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cpbaker 's review for:
The Eyes & the Impossible
by Dave Eggers
Hands down my book of the year! It's perfect, and I will be thrusting it into the hands of everyone I know.
You may have heard of Dave Eggers (his books for adults are usually very well received) and he has already written for younger readers. Given his stature in the literary world, and the fact that this book was awarded the Newbery Medal in January this year, makes the rather quiet arrival of the book on UK shores so surprising.
But more about the actual book. We have Johannes, a wild dog living in a huge park with many other animals. Johannes’ job as "the Eyes" involves him running all over the island keeping an eye on everything, and reporting back to the three bison (the island's peaceful leaders). Typically, he describes the activities of the humans who use the park for tourism and conservation purposes.
The story has everything. I particularly liked the descriptions of humans with their quirky, predictable behaviours. The way Johannes and his friends affectionately mock the different types of humans is often hilarious, as are the observations that show the animals' naivety about how the world works.
It is Johannes himself though who gives the book it's beating heart. He's as complex a character as I've ever read: proud, confident, vulnerable, lonely.
Like all great books, there are layers, and for those searching for such intellectual questions, the book is a philosopher's delight. The characters regularly discuss the expectations they have of each other and the world and their role in it. Bertrand, Johannes' best friend who happens to be a sea gull, puts it like this: "What else are we supposed to do? Eat pieces of bread and French fries all day? We need some kind of higher purpose"
I'm now very tempted to listen to the audio book (narrated by Ethan Hawk).
You may have heard of Dave Eggers (his books for adults are usually very well received) and he has already written for younger readers. Given his stature in the literary world, and the fact that this book was awarded the Newbery Medal in January this year, makes the rather quiet arrival of the book on UK shores so surprising.
But more about the actual book. We have Johannes, a wild dog living in a huge park with many other animals. Johannes’ job as "the Eyes" involves him running all over the island keeping an eye on everything, and reporting back to the three bison (the island's peaceful leaders). Typically, he describes the activities of the humans who use the park for tourism and conservation purposes.
The story has everything. I particularly liked the descriptions of humans with their quirky, predictable behaviours. The way Johannes and his friends affectionately mock the different types of humans is often hilarious, as are the observations that show the animals' naivety about how the world works.
It is Johannes himself though who gives the book it's beating heart. He's as complex a character as I've ever read: proud, confident, vulnerable, lonely.
Like all great books, there are layers, and for those searching for such intellectual questions, the book is a philosopher's delight. The characters regularly discuss the expectations they have of each other and the world and their role in it. Bertrand, Johannes' best friend who happens to be a sea gull, puts it like this: "What else are we supposed to do? Eat pieces of bread and French fries all day? We need some kind of higher purpose"
I'm now very tempted to listen to the audio book (narrated by Ethan Hawk).