This was such an interesting novel!

The story follows a young boy, Oskar Schell, who, after the recent loss of his father in the tragedy of 9/11, is on a mission to learn more about him. He finds a key in his father's closet and soon embarks on the journey of finding out what this key might lead to, he is hungry to learn more about the life of his father, memories being the only connection to him he now has. This journey takes months, it brings him to meet many, many people while he grapples with the way he is different from other kids, and damaged by the tragedy of losing his dad. He struggles to witness the way his mother mourns too, and tries to understand why he doesn't see her pain. All the while finding new friends and looking back on memories, fond and challenging of the life and death of his dad Thomas Schell.

The story also has a secondary plot line following letters written from a father to a son, detailing the reasons he has made decisions the way he has throughout his life.

I really loved the writing in this book. The chapters begin without explanation and you never quite know who is speaking, you have to figure out through context if it is a letter or if Oskar is talking, this is always exciting, but never too challenging. The author has created a beautiful voice for Oskar. It is unique because it is written for an older audience but with the main character being a child. The voice is perfectly crafted to have this deep naivety and innocence in the midst of a truly crushing loss. Oskar's wisdom and knowledge is made even more striking under the umbrella of a character who really shouldn't know so much about the world, and has these gaps in knowledge and understanding. This contrast is a really well used tool and also brings some lightheartedness to the story.

The exploration of grief through a child's experience was also really quite striking. It was so painful to hear about the weights that Oskar bears due to this loss. The scars and fears that are now a part of him. It was so interesting to be witness to such an innocent and pure greif. This pain was raw and complicated, it fueled exploration and harvested great sorrow and hostility. It was complicated just as true greif is. I really appreciated that.

The storyline was also sufficiently complex and perfectly simple. I loved the ending and the way the story was pulled together but was also left partially unsolved and imperfect. I felt the added complexity with the second storyline through letters brought an extra tone of both sorrow and mystery, and left the reader to try and discover how these groups were related, and how the story truly unfolded.

I also really loved the way the book was formatted having some seemingly random and obscure photos added in, as well as real and colored journal pages. The text was always formatted interestingly and it added a childlike feel to the book without appearing juvenile.

I loved the book, and as a whole it really reminded me of how important it is to cherish the moments we have now, never knowing how our lives will change, what decisions we might soon regret and who that we love might not be with us forever.

Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close - Likewise Book Reviews

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