Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Book of Form and Emptiness

The beginning and ending were really engaging but the middle really dragged and I almost set it down. Way too long, especially for a book about stuff and material accumulation. The last plot twist with the riots
felt unnecessary.

But when it's good, it's really good. All the characters are complex; just when you think they are on a neat redemption arc, they mess it up and keep you guessing. I love how she writes herself into her books. Some really beautiful musings on grief, coping and memory!

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deedireads's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

The Book of Form and Emptiness has what I love in literary fiction: a lot of heart and a touch of (possible) magic. I thought this was imaginative and moving and achingly human.

For you if: You like emotional but also playful litfic that isn’t too cerebral.

FULL REVIEW:

“Every person is trapped in their own particular bubble of delusion, and it’s every person’s task in life to break free. Books can help. We can make the past into the present, take you back in time and help you remember. We can show you things, shift your realities and widen your world, but the work of waking up is up to you.”

As of this writing, The Book of Form and Emptiness is currently shortlisted for the 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction. I’ve heard such great things about Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being, but it’s still on my TBR, so this was my first book of hers. I can totally see why people love her writing. This book is filled with so much heart.

The story is about a preteen boy named Benny and his mom, Annabelle. It starts just after Benny’s father’s sudden and tragic death. Seeking joy, hope for future plans, and control, Annabelle tends toward hoarding. Meanwhile, Benny begins to hear inanimate objects speaking to him, including “his book,” which also narrates the book we are literally reading. As each of them attempt to navigate their grief and mental health struggles, we readers cheer for them, cry for them, and come to love them deeply.

I liked this book a lot, although I did find the pace a bit slow and Annabelle a bit frustrating, which kept me from 100% loving it. Still, the premise and construction is so imaginative and playful, and the story itself is deeply heartfelt and emotional. I also lovedddd the secondary characters and the voice of the book.

All in all, a solid Women’s Prize nominee that I’m sure will resonate with so many!

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maddness22's review

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a very thoughtful gift that I enjoyed fully. It inspired so much introspection and healed my soul in ways I didn't know it needed to be healed. The relationship between Annabelle and Benny is unique and well written. All of the characters have so much depth to them and I love the meta aspects of the book narration. Overall, this book does a very good job on speaking to what needs to be heard for you at the time of reading, especially on the aspects of grief and the difficulties of life in general.

I will say the blatant Mario Kondo comparison was a bit bizarre, but it worked great with the story.

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bae0fpigs's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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dasha_musa's review

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was okay. I liked the creativity behind the narrator being a book and I liked the commentary on books, stories, and reading. Those parts felt reflective and mmmmm .... empathetic? I also think that a 12-14yo preteen boy was represented well and I liked following along with his interjections.

I considered DNFing this book at around 30% but I decided to push through; I don't regret continuing on and I think the last 25% of the book redeemed itself a little bit. Glacial pace to start, for sure. At times, especially closer to the beginning, this book felt like it was trying too hard; everything was obvious and spelled out with no room for interpretation and critical thinking from the reader. I would go so far as to say that sometimes it felt preachy and transparent (no problem with there being a bias or a message, but I would like to be led to reaching such conclusions myself, rather than just being told what they are -- where's the fun in that!). In terms of themes, I also think this book was trying to tackle too much for it all to gain significant hold. I see the attempts to make the characters' grief and struggles relatable, but at times it felt too methodically calculated for the sake of literature to be realistic, so it just felt frustrating to read about (looking at you, Annabelle).

As far as the ending goes, there wasn't any big "hurrah, happy ever after" moment; the resolution actually felt pretty realistic and I think that's a good thing. I have not experienced in life what these characters have experienced, so I liked having the opportunity to read their stories, but I just didn't love the process of reading this book.

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