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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
The Book Thief being my favourite book, it seemed about time I read another of Zusak’s books! The Bridge of Clay tells the story of Clay Dunbar, one of five brothers ‘the Dunbar boys’, and his mission to build a bridge with his father (both physically and metaphorically).
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‘In the beginning, there was one murderer, one mule and one boy…’
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This story starts like a riddle and I must admit it took me some time to piece together what was going on. However, once I found my bearings amongst the chaotic cast of teenage boys, their array of quirky Greek-mythology namesake animals, and their love of literature and fighting, I discovered a really meaningful story of love, loss and survival.
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‘In the beginning, there was one murderer, one mule and one boy…’
~
This story starts like a riddle and I must admit it took me some time to piece together what was going on. However, once I found my bearings amongst the chaotic cast of teenage boys, their array of quirky Greek-mythology namesake animals, and their love of literature and fighting, I discovered a really meaningful story of love, loss and survival.
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Markus Zusak's last book, The Book Thief, is one of my favourite books of all time. I don't know exactly what I was expecting out of Bridge of Clay, but unfortunately I was woefully disappointed by this book; other than the gorgeous writing, there was very little in it that I liked.
Foremost in this is the fact that this book just feels splintered and disorganized. It jumps around in timeline so much I couldn't figure out what was happening when. The book is focused on Clay, the fourth-youngest Dunbar brother, who goes with his father to build a bridge, but in reality the whole family and anyone who has connections gets several chapters in the spotlight: the boys' mother, Penny Dunbar; their father, Michael Dunbar; and Clay's friend Carey and her parents. I couldn't connect with any of the characters; they just seemed so shallow, because the plot just jumped around so much. I was bored, and disconnected, and confused, which was a disappointment after The Book Thief.
Then there's Zusak's writing style. Zusak's writing is incredibly gorgeous and imaginative, filled with figurative language and metaphors. It's whimsical and gives everything a dreamlike, otherworldly quality. This worked incredible in The Book Thief, because it was narrated by an otherworldly being. Bridge of Clay, which is narrated by a everyday man in his late twenties, has a completely different feeling to it that doesn't work well with the characters and plot. I feel like the whimsical writing was being prioritized above every other aspect of the book.
If you liked The Book Thief for its writing and its love of words, I suppose this book might be worth checking out, but I ultimately don't recommend it.
Markus Zusak's last book, The Book Thief, is one of my favourite books of all time. I don't know exactly what I was expecting out of Bridge of Clay, but unfortunately I was woefully disappointed by this book; other than the gorgeous writing, there was very little in it that I liked.
Foremost in this is the fact that this book just feels splintered and disorganized. It jumps around in timeline so much I couldn't figure out what was happening when. The book is focused on Clay, the fourth-youngest Dunbar brother, who goes with his father to build a bridge, but in reality the whole family and anyone who has connections gets several chapters in the spotlight: the boys' mother, Penny Dunbar; their father, Michael Dunbar; and Clay's friend Carey and her parents. I couldn't connect with any of the characters; they just seemed so shallow, because the plot just jumped around so much. I was bored, and disconnected, and confused, which was a disappointment after The Book Thief.
Then there's Zusak's writing style. Zusak's writing is incredibly gorgeous and imaginative, filled with figurative language and metaphors. It's whimsical and gives everything a dreamlike, otherworldly quality. This worked incredible in The Book Thief, because it was narrated by an otherworldly being. Bridge of Clay, which is narrated by a everyday man in his late twenties, has a completely different feeling to it that doesn't work well with the characters and plot. I feel like the whimsical writing was being prioritized above every other aspect of the book.
If you liked The Book Thief for its writing and its love of words, I suppose this book might be worth checking out, but I ultimately don't recommend it.
“Once in the tide of Dunbar past, there was a many-named woman. And what a woman she was.”
This is by far the best read I’ve had in a while, but I will admit it is not a book for the faint of heart. Told in the style of the Homeric epics loved by the five Dunbar boys, this story shows us the gut-wrenching but cathartic struggle of a family walking through the deep waters of love, loss, and reconciliation. Told in chapters that alternate between the past and present, the reader is introduced to the broken and battered Dunbar boys. As the novel progresses, we get a glimpse of their past and work through the emotional weight of losing their Sun—Penelope, their mother. While tragic, this is not a tragedy (even so, keep the tissues handy!) Instead, Zusak shows those of us still caught up in the land of the living how to do more than just survive. He shows us how to live.
This is by far the best read I’ve had in a while, but I will admit it is not a book for the faint of heart. Told in the style of the Homeric epics loved by the five Dunbar boys, this story shows us the gut-wrenching but cathartic struggle of a family walking through the deep waters of love, loss, and reconciliation. Told in chapters that alternate between the past and present, the reader is introduced to the broken and battered Dunbar boys. As the novel progresses, we get a glimpse of their past and work through the emotional weight of losing their Sun—Penelope, their mother. While tragic, this is not a tragedy (even so, keep the tissues handy!) Instead, Zusak shows those of us still caught up in the land of the living how to do more than just survive. He shows us how to live.
I adored the Book Thief and was really excited about this book. I know Markus Zusak is a slow burn, character driven writer, which is why I originally stuck this book out so long. But this book was such a struggle. The writing was so meandering, the book just shifts through time willy nilly. It was hard to feel the impact of someone's death when they kept being talked about in the present tense. The characters weren't the most easy to connect to, which didn't help me feel the emotional impacts either. There was zero plot to this book and it felt like it went on forever. The writing was beautiful, but I didn't connect with this one like I wanted to.
