Playground Zero

by Sarah Relyea

2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Literary
2021 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Social Issues

A story about girlhood in the 1960s.

1968. Siren songs and loosened bonds. War, campaign slogans, and assassination. At the height of the Vietnam War protests, Washington lawyer Tom Rayson uproots his family for the freewheeling city of Berkeley. As her parents make forays into the counterculture, twelve-year-old Alice embraces the moment in America’s cultural ground zero. Feeling estranged from her family and school, Alice falls in with Jim and Valerie Dupres, whose dad is selling jeans and making revolution. Jim and Valerie have been learning the ropes on Telegraph Avenue and camping out in People’s Park. As family and school fade away in a tear-gas fog, Alice feels an ambiguous freedom. Following the Summer of Love, she must find her way through a new world where street signs hang backward and there’s a bootleg candy called Orange Sunshine. Caught up in a rebellion that feels equally compelling and absurd, Alice could become a casualty—or she could defy the odds and become her own person. One thing is sure: there’s no going back.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2020

About the author

Sarah Relyea is the author of Playground Zero, a novel set in the late 1960s. Sarah grew up in Berkeley during the counterculture movement of the 1960s. As a young girl, she went to the infamous Altamont concert and frequented Telegraph Avenue. She would soon swap California's psychedelic scene for studying English literature at Harvard. A PhD who has taught at universities in New York and Taiwan, she has long addressed questions of identity in her writing, including in her book of literary criticism, Outsider Citizens: The Remaking of Postwar Identity in Wright, Beauvoir, and Baldwin. Sarah lives in Brooklyn, New York, but she spends time in Northern California.

Reviews

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
Playground Zero is a finely written work of Historical Fiction set in Berkeley, California during the years 1968 – 1971. The story follows Alice Rayson from the age of 10 to 13 years, when she and her family lived in Berkeley. Alice finds it hard to fit in after moving from Washington, D.C. where she had many friends. Berkeley had a very different culture to Washington, D.C. With her parents, Marian and Tom, concentrating on their own lives and problems they give Alice free reign to make her own decisions and mistakes. With her father’s frequent absences and her mother’s apathy Alice feels she has no one to talk to and confide in.

Sarah Relyea’s look back at the psychedelic 60’s through the eyes of a pre-teen was eye-opening and heart-breaking. She includes details of the political unrest of the time, the Peace and Freedom Movement, civil protests, demonstrations and police confrontations.

Told in multiple points of view the Rayson family were finding their place during a time of great political upheaval for America with the ongoing controversy over the Vietnam war and the protests at the Berkeley Campus of the University of California.

Sarah Relyea’s writing is profound and haunting. With short sentences that flow effortlessly this is a literary style I enjoy reading.

Alice is a child living a lonely life desperately trying to fit in, be accepted, knowing what is right and wrong but lacking the maturity to say no, she tests the limits and runs wild.

Playground Zero is not a book to rush through. It is better to read it slowly, absorb the words and immerse yourself in the characters, their development and capture a picture of Berkeley at a crucial time in history.
*I received an ecopy from Stephanie Barko Literary Publicist

[Becca (beccas_bibliophilia) · Rating 1 out of 5]

why are children doing so much acid

[Aida Alberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me back to a time that I knew very little about and I experienced it through the eyes of a child as she grew up during this time. Well told. I found it engrossing, fascinating and different. So if you're looking for something a little different this is the book for you. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Happy reading! #PlaygroundZero #NetGalley

