Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - The Zookeeper

The Zookeeper
The Zookeeper
Author: Alex MacLennan
At 34 years old, Sam Metcalfe's life looks pretty complete, even to himself. He has a good, solid job as a zookeeper in Washington, D.C. where he cares for the primates and one ageing curmudgeon of a father figure, Jack Kinsely. At home Sam is equally the "keeper" for his nuclear family that includes his business-like mother, ambitious sister, a...  more »
ISBN-13: 9781555839369
ISBN-10: 1555839363
Publication Date: 5/2006
Pages: 344
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 4

3.4 stars, based on 4 ratings
Publisher: Alyson Books
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
Read All 1 Book Reviews of "The Zookeeper"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

Leigh avatar reviewed The Zookeeper on + 378 more book reviews
What a surprisingly touching book this is. I'd ordered it in error, having confused this title with another for a book club, and so the book sat on my shelf for several years. Lo and behold, I pick it up and immediately fall in love with Sam, the main character, who is an adorably insecure guy, completely overtaken with mothering the world. The well-rounded characters are what makes this book work. I knew them well enough by the end to tell you what each would be thinking.

I enjoyed the friendship between Sam and Laurel the most, I think. I question some of Laurel's decisions and I know that if I had a friend like Sam, I couldn't have done what she did.

I couldn't give it five stars because, although I loved the large metaphor throughout, I felt like the author explained it too much to the reader, especially in the final chapters.

As a first work of fiction, I think this is pretty amazing and I think the author can only get better.


Genres: