A review by siobhanward
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

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

3.5

 
I appreciated how meta this book was at times and how it leaned into it, but I definitely struggled with it at some points. The idea of it was great, and Annabelle and Benny were solid characters, but at times it felt like things were just kind of meandering. I liked how Ozeki moved back and forth through plots to create the story - this seems to be a theme for her and is frankly something she does well. I also loved how Ozeki pulled events from the real world into the book. I think that added a lot in terms of grounding a magical realism book in reality. This was a fun read, but a bit too long for me at times.

 
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