DON’T MISS BRIDGE OF CLAY, MARKUS ZUSAK’S FIRST NOVEL SINCE THE BOOK THIEF.
From the author of the extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger is an acclaimed novel filled with laughter, fists, and love.
A MICHAEL L. PRINTZ HONOR BOOK
FIVE STARRED REVIEWS
Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery.
That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary) until only one question remains: Who's behind Ed's mission?
I really enjoyed this. I loved the premise. It was original and creative and interesting. I liked Ed. I relate to Ed. I liked all the people he helped. It was fantastic. I liked the way God was handled in this - there was a touch of religion but it was peripheral. It was less about God and more about kindness and community and I really liked that message. And I loved the Aussie humour.
And then we come to the ending. WTF?! I could have happily accepted that the criminal did it for unknown reasons. That worked. Maybe it was God. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe someone just wanted to straighten out the world. I could've handled any of those reasons. The extra man saying he killed his father - that was fking bullshit. I hate that shit. There was no need to bring his father into it. It should have been cut from the final manuscript. It made what was otherwise a brilliant story weak. And stupid. The last two chapters: "The folder" was a completely unnecessary chapter. "The message" could have just as easily replaced it. Should have. Or not - the ending could have easily been left as "the ending is not the end" chapter. It irritates me so much. Why ruin an otherwise great book? It's so frustrating.
