I started Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close with low expectations. I didn’t even want to read it. All I knew about it was that Jonathan Safran Foer, who judging by his very cute author photo couldn’t be more than about fifteen years old, was considered to be some kind of wunderkind prodigy making a big splash and billions of dollars and a movie off his first novel. But book group is book group, so I got me a copy from the library and in I plunged.
This book was tremendous. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book that was simultaneously so sad and so entertaining. I know a few of you are also reading it right now, so I won’t give any spoilers. I’ll just say that it’s about many things, but mostly it’s about the myriad ways in which people fail to communicate with each other. And Foer is unbelievably creative in the kinds of failures he thinks up. So sad and so entertaining.
And it’s about the ways in which people deal (or don’t deal) with horrors like the bombing of Dresden and 9/11. So sad, and not so entertaining. Before I read this book, I must admit, 9/11 was an abstract horror to me. Dresden, on the other hand, has been horribly vivid to me ever since the time at Interlochen when we played this piece of music about the bombing — cacophonous and scary, with members of the band having to shout out “help!” and “firestorm!” in German at various points, and ending with a solo flute that was supposed to represent the weeping of an orphaned child. And I have often thought about the ways in which members of my own family bear the imprint in their very souls of the horrors they lived through in Europe during the first half of the twentieth century. Living out here in Michigan, not being personally acquainted with anyone who lost someone on 9/11, not even seeing any of the WTC video footage until fairly recently, I never thought of 9/11 in the same vein. I do now.
[Mental head shake. Ok. Back to the review.] I was very impressed with Foer’s ability to write in different voices. The main character is a nine-year-old boy, a very bright, eccentric, polymath of a nine-year-old boy with the soul of a poet. Oh, how he can turn a phrase! I will never again say I am sad or depressed. No, from now on I’m going to say that I have heavy boots. Isn’t that absolutely marvelous? Heavy boots. And when something isn’t so great I’m going to say it’s not one hundred dollars. The boy, Oskar, reminded me a bit of the boy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (which I wrote about here) and Foer does an equally amazing job of putting the reader in this kid’s head. But we also get the separate voices of both of the boy’s grandparents, each as distinct and poignantly poetic as the boy’s. If I hadn’t returned my copy already I’d give you a stunning quote from the grandmother, a meditation about things that moved her deeply when she was a girl (a dog following a stranger was one of them) and how growing up means feeling less. The way the author plays with language (and even typography, yes, he uses typography to convey meaning) — wow!
It’s one hundred dollars, baby!
13 Comments
I’ve reached page 51 and was also struck by the brilliance of “heavy boots.” When I reach the grandmother’s meditation I’ll send it to you.
Great! And when you get to the end send me the letter he receives in the last chapter. (No spoilers, but have your hanky ready.) Actually I just might go out and buy myself a copy.
I read this not that long ago and it didn’t really do it for me at all. There were beautiful passages but it wasn’t all put together enough for me!
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is one of those books that I keep checking out of the library, then taking back without getting round to reading it. After your glowing review, I’ll be giving it highest priority next time I get my hands on a copy!
O.k., I think I’m in. I’ve put off reading it because of the precociousness of the author (too much praise on too young a child – it always puts me off because the writing is never that good)
But – your (p)review sounds pretty good. I’ll have to check it out.
I’ve posted the grandmother’s meditation on my blog. I couldn’t find a letter in the last chapter. Do you mean the one from Steven Hawkings?
Since the “curious” book was brilliant, this recommendation of yours goes @ the top of my list!
Terrific colourful phrases!
Yes, I switched site hosts again, but am here for keeps. Many readers from overseas are not able to access typepad. I don’t know if that’s been a temporary problem, but I hadn’t realized wordpress offerred a free format that fits with our network.
P.S. I did live 9-11, far too close… The post about it along w/ one of my photos is still up here:
http://ShadowsintheMoonlight.typepad.com under “Haunting Horror.” I needed to write it somewhat detached on the 5 yr anniversary that still seems like yesterday. Otherwise, my words would not come. Only shakes,torrents of tears, eerie silence,all mixed with gratitude at our luck…but still branded forever.
Hmmm. I will have to check this one out.
The title of this post scared me away, Julie.
So, I’ll just wish you good wishes for the Thanksgiving holiday. Have a great one!
Hello, wanted to pop in and say how much I like your blog. And I had a similar reaction to Foer, I refused to read him for the longest time and then I peeked at EL&IC in the bookshop and was hooked. I took it home read it nearly in one sitting. I now consider it one of the finest contemporary novels I have ever read. And my book group is reading Everything is Illuminated next month, I simply can’t wait.
I bought this book quite a while ago but just picked it up few days ago…..I am now reading to page 104 (conversation with grandma)….I really love the conversation between a nine-year old child with different adults.
Your website looks great! I will check it up once in a while
I have finally finished the book. I love it very much and quite surprised by the ending about the key. I really love the bonding between the family, although there were full of suffering. Totally recommend this book.