This book….this book. I loved this book. I picked it up and finished it in under a week and that NEVER happens. It’s both simply and beautifully written, and I found myself opening its pages whenever and wherever I could…at the gym, while we watched NFL playoff games, past my bedtime…Sadly, I can’t make it to our next book club meeting when we’ll discuss the book (WPPI in Vegas!), and though I don’t count myself as a book reviewer I thought I’d do my best and share it here. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close follows the story of a nine-year-old boy whose father died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He adventures across New York City on a secret search for something that he believes will bring him closer to his dad. But all along, he meets the most interesting characters with their own stories to share, too. Intertwined in the boy’s story, are letters written by his grandparents. Letters of love and losing and fear of living. But for all its sadness – as the boy, Oskar, says ‘heavy boots’ – there were many times I found myself smiling or even laughing. You become attached to the little boy, and it’s hard not to be amused by his endearing innocence and sometimes odd behaviour, when you’re not feeling his pain or crying with him. I actually miss the book now that I’m finished…my hope is that the movie does the story justice :)
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