7.07.2010

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

"I thought about all of the things that everyone ever says to each other, and how everyone is going to die, whether it's in a millisecond, or days, or months, or 76.5 years, if you were just born. Everything that's born has to die, which means our lives are like skyscrapers. The smoke rises at different speeds, but they're all on fire, and we're all trapped."

I know I am a little late on the bandwagon to read this book. I blame it on my English Major. It is so liberating to be able to read what I want, when I want, without having to worry too much about analyzing it.

This book was a delight. It was genuinely funny. Really, Oskar Schell could be one of the most likable characters in literature tied with Ramona Quimby and Elizabeth Bennett. For example, "Do you have any coffee?'...'It stunts my growth, and I'm afraid of death." I laughed out loud so many times that Kevin asked me to repeat whatever I had just read because it made him laugh too.

I cried a lot too though. It made 9/11 so much more real for me. The psychological process of healing that Oskar goes through after his father dies is so moving. And the love of his mother and grandparents to him is moving also. I loved how is Grandma always said, "I hope you never love anything as much as I love you." And I loved how when Oskar was sad, he said that he had "Heavy Boots."

It was a delight. Have you read it?
And have you read "Everything is Illuminated?" I want to read that next.

6 comments:

emily said...

i really want to read this. i read everything is illuminated because i LOVED the film. and well... there are 2 or 3 stories rolled into one in the book and one of the "stories" i didn't like so much. so if you can get passed that... i liked it...

MoonPie said...

Hi.. I've been reading your blog for a while now and I really love it, I've been too lazy to make a google account, but I felt the need to tell you how wonderful these books are, soooo I finally made one! I love to read and have read quite a many things and have to say that Everything's Illuminated is by far the best thing that I have ever read. It is 3 stories intricately woven together similar to Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and it makes it so it never gets boring ( I've read it like 7 times). There are some questionable parts, but really its a beautiful book!

stephanie said...

I read this book two summers ago and LOVED it. I actually like Everything is Illuminated better, but both are beautiful novels. Foer is one of my favorite authors and I'm so glad you enjoyed this novel! xo

Michelle said...

Yeah reading for pleasure always slows wayyy down for me during the school year. I keep hearing about that book so I'll have to read it!!

PS. I don't know that many places around Provo, do you have anything in mind? What time would you want to meet up? Yay! I'm excited!

Mandy said...

@ FulloFancy - How sweet of you to stop by and create a google account to comment. I would love to see what kind of blog you could create - you seem to have great taste!

emilyf said...

I also loved this book, just as you say and describe. I started reading Everything is Illuminated, and I like it but it didn't catch me as well as EL&IC so I haven't finished it yet. But I imagine it's more because I'm terribly busy and I would have no complaints about it if I had finished it. :) Great author