| Assassins -- Juvenile fiction. |
| Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction |
| Interpersonal relations -- Juvenile fiction |
| High schools -- Juvenile fiction |
| Schools -- Juvenile fiction |
| Hatchet men (Assassins) |
| Hit men |
| Hitmen |
| Triggermen |
Available:
Library | Shelf Number | Shelf Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Attleboro Public Library | YA ZADOFF,A | YOUNG ADULT FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Dartmouth - Southworth | YA ZAD | YOUNG ADULT FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... East Bridgewater Jr/Sr High School | ZAD | FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Mansfield Public Library | YA FIC ZADOFF | YOUNG ADULT FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Somerset Public Library | YA ZADOFF ALLEN | YOUNG ADULT FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
They needed the perfect assassin.
Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die -- of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.
But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.
In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Zadoff (Since You Left Me) switches gears and shines in this violent, entertaining twist on the teen spy novel. His unnamed 16-year-old protagonist lost his identity when he was kidnapped and his parents murdered. Forced into a grueling training program, the teen now gets sent on undercover missions, befriending the children of powerful targets, getting invited to their houses, and killing their parents. He never questions his orders or actions until he's given five days to infiltrate a ritzy private school and kill the mayor of New York City. Between the unreasonably short timetable and his attraction to Sam, the mayor's gorgeous half- Israeli daughter, he begins to wonder about his purpose and question the secretive Program that has trained and groomed him. Zadoff doesn't break new ground, but he builds a tense and exciting story with a strong cast; Sam's overprotective friend Darius and her frenemy Erica, in particular, are more complex than is typical for characters in those roles. If Zadoff occasionally pushes it with the gadgety spycraft, the blunt and hard-edged narration and twists will keep readers riveted. Ages 15-up. Agent: Stuart Krichevsky, Stuart Krichevsky Agency. (June)? (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Assassin Boy Nobody serves a mysterious organization called The Program, assuming new identities to get close to his targets. When an assignment involving the mayor of New York stirs up memories of Boy Nobody's past, it complicates his mission. Zadoff's action-packed text suffers from excessive exposition, but the book's intriguing concept and unanswered questions set up anticipation for future installments. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Boy Nobody is a coldly dispassionate teenage assassin working for a mysterious organization called the Program. When it assigns him his next mission to assassinate the mayor of New York it seems at first like business as usual. But then he meets Sam, the mayor's beautiful daughter. Suddenly, his mission is abruptly changed, and all bets are off. The formerly obedient Boy Nobody begins asking questions that are dangerous to his mission and to himself. Readers may question that a teenager is capable of playing the role assigned to Boy Nobody, but books like these require a suspension of disbelief, and most readers will be willing to make that suspension for the sake of the fast-paced plot and the surprisingly sympathetic protagonist. Operating in the tradition of both James Bond and of Robert Cormier's I Am the Cheese (1977), Boy Nobody is an auspicious first volume in a promised new series of action-adventure thrillers that will keep readers clamoring for more.--Cart, Michael Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-In this fast-paced thriller, readers quickly learn that 16-year-old "Boy Nobody," a Jason Bourne-like assassin, doesn't have friends. He receives his assignments from a clandestine group called "The Program." Intelligent and skilled in combat, he's been trained to ignore sentiment and emotion in favor of finely tuned instincts and intuition to kill. But nagging questions about his past, The Program, and his role in it are brought to the forefront when his handlers, "Mother" and "Father," give him a new mission on an accelerated time line. The latest target is beautiful Sam Goldberg's father, who's also the lauded mayor of New York City. This novel is predominately narrated by Boy Nobody in first-person present tense (save for the occasional revelatory flashback). The teen characters are world-weary and mature, but at the same time realistically vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation. Sex is suggested or happens off page. With short, action-filled chapters, this is a good choice for reluctant readers. It reads much like popular adult thrillers and will certainly find its way into the hands of guys, but also holds appeal for any suspense-novel fan. Unresolved mysteries and an open-ended conclusion make this a promising start to an exciting new series.-Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
An unnamed teen assassin finds himself torn between a girl and his mission. Zadoff's 16-year-old protagonist saw the life of his father ripped away by a close friend when he was 12. Since then, he's been under the employ of "Mother" and "Father," the heads of an organization that uses children as hired killers. He's one of the best: He's professional and always finishes the job smoothly and cleanly without a mess. The killings all have low levels of blood and gore and usually look like accidents so he can escape the scene without any suspicion. When he's charged with taking out the mayor of New York City, however, things get complicatedespecially when he crushes on the mayor's daughter, who goes to his school. Zadoff's chapters are short, staccato and to-the-point, mirroring the narrative voice of his protagonist. His paragraphs rarely run over four lines long. His nameless, tough-as-nails lead character has just the right balance of cunning, heart and conscience to win the respect and admiration of many teen readers, even reluctant ones. The plot speeds along seamlessly with plenty of action and drama, and hairpin turns will keep readers guessing; a twist in the end will have them begging for more. Fast, furious and fun. (Thriller. 14 up)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.