Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
The average user rating for this Book is 8.1 out of 10 (based on 41 Votes).
jeff r gave it a1: The book is pathetic, makes no sense, should be taken off shelves, the book is weird, get a life john
Nicola B gave it a10: Not perfect but very very good!
Nick B gave it a10: I can understand how some readers might feel slightly wary of any writer making such 'playful' use of the 9/11 events, and this is definitely more whimsical than bone dry, but at the same time, I honestly don't feel that Safran Foer's been remotely cheap or exploitative here and has instead salvaged some light and startled joy from a suddenly darkened world situation. I can't remember the last time that I laughed and heartached so much, at the same time, whilst reading. Maybe his first book, thinking about it.
Cat B gave it a10: Foer has an amazing way to connect with readers without letting them even know it.
Beth W gave it a9: This book was absolutly amazing. It kept me on the edge of my seat at all times
Pollyanna J gave it a10: Quite possibly the best book I've read in at least 10 years. It had me laughing out loud and crying in spite of myself. I'm amazed by Foer's ability to connect.
E E gave it a9: Visually engaging and an emtional catharsis of pity, grief, revelation, and closure
stan b gave it a10: Silly and clever and heartbreaking. (The 'critics' miss the point. This is told from the point-of-view of a 9-year-old boy. So of course some of the things he learns may seem obvious to NYTimes book reviewer.) I listened to this book on CDs so I was unaware of the visual gimmicks that turned some off.
Dara G gave it a6: While I admire Foer's attempt to handle such a painful subject, I must agree with those critics who deemed this work to be too self-conscious. Although I enjoyed the book more and more as I continued to read, I never really got to know Oskar as much I think I would have had Foer dispensed with much of his experimentation for the sake of experimentation. For a truly memorable reading experience that will result in getting to know a male character who displays symptoms of autism, read "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon.
Sharon B gave it an8: Jonathan Safran Foer has an incredibly unique narrative voice. I enjoyed the complete change of tone from his previous novel, and once again I appreciated the confusing twists and turns in the plot. There were some trite moments, but not enough to keep me from longing for his next work.
Vince H. gave it a10: This is the best novel I've read since "Fortress of Solitude" by Jonathan Lethem. And before that, the best novel I'd read was "Everything is Illuminated" by Foer. Personally I think Lethem and Foer and Jeffrey Euginides are the best living fiction writers, with this novel being the greatest thing I've read in years. It is so incredibly moving (sorry for that) that I was speechless after I finished it. The whole criticism about the novel being gimmicky or too self-conscious is absurd...if it is good, who cares how the author chooses to express him/herself. Anyways, a long-review would take me about 2 hours, but just read this book as soon as you can. It will change the way you think about modern literature. I hope Foer writes another novel soon.
Paul H gave it a4: I tried and tried but I just couldn't get into it.
David M gave it a9: I wish I could spend more time with Oskar
Dan O gave it a7: Some parts were amazing and beutiful, others were boring, annoying and unoriginal. Still overall a pretty good book.
Pat S gave it an8: word to charisma: it wasn't the holocaust. the bombs raining down on dresden were american. the book simply explored what it's like to lose those close to you. and it raises itself beyond sentimentality with lyricism. however, what the book says on the whole is open to question. but i found it undeniably a joy to read.
Craigan U. gave it a9: I felt my emotions had been toyed with and manipulated on about 16 different levels and I couldn't shake the feeling--"this isn't about a 9yr old boy, but a really clever 27yo cat from Brooklyn." Still, I loved this book. I loved its playful format, the author's wit and what he was able to convey about grief. In short, I found this book extremely loud (bordering on obnoxious), but somehow very close to real emotion and loss.
Zane gave it a9: takes the reader beyond the mundane to universal human dilemmas.
Chester D gave it a10: This book and its author have received many nasty reviews from otherwise evenheaded critics. I didn't want to read it, but I'm very happy I did. Seldom have I read a book that deals with the subjects of loss, loneliness, and bereftness with such an unflinching eye. This book will eventually be considered a classic.
Matt K gave it a10: This book is outstanding. Jonathan Foer is coming to visit my school next week, and I am thrilled. His writing flows, and is easy on the mind, hard on the heart, but oddly satisfying.
Oren S gave it a10: AMAZING!
Charisma gave it a1: This is a sentimental book--and is extremely uneven in its presentation. The book tries to compound the tragedy of 9/11 by adding a liberal dose of the horrors of Nazi Germany. Why Foer stopped there and didn't just add some spoonfuls of the Cambodian holocaust, the massacres in the Balkans and Rwanda, and the South African aparthied, I don't know, since what Foer is trying to do in this book (inadvertently or not) is to create the most overwrought and sentimental narrative imaginable. I skipped over a lot of the pages because so much of the book is "Look at me, I am all about something really, really sad, and I will hit you over the head with it, just in case you don't get it," in neon lights--flashing.
s e gave it a1: crap.
Larry L gave it a4: I found it tedious and began skipping paragraphs at mid book. So did my teenage daughter who reads every thing in print
clay b gave it a9: Rumors of Foer's death are greatly exaggerated.
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