[Sharon Dukett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a complex story told from the point of view of many characters, but predominately from 2 main characters in in the Rayson family - Alice and her mother. We see several scenes from the fathers point of view and some from the brother, but by and large, they are characters of lesser importance.
Alice's story covers her as a child from 10 years old until 13, while living in Berkeley California during the late 60's as intense cultural change and experimentation is taking place. Her family moves there and she must adjust to an environment that is completely foreign from her prior life in Washington DC. At times I had trouble following what age she currently was and her thoughts seemed too old for one so young, but perhaps that was the result of this life she was leading. Alice, like many pre-teen girls, has a lot on her mind, but doesn't share her thoughts with others. As a result, she appears to others in the story to not have the deep thoughts and intense experiences that we know she has.
Her parents are largely selfish and wrapped up in their own lives, oblivious to what their daughter is going through, and not trying much to find out. Alice meanwhile, is trying to find her place in this confusing time while being ignored and neglected by her family. The results are at times shocking as we watch her muddle her way through a world were the adults have largely given up acting like adults and the children are encouraged to run wild. Watching Alice's interactions with all this tells the story of the times in a way that only insiders have likely seen before. Relyea's novel takes you into a world that once existed in a way not previously experienced, with brilliant detail and characters that jump off the page.

[Dorothy Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding book. Provocative. Compelling, unforgettable characters. The 60's through a child's eyes. It will blow your mind and break your heart.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

*What I like about the story is the third-person point of view. The story is told from the third person narrative (he, she, they.) The focus is on the different members of the Raysons' family. The parents are Tom and Marian. Their children are Curt and Alice. Other characters are included, but this story is about the Raysons. Reading a third-person narrative, I was able to take a seat and watch the story unfold. In this way of telling the story, Playground Zero doesn't tell or teach me to have an opinion other than the one in my mind. I can read the story and let it unfold, then create my own feeling and judgment.

*I like reading a story that's out of my normal type read. This broadens my mind at the least. Whether I will end up enjoying the book is another thing.

*The Raysons' family is an example of parents and children who are not connecting. Each person is focused on something other than each other. Each of them want to connect with something or someone whether it's another person or an event that will fill what's absent from their lives. In other words, each of the family members are searching for something that will bring meaning, stability, and intimacy. At times, the kids are looking to a parent for direction and guidance. They are looking for a stable and secure home, because the outside world is a scary place. Instead, the kids get zero help in the home. Is it possible that's why the title is Playground Zero?
Connection and intimacy are themes and conflicts running through the story.

*When Alice and Curt start school in Berkeley, California, school integration has begun. This is new for them. It's not new to have relationships with people of the African American race. It is new for African American and white children to be in the classroom together. Alice wants to be a friend no matter the person's race. However, her good intentions are not matched with other students who are comfortable and accepting. This is an additional conflict in her life. She has a hard time finding a connection whether it's at home, in school, or in the neighborhood.
Curt is a physical person. He's athletic. It helps that boys regardless of race play sports together.

*The way the two races of kids treat one another was interesting. I saw a curiosity, but an unwillingness and inability to know how to integrate with one another. This is another conflict in the story.

*One of the things I had trouble with in the book is Alice is ten (and she's twelve at the end) when the story begins. The story follows the family for a year. Her person seems older-a teenager and not a kid of ten. I had a difficult time believing that Alice is ten. If she'd been thirteen when the story began, then I'd state this story had a believable quality.

*I enjoyed the east coast versus west coast differences. The family began in Washington D.C. and relocated across the country to Berkeley, California.

*I laughed at the adults in the story who complain about people who judge others when they too judge.

*Tom and Marian have strong ideas of what they want their kids to experience. However, being strong stable parents is not one of those ideas.

*I experienced through Alice's eyes the demonstrations, riots, and the chaos that transpired.

*The story doesn't focus much on Curt. I wanted to hear more about his life.

*Lastly, there is a closure for the family. A big change comes and the kids are thrust to a new place. Alice has experienced big changes in the year at Berkeley, California. Her person grew in age one year, but in experience probably 30 years. Of course, I'd like to know the rest of her story!

*Final thoughts:
This is not a story that is a "feel good" story. It is a book that is revealing about people. There were moments when I was infuriated at the parents. I had moments of deep sadness for Alice. It is a book I'll not forget. This is the last point and the main reason that led me to give this book an excellent rating: it is memorable!

