From Publishers Weekly
Plodding prose and stale analysis mar Christian journalist Zoba's rehashing of the grim details of the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School. Her argument seems to be that Columbine is a reflection of problems with America's soul. She is particularly interested in the Cassie Bernall question: Did Cassie proclaim herself to be a Christian before being shot? (Zoba admits that we can never know for certain, but she sides with the martyr theory.) Though rich in interviews with survivors and parents, the book skimps on interpretation; what analysis appears here is borrowed from other sources. Zoba too frequently quotes other reporters, sprinkling the book with references to Time, the New York Times Magazine and other publications. She suggests that Columbine sparked a spiritual revival among American teens, but doesn't offer enough supporting evidence to convince the reader that this is the case. Zoba's self-conscious positioning of herself as a mother and a journalist quickly wears thin; one wishes for an end to comments like "my journalistic instincts to get to the bottom of it went full throttle." Finally, the writing is often clumsy: "Many studies have shown, and experts agree, that teen violence, in many cases, easily could be preempted by more parental vigilance." While this may have worked as a magazine article (indeed, it began as a piece in Christianity Today), Zoba doesn't share enough original insights to sustain readers' attention through a whole book.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This is not just another rehash, reveling in the details of the shooting at Columbine High School. Zoba, senior writer for Christianity Today and former Time correspondent, is interested in the religious ramifications of the events, but she does not join the chorus of simplistic finger-pointers. Zoba presents the facts, claims, and counterclaims, as best as she can determine them, but is content to let them speak for themselves. The hurt and bewilderment of the killers' parents are juxtaposed with the killers' heartless attitudes and deeds. Zoba carefully brings us to the paradoxical nature of our predicament: it is too simple to blame society, guns, cultural violence, bullies at school, and so on, yet all are guilty. In the end, we are led to see a strong element of evil in our society. For Zoba, the tolerance of violence and of rootless relativism, which allows a Klebold or Harris to decide that he has evolved to a higher level and thus may live by his own code, is coupled with such a fear of religion that expression of religious feelings must be denied by the media and censored from school memorials. A thought-provoking alternative to other works on this tragedy. Eugene O. Bowser, Univ. of Northern Colorado, Greeley
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
