Thursday, July 14, 2011

I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

I Am the MessengerI Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you ever started a book that made you laugh during the first few pages? Well, it happened to me when I was reading I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. To me, it had one of the best first chapters I have ever read. Most first chapters are boring, but this one definitely wasn't.

In short, the story is about an average guy, Ed Kennedy, with an average life, average job, ... he's not special, as he points out several times in the story. But then, one day, he starts to receive clues...and as soon as he figured out what the clue means, and when he succeeded in delivering 'the message', he receives a new clue, and so on and on.

And even though that might sound boring, it is told in such a way that makes you feel his confusion, frustration, desperation,... and some of the messages he delivers are so simple, yet heart-warming and they make you really think about how small actions can have such a big difference on someone else's life. To put it simple, it's a book that holds a message to the reader.

The writing style itself was something I truly enjoyed. I loved the dialog, the sarcastic comments, how Markus Zusak made it so close to reality,...

I loved the conversations Ed had with 'the doorman', and some of the descriptions/metaphors that Markus Zusak used were absolutely amazing.

Some of my favorite quotes:

- "If a guy like you can stand up and do what you did, then maybe everyone can. Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of. "
- "My voice is like a rumour. I'm not sure if it came out or not, or if it is true."
- "My heart applauds inside my ears, first like a roaring crowd, then slows and slows until it's a solitary person, clapping with unbridled sarcasm."


I really enjoyed reading this book, but if you happen to have the time, I recommend the audio book as well. The way the story is read makes it even more real and enjoyable! (Listen to the first 10 minutes here)



View all my reviews

No comments: