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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by…
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Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (original 2005; edition 2005)

by Jonathan Safran Foer

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16,624468309 (4.06)326
Oskar Schell was seven years old when his father Thomas was killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Two years later, Oskar is still struggling with that loss as well as some secrets he has kept buried deeply inside himself. He is also an extremely bright boy—overly precocious, really—but suffers from a variety of social maladies, including the inability to fit in well with his colleagues at school. When he discovers a strange key marked only with the name ‘Black’ that his father had hidden in his closet before he died, Oskar embarks on a months-long journey across the five boroughs of New York City to solve the mystery and bring closure to the grief that he, his widowed mother, and paternal grandparents are feeling at their collective tragedy. That quest and what he finds at the end provide the emotional impact of the story.

Published in 2005, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close stands as one of the first literary attempts to reconcile and explain the consequences of the events that took place during that horrific time in our history. In that effort, the novel succeeds remarkably well. The author made the wise choice of focusing the story not on the fateful day itself, but on the aftermath that the surviving loved ones of those killed had to live through. The emotions generated by Oskar and his relatives were raw, real, and deeply affecting. On the other hand, the book is less successful in relating the specifics of the Schell family’s story, which is told in terms that are too sentimental (if that is actually possible, given the topic). Further, Oskar often comes across as unbelievably glib and contrived, while his grandmother’s entire backstory is convoluted and largely unnecessary to the novel’s main goal. On balance, then, I found this to be a book with an important message to convey but one in which the storytelling was unfortunately flawed. ( )
  browner56 | Sep 7, 2021 |
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Showing 1-25 of 433 (next | show all)
I read a good portion of this novel before I even remotely began to like it. There is the narrator, Oskar Schell, a young boy who has lost his father in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. I can only think that author Foer named his narrator Oskar Schell, as an allusion to Oskar Matzerath, the hero and unreliable narrator of Gunter Grass' great novel, The Tin Drum, and as an allusion to author Jonathon Schell, the prophet of nuclear annihilation. So Oskar is unreliable. So what. But then author Foer weaves into the story eyewitness accounts of the bombing of Hiroshima and Dresden. These accounts are so harrowing, so terrible, that my attention naturally moved from the almost trivial to the insanely purposeful. At the end of the novel Oskar begs his mother not to hospitalize him for mental illness, which was exactly the fate of Grass' protagonist. His story is almost too terrible to tell, the horror and meaningless acts of revenge in the name of the good and the holy. Much like the attacks on the Twin Towers. There is the parallel narrative of Oskar's grandfather who survived the Dresden massacre but lost almost everyone and everything he knew. This story is almost an inversion of the main story, both equally terrible and affecting. Oskar starts a letter-writing campaign to befriend astro-physicist Steven Hawking, most famously known for his book -- A Brief History of Time -- and his theries of black holes. There are many black holes in the narrative of this tale, and many typographical anomalies to shake us away from the literal narrative. I have not read other reviews of this book. I am sure some of the experimentation will not go unnoticed. The story is rich and provocative. It questions the power of text and the ironies of silence. It is certainly an ambitious work. ( )
  MylesKesten | Jan 23, 2024 |
A little bit predictable but lyrically written, emotionally wrenching, and engaging. ( )
  Blanket_Dragon | Jan 23, 2024 |
I read this while I was in New York. I completely loved it. I love precocious kids. I love mysteries. I love old people. I love Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm sloppy in love with this book. ( )
  LibrarianDest | Jan 3, 2024 |
Here's what I wrote in 2012 about this read: "Boy and his mom coping with the tradegy of 9/11, incredibly close. Essentially a study of loss, grieving, and recovery. Interesting parallels to grandparents' WWII experience in Dresden." ( )
  MGADMJK | Aug 31, 2023 |
Really sad but don't read the back, as the blurb gives away a reveal later on. ( )
  Emree | Aug 20, 2023 |
Justin bought a copy for herself - a birthday present from Graeme. She started reading it aloud to us and I was hooked. The voice, the writing, the story nearly broke my heart with its unexpected beauty, sadness and humor. A satisfying read and one that knocks me to my knees when I consider writing myself. ( )
  rebwaring | Aug 14, 2023 |
I read this because I was going to see the author speak at City Arts and Lectures and I was worried that the conversation would be lost on me without knowing this book. It was the right move, and not just in preparation for this speaking event. ( )
  blueskygreentrees | Jul 30, 2023 |
strange
can't decide if I like it, but very thought provoking
should be great for some interesting discussions
will teens like it? which ones? ( )
  pollycallahan | Jul 1, 2023 |
I have to agree with some of the complaints that this book is gimmicky. I think Foer has a lot of ambition and was trying to write approach 9/11 with sensitivity and artfulness. It is telling, however, that the two most moving images in the book - the flipbook of the person falling into the World Trade Center, and the narrative of the father in Hiroshima after the bombing - are not Foer's work, the latter sounding like it was lifted in whole cloth from John Hersey's "Hiroshima".

