Book Review: I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff

Having devoured and enjoyed I am the Weapon, I now consistently ask myself why I didn’t pick it up earlier. You see, despite my somewhat common condemnation of the YA genre, now and then there is an anomaly. In this case, I am the Weapon turned out to be an anomaly. What a wonderful anomaly indeed! Forget the Wizard of Oz- Boy Nobody is even more wonderful. And honestly, with a name like Boy Nobody, there’s nothing that this boy can’t do.

Of course, it’s probably in your best interest to know who the heck Boy Nobody is. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Boy Nobody is the protagonist of I am the Weapon. However, he’s not your average weapon-carrying, somewhat hormonal teenager- he’s also an assassin. As in the “I-kill-people-for-reals” type of assassin. Of course, Boy Nobody’s story becomes even more interesting when he’s handed a mission that isn’t as easy as it seems. The mayor of New York is never an easy target, but when the mayor’s daughter is especially intriguing, let’s just say that things get a little dicey…

Deep down inside, Boy Nobody is still just a boy. He may be trained in the art of killing, but he’s also learning to master the art of growing up and the art of finding who he truly is. There’s just one problem though- how can he find himself while killing the mayor of New York? Turns out there are many ways indeed!

Perhaps most striking isn’t even the premise of the novel but rather the impeccable narration of Boy Nobody. Allen Zadoff masters blending together indifference and emotion, creating quite a believable and realistic (given the circumstances anyways…) character. What I love is the rather wide range of emotions that Boy Nobody shows, all while staying a rather, well, cold-hearted assassin. Allen Zadoff’s writing is truly impeccable- he makes a lot of good choices when it comes to the overall voice of Boy Nobody.

The plot is created and executed quite well. It’s one thing to have a brilliant plot, and it’s quite another thing to have it executed well as well. Allen Zadoff did both- a truly rare feat for any author. The twists, while there were quite a many, were spread out quite well. Most of all though, they surprised me while making complete sense! And, just in case you’re wondering, I am the Weapon is not one of those books where the whole entire thing turns out to be a reality show. Everything. Is. Legit.

If this glowing review hasn’t convinced you yet, perhaps caps lock will. GET THIS BOOK. IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW THE YA GENRE IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT ALREADY. Honestly, just buy this book. And meet Boy Nobody!

Rating: 7 out of 10

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 25, 2013)

Source: Netgalley

ISBN #: 9780316199674

Length: 368 pages (Paperback)

Valerie Zhang

Valerie is sixteen. She attends a boarding school near Boston, where she writes, reads, and attempts to be a studious student. She's too lazy to write the rest of this bio, so follow her on Twitter @torquoiseworld because shameless self-promotion is alive and thriving!