Source: I received a complementary ARC paperback copy from the publisher, I was not required to write a positive review.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating story!

Relyea pens a remarkable "coming of age" story in Playground Zero: A Novel. I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. The characters were raw and complex, and even though the main character was 12 (Alice), there were a lot of layers to both her and the story. This author is not just a writer but a great storyteller. An enjoyable journey. An enjoyable journey. Magnificent story, kept this reader turning the pages. The reader is taken back to the 60's (1960's), which is an interesting era in itself, and brings that era to life. The intensity and free flowing stories within 60's Berkley. Relyea is a very strong writer, and the story is told in an intriguing way that makes this a definite attention grabber. It's a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. This author's characters develop and interacts well with the other characters. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

[Lisa Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

1960s Berkeley springs to life as a major "character" in this engrossing, compassionate, beautifully written tale of a young girl facing choices that would be confounding even for a much older kid. We see how unprotected 12 year-old Alice is -- how the adults around her are so self-centered and absorbed in their own lives that Alice is left to experience the Telegraph Avenue scene, drugs, and difficulties at school by herself. And when she experiences a violent incident, she must metabolize it without the concern or support of others. The novel is a little long, but there are rewards on every page. I particularly liked the spot-on depiction of an experimental high school with no curriculum and "teachers" who sleep with students. Relyea creates vivid characters and memorable scenes, and we meditate on what it means to have freedom for which one isn't ready. Highly recommended.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Rayson family moves from DC to Berkeley in 1968, 12-year-old Alice finds herself awash in a sea of change unlike anything she'd ever expected. Her brother Curt, father Tom, and mother Marian all find themselves ebbing in trials and flowing with confrontations from all manner of new experiences and temptations themselves. Alice yearns for a new group and finds camaraderie with acid dropping playground drug dealers. Her mother and father both take up with other lovers, leading to divorce. What becomes of Curt, a teenager in 1968 Berkeley, a city of black panther sympathizers, moody book readers, and dope smoking concert goers? The whole family was running in the mud of a counterculture steeped in anarchy.

[Arthur Kyriazis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, written by Prof Sarah Relyea, is a tour de force memoir of the Sixties as experienced in California in the sixties.

The writing is beautiful, the story telling is crisp and engaging, and this book, like the time period it encapsulates, is at once innocent and captivating.

Not just a must read, but a book which should be added to every high school middle school and college English curriculum.

A wonderful novel/memoir superbly done.

—Art K

[Kelly Erwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is really good, it's just a slow read at first. My mom grew up in the 60s and from the stories I've heard I feel like I can relate to the characters.

[Elizabeth Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is both wonderful and difficult. Wonderful because it takes on the often-told story of family conflict and the often-told story of the 60s in San Francisco and Berkley, and give it a very different spin. Painful because it addresses parental neglect, sexual assault, the challenges of growing up, and the difficulties of making relationships work at all ages. We see those things through the eyes of several different characters, but most powerfully through the eyes of a young girl, Alice Rayson. Each of her parents, her older brother, and some of their friends get a say, too, but it is Alice who really moves us through the story. Instead of seeing sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll from the perspective of the young adults who made the youth movement happen, we see it through the eyes of a child. And through that child we confront the realities of growing up in a chaotic time with few rules and erratic enforcement.

There is no possibility of romanticizing the 60s in this book. We see the grit, the pain, and the conflicts up close and we are left with hope.

[Sherry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be terribly written. While hoping to find a book that accurately portrayed the geist of the time and place and brought me back to my youth I could not find any character or place that resonated as true to my experience. I found the writing itself to be in need of a basic editor, the characters to be boiler plate and unsympathetic and the place descriptions to be surface and totally unengaging. Since this book was highly recommended by a reader I respect I continued trudging on in the hopes of finding something of value. I finally gave up in extreme irritation, bordom and disappointment. I decided to follow the works of my most cherished author Doris Lessing:

"There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag-and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement."