Oskar, our protagonist, is nothing but a collection of verbal tics. "Jose", "heavy boots", "googolplex", etc. What starts out as cute quickly becomes grating. The reader is left spending too much time puzzling over minor mysteries - why does the grandfather have yes and no tattooed on his hands when it would be simpler just to nod or shake his head? - and not enough time actually caring about the characters. I found Oskar's mother to be the most sympathetic character, but she gets far too little attention. ( )
  jonbrammer | Jul 1, 2023 |
2.5/5 stars ( )
  elenamnls | Jun 27, 2023 |
I wasn't very struck with the first novel, but thought the second much better. EII about a Jewish American author corresponding with his Ukrainian friend in search of his family history from a town in Ukraine (Trachimbrod), incorporating the Ukrainian's learning of the English language, with the folktales that surround the mysterious drowning of a baby orphan's father. EL&IC about a boy coming to terms with the death of his father in the terrorist attack on the twin towers.This second novel reminded me of Rief Larsen's The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet and Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The fascinating childish inventions such as showers that turn people into colours so they can be better understood, and the boy collecting information, facts such as Buckminster Fuller's Dome, The Architect's Blunder, radiation effects on white chess pieces, etc., all tied to the boy trying to understand why his father died. I enjoyed the mention of the St Elmo's fire on top of the empire state building, and the curious B&W images adding to the story. ( )
  AChild | Apr 10, 2023 |
Ok, I am getting off to a very interesting 2012.

First, I read Skippy Dies which I thoroughly enjoyed reading but found the experience unsatisfying.

Then, I read this book, and it is the total opposite. I actually didn't really like reading this book - - well the vast majority of it. But, it is absolutely brilliant. There is no doubt in my mind that this book deserves to become a classic and that it is literary gold. Oh my gosh, the writing annoyed me most of the time, and yet it packed an emotional wallop almost as big as The Road. And The Road is my standard for emotional gravity.

I think I've cried after reading one book, The Road. Now, we can make it two.

Oddly, this book is promoted as being a story of a very unusual, eccentric and creative 9 year old boy who has lost his father in 911.

For me, that was a little bit like saying the story of Adam and Eve was about a serpent.

In my mind, the true heart of the book and the absolute brilliance of it lies in the depiction of the relationship between the boy's grandfather and grandmother. It gave me chills. And it's the reason I'm giving this book the five stars it certainly deserves. The writing and how this relationship is presented is very original.

The reason I didn't really enjoy reading the book is that the voice of the 9 year old Oskar just didn't enchant me. It's so precocious that it is not really childlike. And the plotline in which he finds a key amongst his father's things and tries to determine what the key unlocks - - well, I didn't really find it very compelling.

I will say that I read Foer's first book, Everything is Illuminated, and totally did NOT like it. And the storyline of Oskar -- well it just evoked the same things I didn't really like about the first book. I can totally see some people liking this writing style just fine . . .it just is not my cup of tea.

However, I just feel a need to give credit where credit is due. When I read a classic, sometimes I don't necessarily love it either, but I can still appreciate the work of art that it is. For me, this book fits that mold.

p.s. I think it is worth noting that his novel does use some gimmicks that are not often seen. I personally felt these were seriously unnecessary, but that the book succeeded in spite of them not because of them. Foer, you have the talent. Try to trust it. ( )
  Anita_Pomerantz | Mar 23, 2023 |
I enjoyed the first half more than the second.. it gets a bit depressing reading all the references to loss though the formatting is very unusual and creative. He's a talented author for sure! ( )
  Jonathan5 | Feb 20, 2023 |
CW: Loss of father in 9/11. Images of a 9/11 jumper but in reverse ( )
  Mrs_Tapsell_Bookzone | Feb 14, 2023 |
This just isn't for me. Got about 100 pages in, didn't like the writing style. Had trouble differentiating who was talking whenever it jumped to another person's point of view. ( )
  Brian-B | Nov 30, 2022 |
Narrated by precocious nine-year-old Oskar Schell, this book relates his journey to express grief for his father, who died in the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center. After finding a key in his father’s closet, Oskar embarks upon a quest to locate what it opens, symbolically paying tribute to his father's life while also helping him heal. An intertwined story tells of Oskar's grandparents' difficult lives after surviving the bombing of Dresden during World War II. Their stories involve letters written from Oskar’s grandfather to his father and from Oskar’s grandmother to Oskar. Themes include the silence of suffering, the impact of trauma, and how difficult it can be to overcome.

This is another book where I can appreciate its artistry but is not a particularly enjoyable reading experience. I thought Oskar’s story, though it stretches the limits of belief, was touching. I felt compassion for the child who has suddenly lost his father and describes what is obviously depression as “heavy boots.” It hits very close to home for me. However, I found the grandparents’ storylines disjointed and difficult to follow. The chapters narrated by Oskar are the strongest and most direct, though his voice is much more analytical and mature than a typical child. There were many interesting parallels between the experiences of Oskar and his grandfather. The tone is very sad and there are many loose ends.

