crabbygirl reviewed I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Review of 'I Am the Messenger' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
(given that I mention my love of this book in another review, I ought to post it here, ten years after I read it)
this book defies categories and, depending on your take of the ending, will leave you annoyed or exhilarated... but more on that later.
it's laugh-out-loud funny in spots, seems to be a mystery, but continually hits the core of humanity with poignancy. the author has an almost bottomless ability to twist the english language into unexpected poetry. he's today's shakespeare with new uses of words that should become the standard (beautiful) way of speaking:
"I nearly forgot." I stop running and stand about fifteen meters in front of him. "Your brother." The father's eyes reach a little closer. "He said to tell you that greed hasn't swallowed him yet."
The priest's eyes lighten then, with a touch of regret poured gently into them. "My brother, Tony..." …
(given that I mention my love of this book in another review, I ought to post it here, ten years after I read it)
this book defies categories and, depending on your take of the ending, will leave you annoyed or exhilarated... but more on that later.
it's laugh-out-loud funny in spots, seems to be a mystery, but continually hits the core of humanity with poignancy. the author has an almost bottomless ability to twist the english language into unexpected poetry. he's today's shakespeare with new uses of words that should become the standard (beautiful) way of speaking:
"I nearly forgot." I stop running and stand about fifteen meters in front of him. "Your brother." The father's eyes reach a little closer. "He said to tell you that greed hasn't swallowed him yet."
The priest's eyes lighten then, with a touch of regret poured gently into them. "My brother, Tony..." His words are soft, and they hobble toward me. "I haven't seen my brother in a long time - how is he?"
"Not bad." I say it with a confidence I don't understand. Only a gut feeling tells me it's the right answer, and we stand there now, among awkwardness and the rubbish.
as for the ending - the way i interpreted it - i saw the validity of a concept that couldn't fit into a ending. and should a small thing like an ending really determine whether or not something gets published? this is a young adult novel and hits that audience exactly where it needs it. that final sentence of the book IS the point
