Review # 1: "I am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

For my first review of the summer, I read I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, author of the best selling 2006 novel The Book Thief.  Published in 2002 and winner of various young adult fiction awards, I Am the Messenger is the story of Ed Kennedy, a 19 year old cab driver from Australia.  Residing in an apartment with his perpetually stinky dog (brilliantly named 'The Doorman'), Ed spends his free time playing cards with his friends, running errands for his recently widowed mother, or else falling even more hopelessly in love with his best friend Audrey.  However, Ed's apathetic, boring life is interrupted by the arrival of a playing card, an ace of diamonds, with the addresses of three houses.  With the help of a mysterious stranger, Ed must confront his greatest fears in order to make a difference in the lives of complete strangers, and learns that even someone as ordinary as he is can become extraordinary if only given a little push in the right direction.

After reading The Book Thief last year, I had high expectations for I Am the Messenger and was not disappointed.  From the very first page, Zusak's prose reaches out and pulls you into a fast-paced and engaging first person narrative.  Throughout the book, Ed's narration is direct and conversational, but without seeming too informal, and reminded me strongly of both JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye and John Green's Looking for Alaska*  

Compared to Book Thief, I was surprised how light and funny the first few chapters of Messenger were.  However, with the arrival of the first ace card, Ed is forced to deal with some very serious issues and the book begins to display the emotional depth I expected from Zusak.  For a novel of only ~300 pages, Zusak manages to discuss an impressive array of topical issues, including the death of a family member, sexual violence, ageism, apathy, sex vs. love, immigration, and religion, among others.  I felt that the author dealt with all of these issues with care and sensitivity, yet without losing the narrator's original sense of humor or seeming overly didactic.

My only critique of this novel would be the ending.  I won't spoil it, still, I felt that it was a bit rushed, and I would have appreciated a few more pages to let Ed's final revelation sink in a little.  I appreciated the ambiguity of the ending, but found it to be a little unbelievable due to the length.  If you read it, you will understand.    

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to all readers.  Even if you haven't read The Book Thief, I Am Messenger is a delight.  With equal parts light and dark, this book is an emotionally engaging read that will keep you interested whether at the beach or on a rainy day indoors and will show you that you don't have to be a 'hero' to be heroic.

Rating:  9/10
Genre:  Young Adult/Teen Fiction
Favourite Quote: "Believe it or not--it takes a lot of love to hate you like this."
        
-AA Spence


*Sadly, I won't be writing reviews of either of these novels, but if you haven't read them (in the words of a certain beloved English Honours professor), "Rush out!"