Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
I am not a fan of novels that deal with 9/11. Fictionalizing this day irritates me. Too many people suffered and we should never make light of that. In any way. My sister thought I would like this book anyway. She was right.
We will all remember were we were on that day. And my own personal story, which pales next to others will always remain part of my psyche. I was away from home, on what was supposed to be a three day business trip. It turned into ten days away from my husband, my family, my friends. All of whom were suffering too in their own way and I couldn't console or find comfort in their presence.
Oskar Schell is a child with many autistic, compulsive traits. His mind is constantly racing. His father, his best friend is lost on 9/11 and Oskar bears a heavy burden. My heart broke for Oskar and his mother and grandmother. The lose of his father sets him on a wonderful journey, facing his fears and coming to terms with his loss. It is that part of the story that had me counting my own blessings.
This novel is a work of art. The speech patterns of the characters were rich and descriptive, letting us know so much about their traits and emotions. The photographs inserted in just the right spot to invested me even further in the story. A child shouldn't have to face such a devastating loss on this terrible day. I cheered for Oskar every step of the way. I wanted to hug him even though I knew his compulsive quirks would never allow it.
There are parts of this book that are difficult to read not because of the writing but because of the way the author chose to tell the story through photos and newspaper clippings. If that gets in your way, then watch the movie. It is the same heartwarming story told on the big screen. I loved the movie even more.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a story about life. Life is full of love and loss. Life is unpredictable. And no matter how hard we might try, we all make mistakes. But it is never too late to make amends.
I am not a fan of novels that deal with 9/11. Fictionalizing this day irritates me. Too many people suffered and we should never make light of that. In any way. My sister thought I would like this book anyway. She was right.
We will all remember were we were on that day. And my own personal story, which pales next to others will always remain part of my psyche. I was away from home, on what was supposed to be a three day business trip. It turned into ten days away from my husband, my family, my friends. All of whom were suffering too in their own way and I couldn't console or find comfort in their presence.
Oskar Schell is a child with many autistic, compulsive traits. His mind is constantly racing. His father, his best friend is lost on 9/11 and Oskar bears a heavy burden. My heart broke for Oskar and his mother and grandmother. The lose of his father sets him on a wonderful journey, facing his fears and coming to terms with his loss. It is that part of the story that had me counting my own blessings.
This novel is a work of art. The speech patterns of the characters were rich and descriptive, letting us know so much about their traits and emotions. The photographs inserted in just the right spot to invested me even further in the story. A child shouldn't have to face such a devastating loss on this terrible day. I cheered for Oskar every step of the way. I wanted to hug him even though I knew his compulsive quirks would never allow it.
There are parts of this book that are difficult to read not because of the writing but because of the way the author chose to tell the story through photos and newspaper clippings. If that gets in your way, then watch the movie. It is the same heartwarming story told on the big screen. I loved the movie even more.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a story about life. Life is full of love and loss. Life is unpredictable. And no matter how hard we might try, we all make mistakes. But it is never too late to make amends.
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