The more books I read, the more I realize that I'm a character kind of guy. It seems that people side toward character development in a novel/movie/play or a story development person. Those who focus on characters, like me, don't care much about the plot as long as they can identify, feel emotion with, and care for the main characters of a story. We feel for these protagonists, dynamic characters, and foils more than one who cares about the story. Those who care about the story want just that: a good story. A good plot with twists, turns, and unexpected action. There's nothing wrong with either side. It seems that novels like Gatsby can be polarizing. Character people love it, story lovers tend to hate it.
Luckily, Extremely Loud can appeal to both audiences.
Oskar Schell's father dies when one of the WTC towers collapses on 9/11. We meet Oskar as he's still grieving for his father and finds an envelope that he believes is a clue that his adventure-loving father left for him. What develops over the course of the story is Oskar meeting with elaborate characters, reminiscing about his father, and seeing sides of his family he has never seen before.
We also meet Oskar's grandfather Thomas who, to me, is one of the most interesting and complex characters to whom I've been introduced in a novel. The sorrow and pain that he shares (as well as Oskar) is so realistic that you feel compelled to take part in every emotion he experiences. In what I think is one of the best scenes ever written in a novel, Thomas shares everything he possibly can to his son in a cathartic, cleansing manner that left me with chills.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this book. You laugh, cry, feel every emotion that the characters feel. The whole book will leave you emotionally tied to these characters to the very end.
4.5/5 stars
