lalehpop 's review for:

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

3.0

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Okay, I’m typically a pretty quick reader, and also generally good with starting a book and then finishing it without too many distractions, but I started this book in September, and read like 16 books while trying to get through its first 200 pages. The latter 250 pages I got through in around 24 hours, so take that as you will. I’ve heard really amazing things about Ruth Ozeki, and I think they’re pretty justified, the slow start of this book aside. The Book of Form and Emptiness is about a kid, Benny, who begins to hear objects speak to him after his father tragically dies, and in trying to escape the noisy and scary voices, seeks refuge in the public library. There, he gets into all sorts of adventures and trouble, but most importantly, he hears the voice of his book. What does that mean? I shouldn’t really say. Strengths of this book are that it’s so human, tender, heart wrenching and philosophical. Much of it is a love letter to books, literature and public libraries, which I can absolutely get behind. The weakness of this book is that it really does not pick up until around halfway through. Like a lot of literary fiction, there isn’t a plot or any intrigue/suspense to keep you engaged, and so the fact that the more interesting secondary characters get introduced late really limited my ability to be engaged. I’m excited to read Ozeki’s other books and see if they compare.

Filed under: interesting books.