Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The logic of the plot was ill-reasoned - it felt way to convenient that Ed just happened to know the correct thing to do in every situation and his choices, so confident as they were, made little sense to me as a reader. This made the writing feel very lazy. The way Ed talks about the female characters is also gross and made me feel uncomfortable, but I suppose this is typical for a young straight while male, especially in the early 2000s. And who am I to judge someone for being horny?
I did however, absolutely love the ending. It was a beautifully creative moment of meta-fiction that tied the story together wonderfully.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had to read this book for school, and I really didn’t like it. There was way too much inappropriate content, and the characters and plot didn’t even make up for it. There was a somewhat positive message at the end, but the plot didn’t really fit with that message very well at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Might have the most insane ending for any novel I've read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape
Moderate: Sexual content
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Dementia, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would give this book a 3.5/5 MAX but I'm giving a 3/5. I felt like the constant sexual thoughts were just so unnecessary and they made me so uncomfortable whenever I had to read them. There's also the problem with how heavy handed this book's message/theme is, and it was already obvious once you get about halfway through the book, but Zusak, if possible, laid it down even heavier at the end. There's a fine line when you're dealing with making something so obvious/heavy handed and it's the difference between enhancing your book or making it... "not as good" (trying to be nice here).
I feel like the ending made it "not as good," and I'm attributing it to the HEAVY HANDEDNESS.
One thing that was really glaring was the way he writes. I don't even know how to explain it, and oddly enough I watched a AClockworkReader's video where she tried to describe this style of writing. It's like, when Zusak writes really short sentences, sometimes even only two words, and then moves to the next line. Let me find an example:
"Lua kisses her.
Just softly on the lips.
And she kisses back.
Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are."
AND IT'S SO ANNOYING. I understand this is an intentional writing choice but it's so annoying. I feel like Zusak has some sub-group of John Scalzi-itis Syndrome, where John Scalzi literally adds "said" after EVERY dialogue, Zusak can't help but use this format of writing ALL THE TIME. It gets annoying after a while. Usually I only see it used occasionally in other books because this style of writing can really enhance a scene, especially if it is an emotional scene, but because Zusak used it so much it lost its effect very quickly.
Otherwise, the book was fine. I enjoyed it.
I feel like the ending made it "not as good," and I'm attributing it to the HEAVY HANDEDNESS.
One thing that was really glaring was the way he writes. I don't even know how to explain it, and oddly enough I watched a AClockworkReader's video where she tried to describe this style of writing. It's like, when Zusak writes really short sentences, sometimes even only two words, and then moves to the next line. Let me find an example:
"Lua kisses her.
Just softly on the lips.
And she kisses back.
Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are."
AND IT'S SO ANNOYING. I understand this is an intentional writing choice but it's so annoying. I feel like Zusak has some sub-group of John Scalzi-itis Syndrome, where John Scalzi literally adds "said" after EVERY dialogue, Zusak can't help but use this format of writing ALL THE TIME. It gets annoying after a while. Usually I only see it used occasionally in other books because this style of writing can really enhance a scene, especially if it is an emotional scene, but because Zusak used it so much it lost its effect very quickly.
Otherwise, the book was fine. I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rereading this for the first time, and I would say it mostly holds up to my original review. Hanging out in Ed’s hyper-sexualized brain was not pleasant. But when he wasn’t objectifying every woman/girl he met, this book really hits a spot. It scratches that itch of when you feel powerless in a world that is falling apart, maybe you can still make a difference to those closer to home. And I would say that’s the true message of this book, and why his friends were the denouement.
Enjoyment: 3.5
Educational value: 3
Emotional impact 4.5
Enjoyment: 3.5
Educational value: 3
Emotional impact 4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Pregnancy
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At first I did not really enjoy this book, but the writing’s great, and, against my will, I really started liking the characters. In the end, I loved this story and the characters.