4.5 ⭐️
Markus Suzak’s writing style is so beautiful , so beautiful
I adored the family dynamic , the brotherhood, the mother and Henry and everyone , even the mule ..
I loved how the author dived into each character individually to give you the bigger picture of how everything turned out the way it did .
I was honestly so hesitant about picking this book , I heard a couple of bad reviews and I was expecting to be disappointed, but this was a beautiful surprise, I loved it
Markus Suzak’s writing style is so beautiful , so beautiful
I adored the family dynamic , the brotherhood, the mother and Henry and everyone , even the mule ..
I loved how the author dived into each character individually to give you the bigger picture of how everything turned out the way it did .
I was honestly so hesitant about picking this book , I heard a couple of bad reviews and I was expecting to be disappointed, but this was a beautiful surprise, I loved it
I struggled like many others did at the beginning as you work out who is who and who is narrating, and some of that was due to having to put it down to finish my book club books!
Once I got going though I was captivated by the Dunbar boys and the weaving narrative flowed around them in just the way I imagine them telling pieces of the story to one another. Zusak sucked me in and I balled more than once - don't take this out in public once you are half way through! He told us what was coming, but again and again it broke my heart - for Penny, for Clay, for Carey and for all those rough and tumble boys battling on through their Odyssey.
I am going to be pushing this at people everyday in the shop now. It is not for those who need a linear narrative, but if you can go with the swirling chaos and wait for things to be revealed you are going to love this.
@MacmillanAus #amreading #bridgeofclay #markuszusak
Once I got going though I was captivated by the Dunbar boys and the weaving narrative flowed around them in just the way I imagine them telling pieces of the story to one another. Zusak sucked me in and I balled more than once - don't take this out in public once you are half way through! He told us what was coming, but again and again it broke my heart - for Penny, for Clay, for Carey and for all those rough and tumble boys battling on through their Odyssey.
I am going to be pushing this at people everyday in the shop now. It is not for those who need a linear narrative, but if you can go with the swirling chaos and wait for things to be revealed you are going to love this.
@MacmillanAus #amreading #bridgeofclay #markuszusak
“A murderer should probably do many things, but he should never, under any circumstances, come home.”
What can i say? Markus Zusak has done it again. i'm not going to lie, at about 100 pages in I almost gave up and DNF-ed this book, and the reviews on here were also quite mixed. But i powered through and then I couldn't even put the book down! To be frank, i'd have to agree with most people who read this book that said that the metaphors and the writing at the beginning was quite difficult to make out and enjoy, but when you get to the middle half and near end of the story all the puzzles come together and that's what made this book very memorable to me.
Ever since I read The Book Theif, I fell in love with the author's writing, it is just so poetic and emotional. I was expecting the standards of what The Book Theif brought and i was definitely not disappointed. The next thing I absolutely loved was the family dynamic in this story, the story of the five Dunbar boys was so captivating and relatable. I loved all the literary and artistic references that were woven throughout this story ( I mean who wouldn't, right?)
I loved the switch between the present and flashbacks, I know that some wouldn't prefer this type of story telling, but in my opinion it flowed really well and kept the story interesting and gave the benifit of the doubt.
The author tackled such emotional topics in an undescribable way, like losing someone very close, The coming together as a family and collecting those broken pieces to somehow make things work. The power of forgiveness and the beauty of first love, and of course the strong and everlasting bond between the Dunbar brothers and made it seem that your were going through this journey alongside them.
I can't seem to exactly put my feelings for this book in words, It is one of those books that will have a special place in your heart.
“He, as much as anyone, knows who and why and what we are:
A family of ramshackle tragedy.
A comic book kapow of boys and blood and beasts.”
― Markus Zusak, Bridge of Clay
What can i say? Markus Zusak has done it again. i'm not going to lie, at about 100 pages in I almost gave up and DNF-ed this book, and the reviews on here were also quite mixed. But i powered through and then I couldn't even put the book down! To be frank, i'd have to agree with most people who read this book that said that the metaphors and the writing at the beginning was quite difficult to make out and enjoy, but when you get to the middle half and near end of the story all the puzzles come together and that's what made this book very memorable to me.
Ever since I read The Book Theif, I fell in love with the author's writing, it is just so poetic and emotional. I was expecting the standards of what The Book Theif brought and i was definitely not disappointed. The next thing I absolutely loved was the family dynamic in this story, the story of the five Dunbar boys was so captivating and relatable. I loved all the literary and artistic references that were woven throughout this story ( I mean who wouldn't, right?)
I loved the switch between the present and flashbacks, I know that some wouldn't prefer this type of story telling, but in my opinion it flowed really well and kept the story interesting and gave the benifit of the doubt.
The author tackled such emotional topics in an undescribable way, like losing someone very close, The coming together as a family and collecting those broken pieces to somehow make things work. The power of forgiveness and the beauty of first love, and of course the strong and everlasting bond between the Dunbar brothers and made it seem that your were going through this journey alongside them.
I can't seem to exactly put my feelings for this book in words, It is one of those books that will have a special place in your heart.
“He, as much as anyone, knows who and why and what we are:
A family of ramshackle tragedy.
A comic book kapow of boys and blood and beasts.”
― Markus Zusak, Bridge of Clay
I have read and loved his other two books but this one is by far the best! Awesome and unique writing style in this one! It’s great!
I have no words. Like poetry and the truest art form of story telling seamlessly combined.
Initially was very confused with the writing style and patchwork timeline but persevered. I'm so glad that I did. The ending was beautiful and moving.