Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A Novel by Jonathan Safran Foer
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Book Reviews of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A Novel
Book Review: Incredibly Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was great!! From the minute I picked up the book I could not put it down. I can't begin to explain all of the emotions I felt while reading this book. Foer did a great job of bringing this book to life by including pictures, the colored writing, and red pen circling throughout the pages. It made the book come to life and I felt like I was on this journey through Oskar's eyes. He portrayed Oskar as a nine year old incredibly. In Oskar's mind he is a tough, smart and mature - yet the writer reveals how fragile and incredibly lonely this boy is. This book reminds me of one of those books that seems like it could be confusing, but its not, its like you understand his writing in your subconcious. The 9/11 attacks were horrific and this book definitely brought back a lot of the feelings and realness of the event. Jonathan Foer is a great writer and I look forward to reading every one of his books.Book Review: Extremely Loud--------an Incredible Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently reread this book; it's a magical storytelling of grief & loss. The book opens a year after the worst day; Oskar Schell lost his father on September 11th. The date is never mentioned in this book. A nine year old boy traumatized by the loss of his father struggles to cope. Oskar visits his father's closet where he comes across an envelope in a vase with the name "Black" written on it; Oskar finds a key inside. This begins Oskar's quest, his journey to find who this key belongs to and what does it open. For Oskar the key is a connection to his father; but he does not know this yet. The author brilliantly explores questions of our primal need to depend on something, our need for love and the question, when is it the last time? The last few pages of the book are drawings, which way did you flip them? Know that book cover is genius; there could not be a different book cover. +++++Book Review: fabulous
Summary: 5 Stars
This is simply the most superb book I've ever read. Beautifully written, gut-wrenching, clever, inventive, and imaginative. Oskar is the most lovable and loving character I've discovered in ages -- the pain and anger and imagination and confusion and passion are beautiful and charming and enthralling and always entirely real. The story here is secondary though also essential -- Foer seems to be able to keep us engaged throughout, locked to Oskar's quest and his discoveries, but what's of course always most important is the emotions of his characters. It's about flaws and the crippling strain of trauma and the gap between imagination and reality. It's really a beautiful book, and, perhaps despite appearances, one entirely without pretense. Really superb stuff. Easily the most deeply moving book I've ever read. I recommend it without even the slightest hesitation.Book Review: Something to share....
Summary: 5 Stars
I laughed, cried, and became completely absorbed into this book's pages. I loved "Everything is Illuminated" so very much because of Foer's amazing storytelling ability, which is why I picked up this book. I was not disappointed. Family is something that seems to be very important to him, because both of his novels are wound around the idea of finding out more about the people who are closest to you. This one draws you in so deep that you feel as if you are there with Oskar, his grandmother, and the other characters who show up briefly or throughout the entire thing. I was touched deeply by the character of his grandfather, and he will continue to be one of my favorite characters in any book that I've read. Foer is just so wonderful at developing truly, truly human feelings in his characters, and then exploring them.
Please read this book.
Book Review: a skeptic won over.
Summary: 5 Stars
Before I picked up this book, I had a negative impression of it -- a young author with cult status, an overly quirky writing style, a plot that sounded so New York -- but as soon as I sat down and started reading, I found out I was wrong. The nine-year-old narrator could easily be gimmicky and obnoxious, but instead he's hilarious, warm, and sympathetic. I found the plot compelling, because it was structured somewhat like a mystery -- what does the "Black" key mean, and what does it have to do with Oskar's father?
There are elements of nontraditional storytelling -- the novel includes photos, letters, and some of the characters' handwriting. In another work, these might seem indulgent, but here I think they're all choices tied closely to the narrative, and make for a richer story.