The reason for 3.5 is because the author uses awful descriptors for people of colour, and the main character’s attraction to a friend is written really creep-ily at times. There’s also villainization of fatness a couple times and a weird sexualization/infantilization of most women/girls in this story. Also, at one point they misgender a man, calling him Mimi, saying he looks like a woman.
Maybe those things didn’t bring down my rating as much as they normally would’ve because the character acknowledges his… lack? And because he experiences a lot of character development? Idk.
The reason for 3.5 is because the author uses awful descriptors for people of colour, and the main character’s attraction to a friend is written really creep-ily at times. There’s also villainization of fatness a couple times and a weird sexualization/infantilization of most women/girls in this story. Also, at one point they misgender a man, calling him Mimi, saying he looks like a woman.
Maybe those things didn’t bring down my rating as much as they normally would’ve because the character acknowledges his… lack? And because he experiences a lot of character development? Idk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Stalking
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
The narrator is barely tolerable, and I can’t stand the way that he talks about women. Characters are one-dimensional and boring. I really tried to power through it, but I was really disappointed especially since I really enjoyed The Book Thief. Maybe one day I’ll try it again, but no promises.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual content
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am the Messenger is about a young man who works as a cab driver, though he’s underage. At the beginning of the book, he stops a bank robbery in a creative way, and afterwards he is sent an ace playing card with addresses on them, presumably to find the truth behind the events that occur there and put his own spin on them.
The plot kind of hinges on the mystery, while the other events supplement ithim being in love with his friend, Audrey, his relationship with his friends, his mother and his grief about his father, & his job . He has a wonderful bond with his dog, Doorman. I was so scared that something would happen to him, but I am glad to say nothing ill happened to him.
Our main character, Ed, shows tremendous growth throughout the novel. He becomes obsessive with the mystery, to the point of harming himselfand others . I found his voice to be not the most likeable, but he was thrust into this mystery that changes his view and outlook on life so that changes quite a bit.
There was so much intensity at certain points within the novel that after reading a significant chunk of the book, I had to put it down to process everything that had happened. This wasn’t to the novel’s detriment, however.
In terms of details on content warnings, I will post them below in the drop down.
Near the end, when we find out the mystery, it seemed very unsatisfactory to me. Maybe if I ruminate on it for a while, I will think differently but for now it seemed very convenient. I also found some of the “messages” Ed had to perform were lacklustre compared to others. Maybe that was the point, but it seemed very off kilter.
This is why I docked down the percentage rating.
All in all, I am the Messenger was not as good as The Book Thief, but it shares the same intensity and character growth. I really do recommend it, if you can handle some of the content.
The plot kind of hinges on the mystery, while the other events supplement it
Our main character, Ed, shows tremendous growth throughout the novel. He becomes obsessive with the mystery, to the point of harming himself
There was so much intensity at certain points within the novel that after reading a significant chunk of the book, I had to put it down to process everything that had happened. This wasn’t to the novel’s detriment, however.
In terms of details on content warnings, I will post them below in the drop down.
Near the end, when we find out the mystery, it seemed very unsatisfactory to me. Maybe if I ruminate on it for a while, I will think differently but for now it seemed very convenient. I also found some of the “messages” Ed had to perform were lacklustre compared to others. Maybe that was the point, but it seemed very off kilter.
This is why I docked down the percentage rating.
All in all, I am the Messenger was not as good as The Book Thief, but it shares the same intensity and character growth. I really do recommend it, if you can handle some of the content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, Grief
-Fat-Shaming/Fatphobia, there is one scene that appears in the novel that constantly refers to a minor character’s weight and is not addressed, but it doesn’t happen anywhere else in the novel.
-There is a mention of a sex worker who takes Ed’s cab one night, but is never mentioned again
-Rape/Sexual Assault, within the first 50 pages it appears (Ed witnesses it)
-Violence/Blood/Gun Violence, both happening to the main character and not.