Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Paperback)
OR try AbeBooks who may have this title (opens in new window).
Short Description for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close In a vase in a closet, a couple of years after his father died in 9/11, nine-year-old Oskar discovers a key... The key belonged to his father, he's sure of that. But which of New York's 162 million locks does it open?
Full description- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- Published: 19 January 2012
- Format: Paperback 368 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Contemporary Fiction
- ISBN 13: 9780241957608 ISBN 10: 0241957605
- Sales rank: 6,127
Other books
Reviews for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
- Top review
moving, brilliant
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is the 2nd novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. The main story is narrated by nine-year-old Oskar Schell whose father, Thomas, died on 9/11. Some years after his Thomas's death, Oskar finds a key in his father's closet. His determination to find the lock that the key opens is fuelled by his desire to find out exactly how his father died. One small clue with the key leads him to touch the lives of many people and the idea is the six degrees of separation is brought to mind. Oskar is clever, funny, aware, quirky, somewhat precocious, earnest, thoughtful and very resourceful. As he tries to beat his grief-related insomnia, Oskar invents amazing things in his mind, like a birdseed shirt so birds will save the wearer falling from a great height (like the WTC). Interspersed with Oskar's narration are replies from famous people to letters Oskar writes them, photographs Oskar takes with the camera that belonged to the grandfather who left 40 years before he was born, and pictures he downloads from the internet. Adding to the intrigue are the thoughts that Oskar's paternal grandmother sets down in letters to him about her life and unsent letters from the long absent grandfather to his now-dead son. This novel examines how people react to tragedy in their lives, what they do to cope, and what they do to protect those they love from facts they believe will harm them. The ultimate message seems to be to live life as if each moment is your last, and tell the people you love that that you love them. This novel made me laugh out loud and it made me cry. I loved the characters and the private codes they used. A moving and brilliant read. by Marianne Vincent
Interesting
This certainly differentiates itself from the usual books about 9/11. Seen through the eyes of a child we are taken on an extraordinary discovery of his life.
Read the full book review at http://www.ourbookclub.net.au/LiteratureAndFiction2012.php. by Tracy Hudson
share
tweet
