The Reel Life of Zara Kegg by Brad Barkley
What happens when grief becomes so familiar that it starts to feel like a second home, and when the one person who makes life bearable starts drifting away? In The Reel Life of Zara Kegg, a coming-of-age novel set in Carolina Beach, Brad Barkley explores these questions.
Ever since her mother died of cancer three years ago, sixteen-year-old Zara Kegg has been living in an emotional limbo. She goes to school, heads to her job as a projectionist at the Palace Theatre — a run-down cinema that screens only 1950s films — and then returns home to have dinner with her father. Grief clings to both father and daughter, heavy and unspoken.
Zara’s only resemblance to a social life comes from observing moviegoers from behind the projection booth curtain. One day, a boy (Zachary) whom she has been secretly watching for some time, the one who wears mismatched clothes and never sits still, approaches her. He’s indeed an oddball, yet interesting. The two soon strike up an unlikely friendship.
An Unlikely Friendship
As Zara spends more time with Zachary, she notices just how different his life is from hers. Zachary does not attend school and lives in a trailer with his grandfather, and they barely scrape by. With no television or smartphone, Zachary spends his time watching videos on a VHS player and obsessively reading the autobiography of an inventor he admires. Zara finds comfort in his presence, and their friendship gradually deepens into something neither of them expected nor wants to stop.
However, Zachary’s odd behaviors grow increasingly erratic and often frustrate Zara. One minute, he is fine; the next, he vanishes for days without explanation or contact. Then one day, in a misguided attempt to help his sick grandfather, Zachary involves himself and Zara in an illegal activity. When Zara seeks help, she accidentally learns a heartbreaking secret about Zachary.
Feeling betrayed by Zachary’s dishonesty, she confronts him, and the two end up in a heated argument. The next morning, Zachary and his grandfather leave town with no way for Zara to contact them. Once again, someone Zara loves has left her behind, and she’s left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.
Themes of Loneliness and Healing
The Reel Life of Zara Kegg explores themes of grief and loss, loneliness, friendship, dysfunctional families and coming-of-age romance. This story feels both intimate and character-driven. Narrated through an authentic teenage voice, this tale feels less written and more lived, as though a teenager is speaking directly to you, raw, intimate and unfiltered.
Barkley reveals loneliness through small silences between family members who live under one roof yet feel miles apart. And sorrow in this book sneaks up on you. Barkley mixes humor, loss, nostalgia and vulnerability in a way that allows lightness and emotional weight to coexist naturally. Lines like “I’m the original laugh-at-a-funeral girl. Except Mom’s. Not much laughing there” carries emotional depth beyond the story’s simplicity. Here, emotions feel heavy, awkward and messy, and what should feel broken instead feels tender and honest.
Memorable and Realistic Characters
The characters are well developed and vividly drawn. They feel imperfect, wounded and realistic. The protagonist, Zara, is sharp, self-aware and vulnerable. She’s an observer and often watches life — literally from a projection booth — rather than fully participating in it. She often uses observation as a coping mechanism to manage her emotions. Reality often seems muted or surreal to her as she emotionally distances herself by turning painful interactions and experiences into something she can observe instead of feel.
Zachary is both an intriguing and unsettling character. He is charming, unpredictable and secretly fragile. His eccentric behavior makes him seem quirky (even endearing) while also hinting at how deeply unstable he actually is. He represents both an escape for Zara and an emotional risk. Characters like Jack (Zara’s father), Mr. Wendt, Ms. Yamada and Carla are also well developed; they deepen the story’s emotional intensity and add further depth to its themes.
Overall, I found The Reel Life of Zara Kegg both tender and healing. Its themes are relatable, its truths are heartbreaking, and its romance is sweet and innocent. If you’re a fan of The Perks of Being a Wallflower or John Green’s Turtles All the Way Down, you will likely enjoy this book.
About Brad Barkley:
Brad Barkley is the author of the novels Money, LoveandAlison’s Automotive Repair Manual, two collections of short stories, and three YA novels with Penguin (including Scrambled Eggs at Midnight). His work has been translated into five languages. His short stories have appeared in 40+ magazines, including Fractured Lit, The Southern Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Glimmer Train, andUSA Today. He’s won numerous awards, including Four Individual Artist Awards from the State of Maryland, and a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
