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

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

A masterpiece. I love Ruth Ozeki. Her characters are so uniquely flawed in that startlingly human way. They are lovable, I empathize with them so easily, and they are flawed. flawed flawed flawed. They'll do something and you're reading it going no.... no honey nooooooooo

A book dealing with intricate systems of living in America: housing, healthcare, mental health, the election, riots, homelessness, drug abuse, school/truancy, public transit: a sort of compilation of our country's failures. Yet, at the same time, it is a picture of hope and change in a society, of people living in a flawed system doing their damn best to make it better, one person at a time. 

Like a Tale for the Time Being, this book starts and is sad sad sad for like 95% of the book, but it resolves so satisfyingly, so hopefully. And it doesn't feel forced, like wait no we gotta have a happy ending, it feels natural, uplifting. 

Good stuff.