I really enjoyed this book, the first I’ve read from the author. A quick skim of the reviews of this book way back when it was released (a few years after 9/11) and you could tell that it was polarizing and the wounds were still raw from the terror attacks. I think this book benefits from the emotional (and temporal) distance when reading it now.
That’s not to say that it isn’t emotional – it is a heartbreaking book – heartbreaking across several generations that are represented. Previously I watched the movie, and I didn’t remember as much about people other than the boy and his parents. The book includes some other key characters.
The writer knows how to tell a story, and I enjoyed the sort of multimedia presentation of the book. There are photos and realia interspersed with the text, and gradually you see the import of these as the story reveals itself. I could see how some people could be turned off by this – some reviewers thought of it as a new-fangled gimmick – but I thought it effective.
Speaking of gimmicks, if there is one here it might be the inclusion of a character who cannot speak. The ailment is mysterious but key to develop some of the mysteries in this book. Other people have curiously stunted communication skills in key areas, and we have to work harder to suspend disbelief in these areas.
But it is a great story, and I enjoyed the experience of reading this very much.
Next I am reading Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe.