I think the overall impression of this book is more effective than the individual parts. It would be a good book to read with another person or as part of a book club.
( )
  Castlelass | Oct 30, 2022 |
Good narration. Memorable story. ( )
  captc2000 | Aug 18, 2022 |
Got almost halfway through and had to stop. It was making me nuts. I have a 9 yr old boy and this is like looking inside his head at times! :) I'll try and finish it one day.
  panamamama | Aug 2, 2022 |
I started this book and then put it down because I was getting confused. Picked it up again and glad I finished it. It does all come together but I'm still left feeling confused- I think that was the author's goal, to make us feel like Oskar did a bit. If you know any gifted, slightly autistic, or SPD kids this will hit home. Very hard to read at times but worth it. ( )
  panamamama | Aug 2, 2022 |
A bit too precious (narrator's voice) for my taste given the subject matter (9/11). ( )
  sparemethecensor | Jul 10, 2022 |
There's nothing wrong with not understanding yourself.

A little disappointed with the resolution to Oscar's quest but didn't dock any stars for it because maybe it was supposed to be so. That was the closest I could feel to Oscar in the whole book, the inevitable disappointment of something that you have religiously ascribed all your hope to. ( )
  Toshi_P | May 6, 2022 |
wow this book. i mean wow. i don't know how to articulate how good this book is because i feel like i was just totally flattened by reading it and i'm not sure how to pick myself up and put words together.

this is astonishing. the story, the characters, the unique inclusion of photographs. it is wrenching and full of love and beauty and sadness and grief. it is absolutely incredible. what a feat to write this just a few years after 9/11 and infuse it with so much beauty and pain and understanding. the loss and the relationships and connections and the ways we meet and help each other, fail each other, seek each other, need each other.

i am blown away.

"You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness." ( )
  overlycriticalelisa | Feb 2, 2022 |
Finished it a few days ago, and realized that although it was so effing sadness-inducing and teary and just plain emotionally packing, this book was not perfect.

Sadly. Because I thought that Everything Is Illuminated was pretty much close to perfect. And while Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close was totally in-yo-face awesome and incredible and powerful, it didn't really get to that five-star level. Maybe 4.7 star level, but not 5. But because everyone else already discussed what makes this book amazing, I'm going to rant about the specific things that might make this book less amazing.

For one, Oskar kind of... irritated me. Sort of like someone with a really awkward rash. The rash being his precocious know-it-allness, his ability to process ideas that are really, really impressive--even though the entire book basically deals with his inability to process emotions. In EIL, the characters were believable; in ELIC, they were interesting and a constant source of pathos, but not strictly believable.

A part of it, I guess, is the kind of magical realism storytelling that Foer likes to streak through the book. Not like it's totally apparent, but many elements were very magic-ky and bizarre; Oskar going on a 5-borough journey every week with his old, deaf neighbor to find every person whose last name is Black, a man tattoos No and Yes on his hands because he becomes mute, etc, etc. Not the most realistic junk, for a book that yearns to serve as commentary on a real-life catastrophe.

So yeah, I felt pretty ambivalent about this whole magic realism thing.

Finally, Foer does this thing that kind of annoys me. My friend does it too--he makes a list of really intelligent-sounding insights that sound really cool and literary-like and then incorporates them into a piece of narrative. This book is basically that--a narrative within which exist little gems that we can all relate to that just read off the page awesomely.

Sorry, not the most labored-over review. Just my thoughts.

But yeah. Read this book! It's great and beautiful and so many things in it made me go "ahh" and "bahh" and "aww" and a silent tear washing down my cheek. Yeah, it's that kind of a book. And even though it will be a page-turner, don't expect it to totally demolish your world. ( )
1 vote Gadi_Cohen | Sep 22, 2021 |
Oskar Schell was seven years old when his father Thomas was killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Two years later, Oskar is still struggling with that loss as well as some secrets he has kept buried deeply inside himself. He is also an extremely bright boy—overly precocious, really—but suffers from a variety of social maladies, including the inability to fit in well with his colleagues at school. When he discovers a strange key marked only with the name ‘Black’ that his father had hidden in his closet before he died, Oskar embarks on a months-long journey across the five boroughs of New York City to solve the mystery and bring closure to the grief that he, his widowed mother, and paternal grandparents are feeling at their collective tragedy. That quest and what he finds at the end provide the emotional impact of the story.

Published in 2005, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close stands as one of the first literary attempts to reconcile and explain the consequences of the events that took place during that horrific time in our history. In that effort, the novel succeeds remarkably well. The author made the wise choice of focusing the story not on the fateful day itself, but on the aftermath that the surviving loved ones of those killed had to live through. The emotions generated by Oskar and his relatives were raw, real, and deeply affecting. On the other hand, the book is less successful in relating the specifics of the Schell family’s story, which is told in terms that are too sentimental (if that is actually possible, given the topic). Further, Oskar often comes across as unbelievably glib and contrived, while his grandmother’s entire backstory is convoluted and largely unnecessary to the novel’s main goal. On balance, then, I found this to be a book with an important message to convey but one in which the storytelling was unfortunately flawed. ( )
  browner56 | Sep 7, 2021 |
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