Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Info Dump:

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 326 pages

Publisher: Penguin Books, 2006.

ISBN 0618711651 (ISBN13: 9780618711659)

Synopsis:  Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is an inventor, amateur entomologist, Francophile, letter writer, pacifist, natural historian, percussionist, romantic, Great Explorer, jeweller, detective, vegan, and collector of butterflies. When his father is killed in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, Oskar sets out to solve the mystery of a key he discovers in his father's closet. It is a search which leads him into the lives of strangers, through the five boroughs of New York, into history, to the bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima, and on an inward journey which brings him ever closer to some kind of peace.

Review: (Contains some spoilers)

I'll be the first to admit that I saw the movie before I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks' performance. I decided to pick this one up after seeing it in one of LittleBookOwl's wrap-ups. This book surprised me on many levels. First and foremost, the most prevalent part of this story are the characters. Oskar is a convoluted and confusing character. Following his point of view was reminiscent of Bruno from The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas in the way they are both extremely intelligent however have childish qualities. The relationship Oskar had with his mother displays a theme of broken family relationships and the way Safran Foer delved into this theme was both delicate and touching. 

The plot of this novel, however, was severely lacking and laggard. This book definitely focused more on Oskar's character development than an action packed race against time novel. The plot took an epigraphical take, using letters and diary entries to switch between three interchanging storylines; the story of Oskar, the story of Oskar's grandmother and the story of Oskar's grandfather. The one I found most interesting was definitely Oskar's. He had the most compelling voice and well paced story in my opinion. The story of Oskar's grandmother and grandfather was not told chronologically but rather in  photos and dialogue. Piecing together this intricate story was part of the enjoyment I found in this novel and turned out to be equally touching as it was emotional.

Foer's writing style reflected many of the character's in the novel. Lengthy sentences and stunted writing was used in Oskar's chapters and repetition and repeated phrases were used in Oskar's grandparents chapters. The diversity of writing was refreshing and suited the novel and its material.

The reveal that Oskar's mother had been leading him on a journey throughout New York was, AND I HATE SAYING THIS, cheap. I thought it could have had a far better reveal than 'a journey of self-discovery' or a convenient plot reveal. I thought the ending was a tad rushed and could have slowed down more to match the pacing of the whole story. Also, the fact that the reader doesn't find out what the key leads to exactly is aggravating and it seemed wrong for Oskar to not want to know after searching for it for so long. This dramatic change in Oskar was not only unrealistic but unfaithful to his character.

Nonetheless, 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close' was a fairly enjoyable read with flaws in it's ending and plot. Fans of extremely well developed characters and books dealing with grief will certainly enjoy this one. 

3 and a half Books.

Have a good one, J Woo.