[Bev Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow moving

I enjoyed the last third of the book. But found the first part boring and slow moving. Definitely a coming of age book. Not sure why so many 5 star reviews. The book was set in 1965, I was in junior high then in Virginia. Leap years away from Alice.

[Jane Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in college during the time this book took place. I’d made it through typical suburban schools (who knew there were other worlds to explore) and survived my grandmother’s disruption to my life, her out-of-bounds insistence that I had to have my own [girl] clothes, that there was something very wrong with wearing my brother’s hand-me-downs. My mother caved, I had to wear sunsuits, dresses, out of style and not-cool hand me downs from female cousins, endure burning permanent waves to my hair periodically. But the ban held.

The era of this book was a pivotal time for women, sometimes I think few people remember it, and those who came after often take it for granted. I changed, my mother changed. Life changed. I remember when pants were finally allowed girls in school, although they had to be part of a matching pant-suit ensemble. Do I remember this correctly? It is hard to fathom and strikes me that what I wore is still so forefront in my mind.

In this story I also see one of two parenting styles so prevalent where I live now, the absent, self-absorbed parents whose children go when and where they want vs the helicopter parents. I am the child of mostly helicopter parenting, although the basis was religious, definitely not career or independence oriented.

Alice was developing her personhood in the absent parenting trap. She is dropped into situations as frequently as Alice in Wonderland, however this was not Wonderland, it was real life in Berkeley. Each situation sets up a different challenge for Alice, she has to learn the hard lessons on her own. It is amazing she survived. At first I envied Alice her freedom, but then I began to feel lucky at having not been thrown into the fray alone, as early as she was. I went off to college (sanctioned) with infrequent visits home (not sanctioned) then moved to New York (complicated). Somehow I feel that we both survived. How does that happen?

This is a wonderful, thoughtful, well-written book. I am not academic enough to know if it is a great book, but it might be. I am open to learning more. It is certainly worth the read and I recommend it.

[Susan Wands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Tumultuous Era in San Francisco

Alice, a twelve-year-old girl caught in the 1968 cultural wars between the conservative old guard and bohemian hippies in San Francisco, can’t fit in at school or with her family. Sarah Relyea’s coming-of-age story is fraught with the dangers of the new found freedoms of the age and the stifling repression of the past. A compelling and complicated landscape expertly told with a sweeping sense of the time.

[Mary Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author captured the 60’s in a perfect way. You could smell the patchouli , hear the music of this period and taste feelings of the time. We witness our hero, a young adolescent named Alice navigate her way through racial integration and her experiences at Berkeley. It was a confusing time but the author manages to insightful observations of this period. I got lost and wanted more! I hope she continues to write more about Alice.. Great way to start off my summer reads

[Eileen Joyce-Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting story about a young girl and her family's struggle to adapt to a new transplanted life in Berkeley

[Lauralee Hoffman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

[Addyson Beams · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was…interesting. Got boring at the end. Alice’s parts though, whew. So disheartening.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the author. I won this from FB page Wild Sage Book Club.

I sometimes enjoy coming of age books and the 60s era also. Usually big books over 400 pages don't bother me if the plot is good and it's fast reading. However, I couldn't commit my time and energy to this book and the print was just too small for me to keep reading such a big book.

Alice, who was 10, was a good character and I liked where it was going with her but not so much with her parents, especially her mother, where politics played a good part which I know is usual in 1968 especially in Berkley, CA, where they moved to from Washington, DC, because of her father's job in government.

This book was very verbose and too many words when fewer could be said. JMO.

A dnf for me, sorry.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah’s ability to transport you into a different time and place (an era I am not familiar with) is fantastic! I enjoyed how the chapters were divided between characters, some of which may have only had a chapter or two, but you get a sense of what everyone was grappling with and the complexity of the time and how it must have been growing up then and there. I loved the story in the middle of the book about the girl who met the fox and the bear and how it corresponded to the larger story.