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A review by amandajwampler
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
5.0
I found this book delightful. Ruth’s writing is inventive and intriguing, and from the first few chapters, I felt a sort of trust that the book was going to take me on an enjoyable journey. I loved the narration style and the switching perspectives.
I won’t lie, there are some parts of the book that might be sappy or corny, and sometimes the writing felt a little self indulgent. Those sort of things don’t often bother me, especially in a story as tender as this one. They balanced well with the philosophical ponderings and Zen Buddhist ideas. It definitely attempted to teach some life lessons, which is a difficult line to walk if you want to avoid being too preachy, but I didn't find it to detract from the story too much. which in my mind is a win.
I am currently doing research on trauma and mental illness, so that layer to the story is really interested. I can't completely decide if the end was too "neat" or not, but it did feel somewhat rushed. I think there is great harm done when we try to classify everything as 'normal' vs 'abnormal,' which this book rightly points out, and I think it really tries to push back against the idea that every trait of a person should be categorized or diagnosed. Obviously there are mental health concerns that should be assessed in a professional environment, but this book does make you consider what normal is, and if it truly exists.
This book is mainly narrated by the book itself, with small interruptions by Benny, the main character. It explores Benny’s grief as he begins to hear voices after his dad dies. I don’t want to give too much away, but the way Benny and his mother both react to this grief and trauma is powerful. Even as the book leans into the mystical/magical, it is still a story rooted in grief, trauma, love, adolescence, and independence. Annabelle is finding her way in her newly independent world and Benny is looking for solace from grief and the trials of being a teenager.
I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this book. I don't necessarily think this magical realism is for everyone, and if you get frustrated with slow pacing you might want to skip this read. Some parts of the book dragged, but I personally love very slow storytelling and hanging on to a moment or idea for a while. I am also a very easy reader to please, and this book really came to me in the right moment. Wow this is my longest review every.
I won’t lie, there are some parts of the book that might be sappy or corny, and sometimes the writing felt a little self indulgent. Those sort of things don’t often bother me, especially in a story as tender as this one. They balanced well with the philosophical ponderings and Zen Buddhist ideas. It definitely attempted to teach some life lessons, which is a difficult line to walk if you want to avoid being too preachy, but I didn't find it to detract from the story too much. which in my mind is a win.
I am currently doing research on trauma and mental illness, so that layer to the story is really interested. I can't completely decide if the end was too "neat" or not, but it did feel somewhat rushed. I think there is great harm done when we try to classify everything as 'normal' vs 'abnormal,' which this book rightly points out, and I think it really tries to push back against the idea that every trait of a person should be categorized or diagnosed. Obviously there are mental health concerns that should be assessed in a professional environment, but this book does make you consider what normal is, and if it truly exists.
This book is mainly narrated by the book itself, with small interruptions by Benny, the main character. It explores Benny’s grief as he begins to hear voices after his dad dies. I don’t want to give too much away, but the way Benny and his mother both react to this grief and trauma is powerful. Even as the book leans into the mystical/magical, it is still a story rooted in grief, trauma, love, adolescence, and independence. Annabelle is finding her way in her newly independent world and Benny is looking for solace from grief and the trials of being a teenager.
I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this book. I don't necessarily think this magical realism is for everyone, and if you get frustrated with slow pacing you might want to skip this read. Some parts of the book dragged, but I personally love very slow storytelling and hanging on to a moment or idea for a while. I am also a very easy reader to please, and this book really came to me in the right moment. Wow this is my longest review every.