in this debut novel. Eva Walker, a white math genius and loner, has an inexplicable power: she sees visions of people's emotions and the histories behind them whenever she touches a person or objects they have handled. For this reason, she avoids tactile contact with people so that she is not affected by their emotional distresses and the subsequent feelings of helplessness they inspire in her. She plans to go to college to study neuroscience so she can discover the reasons behind her mysterious condition and lead a normal life. Her plans almost get derailed, however, when she meets Zenn, a cute new boy with dark looks (he is a quarter Vietnamese and three-quarters unspecified), while tutoring math. Though accidentally touching Zenn's jacket gives Eva a powerful and disturbing vision, their mutual attraction grows and intensifies. They learn through a series of dei ex machina that they are actually entwined in a shared tragic history, which may explain their unique connection. Though their romance is sweet, the plot that carries it forward is frequently contrived. The author's voice comes through too often to find Eva's voice entirely convincing, and her character development near the end feels rushed and forced. A light read for those looking for a meet-cute with a twist. (Paranormal romance. 14-18)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Eva Walker is content to be a self-described math nerd, but she doesn't like being considered a germaphobe by her classmates. It's true that she shies away from touching other people, but they don't know the truth: when Eva touches others, she is immediately able to get a sense of their innermost thoughts and feelings. Overwhelmed by this onslaught of unsolicited knowledge, she turns inward, focusing on her beloved math formulas, her three-year-old quadruplet siblings, and her best friend, Charlotte, who is also lingering on the social fringes. But Eva's life turns upside down after she begins tutoring new student Zenn. The dark maelstrom of emotions that Eva receives when she accidentally touches his jacket are complicated by her immediate attraction to Zenn's rebellious, artistic nature. Brant deftly navigates changing friendships and parental bonds with a taciturn, angst-ridden teen protagonist who is also loving and thoughtful-a refreshing yet authentic balance. With the added boost of a surprising (but well-resolved) plot twist and a hint of the paranormal grafted onto a main trunk of realistic YA fiction, this sophisticated debut depicts teen issues with nuance and aplomb. Eva and Zenn's sexual relationship is referenced, but with a light, not-too-graphic touch.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2017
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* High-school senior Eva Walker longs for touch, but she avoids most human contact because of her ability to detect fractals. When she touches people or their possessions, she senses their secret fears and struggles. On the plus side, Eva's sensitivity serves her well as a math tutor, as she can instantly assess students by touching their calculators. Eva, however, is puzzled by her newest tutee, Zenn Bennett: his calculator reveals nothing, yet his worn jacket knocks her down with the ferocity of its fractal. As her initial attraction to Zenn grows, Eva decides that touching him is worth the risk. Soon, though, their budding relationship is threatened by a shocking family connection that may ultimately drive them apart. Brant's debut is an absolute treat. First-person narrators can so easily slide into sameness, but Eva's voice as a gifted math geek with a sense of humor is fresh and compelling. Though the plot coincidences stretch belief at times, they are forgiven in light of the strengths of the story, which include a unique premise, natural dialogue, and complex characters. This story could be classified as speculative fiction, romance, or a contemporary realistic novel. It is indeed all of the above, and well done on all fronts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
Misfit mathematician Eva can't stand human contact, since touching another person reveals his or her secret emotional struggles--a "gift" Eva finds intense and disturbing. Then Eva meets Zenn, a boy whom Eva can touch without consequence. A crush turns into love, even after the teens learn they have a shared tragic past. Standard coming-of-age romance with a kinda-supernatural twist and a saccharine ending.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)