I Am the Messenger: Markus Zusak

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The creativity, persistence, and belief in himself required to deliver the first three messages have begun to affect Ed’s everyday life. Ed’s appearance at Audrey’s door shows the change happening in him. Her appearance indicates she had passionate relations. He normally is philosophic about her promiscuity, but today Ed has a frustrated reaction. Ed wants Audrey to be his lover, not just his best friend. Alice the sex worker triggers Ed’s needs and he projects his fantasy of loving Audrey onto her. I know there has to be an element of cluelessness in books like this so the author can develop the story properly… but this was silly. Too pathetically calm for my own good. I should just tell the old cow to shut up, but I never have and never will. After all, she can’t have a relationship like this with any of her other kids. Just me. She kisses their feet every time they come to visit (which isn’t that much) and they just leave again. With me, at least she’s got consistency.” Ed exemplifies the agents of change in his creativity and empathy that overcome his self-doubt and fear of risk. He gets help from the network of messengers whom the sender of the aces employs to guide and motivate Ed. Unlike these other messengers, Ed receives no reward or compensation for his interventions. This difference is meant to portray the real-life goodness that ordinary people are capable of in daily life between friends, neighbors, and strangers in their community. Acts of goodness are not just relegated to churches or charities, but rather the novel argues that everyone receives a mandate from their conscience that they must respond to. Like Ed’s initial reaction to getting the ace of diamonds, people can consider ignoring the call or decide if it’s in humanity’s best interests to accept. The Strength in Connection

At the end of the road, just before I go around the corner, I turn one last time to see the lights. I loved Marv and Richie. One of my greatest weakness in life (I do have a few) is a boy who defends his run-down car to the death, so Marv and his blue Falcon was like cat nip to me. So many of Marv and Ed’s exchanges made me laugh so loudly and I could just imagine boys their age talking like that. Apart from books by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, this is my first foray into young adult literature and I enjoyed it immensely. It's not a big thing, but I guess it's true--big things are often just small things that are noticed. How he figures out the message and what effect it has on him and others is the crux of the book. I have to say, Zusak does test my patience with his extravagant wordplay. There were many times I wanted to tell him to drop the pretentiousness and just get on with the story - but then I realised that that is Ed. He is not the dim-witted dill that he leads us to believe. He’s imaginative and poetic.

The writing was good. There was a certain desperation in the words to be heard out, that threatened to become vociferous. It was irksome in the beginning but slowly became dearer and now, it is somehow etched on my mind. I’ve said it before and I’ll continue saying it until all the authors in the universe heed my infinite wisdom: A book does NOT need a love interest to be a good book. Yes, I love it when authors bring the swoon. But only when it either adds something to the story or aids the development of a character. A romance shouldn’t just be thrown in as an afterthought. I couldn’t get behind Audrey and Ed because it seemed really forced and rushed. Also, Audrey was kind of a tease. Even though she has good taste in films… Choosing a favorite quote this time was just like choosing a favorite child, but there was one I needed to share: Gainax Ending: A totally non-fantasy story suddenly turns Post Modern when The Chessmaster turns out to be the author himself. He's a pretty nice guy, and even gives Ed the book's manuscript. After a bit of navel-contemplating, Ed decides to go on living his life.

I couldn't stress enough, how much I love and adore this book. I would recommend it to anyone who are looking for a read that will leave you thinking about life, reality, yourself, others, and a bunch of other things in between. The Alleged Car: Marv's Ford, to the point where a robbery is thwarted because the robber chooses it for his getaway vehicle.I wanted to try another book by Zusak, to be able to see if The Book Thief was just a one off. I have a handwritten book list I made when I was younger, long before Goodreads and this was on it, so I gave it a go, and was thoroughl Without understanding why, Ed suddenly behaves out of character and becomes the hero in the situation. He acts impulsively to go after the robber. The gun’s metamorphosis into something soft in his hand has a dream-like quality, as if Ed is a construct of someone’s imagination. In the extraordinary circumstances of a bank robbery, Ed’s disorientation is a normal reaction, but Ed’s perceptions foreshadow events that will unfold over the coming year. Ed’s comment about the message that changes his life marks the bank incident as a turning point in his life. But, I shouldn't have worried, because I Am the Messenger is also super-duper amazing. Is it as phenomenal as The Book Thief? Eh, I don't know. It's hard to compare the two, since they're so drastically different. But this one was definitely just as powerful and unforgettable.

I don't mind admitting that I love a good metaphor but I feel like I was cheated a little on that front by this book, so I’ve chosen a song brimming with metaphor. And it’s all linked to card suits as well! It's like it was written for this very moment. The novel starts off with one of the best first chapters I have ever read: the bank robbery. That scene was hilarious, full of intrigue and made me curious as to what the rest of the novel would bring. Unfortunately, the book never again reached that high mark of suspense but it was entertaining nonetheless. I couldn't understand him. And I was starting to fear that maybe I won't like the book after all. Reflecting now, I realize how frivolous that fear is. This book was destined to be a favorite of mine. It just was. You are the epitome of ordinariness, Ed.” He looks at me seriously. “And if a guy like you can stand up and do what you did for all those people, well, maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they’re capable of.” He becomes intense now. Emotional. This is everything. “Maybe even I can.” I wish I could hold up that knife and tear open the world. I’d slice it open and climb through to the next one.Nothing really ends at the end. Things just keep going as long as memory can wield its ax, always finding a soft part in your mind to cut through and enter. stars. Some books you instantly love - they reach you, unconditionally. Others you hate with passion and you would happily burn them if only you weren't reading ebooks (also, you really don't want to have something in common with every tyrant out there). Then they're the mild, non-committal threes and two-and-a-half, better known as the great shelf of meh.